Everything was going along fine and then yesterday we went up to the Penland area for an annual potters' market and to visit a couple of galleries. So of course I had to put on my artist duds and test drive some of my new pieces. I had in mind to wear a couple of the raw cube necklaces. I wanted them to be long and sit one just above the other. That's when I realized the lengths needed to be adjustable, or at least I'm thinking that the lengths should be adjustable. I love the look of really long pieces ... you know like 36" and more. But that was way too long to wear with my inspiration sweater.
Here's the three I had to choose from ...
I thought I had the whole closure thing figured out. But I'm not feeling so sure right now ... amazing how difficult it is to design and engineer interesting, clean and elegant solutions. Kind of surprised, but this little conundrum has me kind of deflated.
This is how I thought I would finish most of the new work ... a fixed closure, the necklace cords are long enough to just slip over the head - I was making these pretty long - 32" to 36".
I've been in a bit of a snit all day trying to take a step back, not stay annoyed and solve my design problem. This is the adjustable closure I came up with a while ago. It still slips over the head, but there's an overhand knot next to the fossil that slides on the cord.
I thought this looked pretty cool, fit in with the overall theme and functioned well. Dave, who has a pretty good eye for design, wasn't convinced. He didn't think my customers would want to mess with adjusting the cord ... I'm not so sure.
He was thinking I should do my regular button/loop clasp ...
For years, my closures have always been a KVK button and loop or the forged hook and link (which is silver and doesn't fit in with this work). I really want something different for this collection.
HELP! This is where living in a near vacuum has its problems. Any opinions here? I'm definitely not usually one to design by committee, but I would very much love some feedback, opinions, insight ... hmmm, insight's probably my responsibility, but feedback would be lovely.
It's been a week of experimenting, trials and triumphs. A few pieces have come together almost instantly, others over days. Each element is tested, assembled, taken apart, reassembled, hung on my in progress wall, where I leave it rest overnight and come back the next day to see if it still works.
Hanging against my inspiration and where I am as of this morning .........
And, of course, if you've been with me for a while, you'll know how I struggle with cordage and the vehicle for assembling my pieces. This collection is no different, although it's been a much less painful road. Remember, I had decided on my color palette, the starting point being my beautiful sweater's ochre and linen. Black and dark brown are always an easy option and readily available in any fiber I might desire. Ochre or antique gold, not so much. Tuesday, I decided I needed ochre cord or thread or something. So I trotted down to my local chi-chi yarn store and fancy fabric shop in search of my vision. Zip, zero, nada, squat ... nothing at all.
I already had 'plan B' in mind ... purchase some white Habutai silk yardage, cut into ribbons and dye the fabric. Head over to the cheapo fabric store to buy dye and they've got a very minimal selection of basic old Rit dye. BTW, I could have gone downtown to the real fiber store and bought fancy dye, but I wasn't up for that much of an adventure. Alchemist Kathy goes to work ...
It took a while, but after a couple of tries, I got from "golden yellow" mixed with varying amounts of "dark brown" to this ....
The cord on the right was my inspiration. Recycled sari silk that was the perfect look and perfect color, but beware - that stuff has literally no strength and I easily ripped this cordage in two. While I was at it, I chucked some taupe Habu silk in the pot to see what would happen. I knew I was in for a big mess, but I secured the little bundle of yarn as best as I could and went for it.
Not quite the mother of all tangles, but close ...
Side note ... I'm one of those people that actually likes to untangle things. I can remember way back in my teens when I was working at a department store and the jewelry department got a shipment of chains that arrived in a big mess. Everyone took turns trying to untangle the enormous pile. Not so sure anyone else was enamored with the challenge, but I loved it.
Okay, back to my cord choices.
After much deliberation, I decided that, even after several washes with extra rinse cycles, I was still concerned about the stability of my dyeing efforts ... maybe I should have gone to the real fiber store after all. All right, so it's not like I didn't already have a pretty decent assortment of options on hand.
Right now I'm okay with using several different fibers for the cord and so far they're all pendants. I still want to do some 'not pendants', but I'm running out of components. This is most of what's left and I've still got bracelets and earrings to consider ...
I've also been working on a lot of different ideas for closures. One thing with the pendants, the cord will be long enough to just slip over the head, so there won't be a clasp. Some of my test closures ...
I've decided to go with the waxed linen wrap, second from right. One little detail I like is the way I can include my KVK tag when I make the cord - very clean and minimal solution.
So I need to finish up here and get back to work. But, of course, I want to share two of my favorite pieces. Every day that changes. This one reminds me of an ancient stone henge ... the way the two center pieces of fossilized bone fit together so beautifully.
How is it that pieces that look so simple and minimal take so long to compose? For me, it's all about editing. I put pieces on, add on, subtract, change the size of the accent component. There is asymmetry, but it is balanced. Still, it always surprises me how long it takes to get to this point.
And then this piece ... oof! I played around with those long curved steel elements all week and then yesterday this piece came together. It took a good part of my afternoon, but I'm so very pleased with the result ... especially the way the fossils mirror the shape of the steel pieces and the way I wrapped the cord to secure the fossil in place. This is steel, fossilized bones and Roman glass on hand plied nylon cord.
Rightio! There's work to be done, more jewels to create and plots to be plotted ... all happening with my evolving ambient/Stephan MicusPandora station in the background. One thing I love about Pandora is discovering new artists ... my new fave, Bonobo.
ttfn
l i g a - kvk
p.s. apologies for the erratic spacing ... something going on with Blogger won't keep my edits ... annoying.
Much of my work is based on the repetition of form - my stitched coins, stacks of discs, cairns, pickets. Which is only natural as it's a long held obsession of mine - collecting objects, both natural and man made, that embrace my passion for repetition. I've been thinking about this for awhile and thought I'd take a short break from my Etsy work and share some of my collection and thoughts.
It seems so much of my collection is in the form of shells.
I love that there is great precision in patterns placed by the creator.
Exquisite perfection ...
But equally compelling are the random more chaotic patterns created in the decay ...
Within the precise creation pattern exists the chaotic decaying pattern ...
And of course we humans are ever driven to emulate nature's perfection and chaos ...
Here, I've laid down relatively precise dots of pmc slip on a thin black clay slab. The metal clay is over fired and starts to curl into mercury like balls of fine silver ... the section with the broad brush strokes has reverted back to it's preferred pattern of chaos.
Chaos leads to form to repetition to pattern recognition to decay and back to chaos ... perfection.
In between a bit of deck sanding ... I ended up sort of wimping out - I'm just not as acclimated to the heat as Dave is ... and weekend chores, I got some work done in the studio. I think I'm finished with the Angel Wing pendant.
I decided to nix the gemstones and beads, but still wanted to do multiple strands of something. Hillary suggested multiple chains like I used in the Repetition Sapphires necklace. I agreed and felt like some of it needed to be silver but still liked the look and idea of the linen - I don't know, angels and raw linen just seem to go together. I decided to go in that direction with a twist - literally. Here are the components I decided to use ...
I've got two different sizes of sterling links and two different sizes of linen cord. I did kind of a random threading of the linen through the links so it is more securely integrated. I added a 9" double strand of the smaller link chain with the same linen treatment at the base of the 36" larger link chain. I waxed a lighter weight linen to wrap and secure the three chains together. I used the same waxed linen to secure the linen cord at the clasp. I'm really liking the mix. See what you think ......
I'm going to continue working with this component and think it will be an excellent addition to the KVK Luxe collection. But for now, the finished piece which I'm planning to list on Etsy in the next day or so ....
I've also been continuing to work on the Talisman Elements series and have finally decided on a big big component. I've been trying to come up with a blessing that would be sort of all encompassing, that would work on any of the necklaces and, by jove, I think I've finally got it ... Love, Infinite Grace, Abundance. Written on silk with a mustard seed tucked inside, the intention is to, "have faith and know that you are always surrounded by love, infinite grace and abundance." I can use the initials LIGA as well. This came to me yesterday. I've googled the word combination and the initials and haven't found any conflicting sources or weird associations. So, I've already put my new blessing into action. Here's four new necklaces from the Medallions collection awaiting the final touch ...
The ribbon is vintage French silk that Nina gave me years ago. I've dyed it a dark mossy brown; the blessing is written with a sharpie, the mustard seed is tucked inside, then the ribbon blessing is wrapped around the chain and secured with a wrap of waxed copper silk thread. I do love waxing the threads, probably because the block of beeswax I use is an antique - it belonged to my grandfather from his days as a shoe repairman. One of the things I love about this ribbon is one side dyes lighter than the other, so even though it's hidden within, the blessing shows up nicely. The finished wraps ...
I'll be listing these on Etsy as well along with individual medallions and Talilsman Elements. The idea is that as we grow and evolve, as our needs and inspirations change, our Talismans can change with us. Also, I'll be making more of the little pinch bowls to use as a home for the Elements.
Hmmmmm, looks like I've got a lot to do. And of course a girl needs a cool beverage to refresh her on these screaming hot days. My new favorite concoction for the summer - Hibiscus Ginger tea with mint and lime - oh my ....... so very yummy. I started with two kinds of herbal tea - there's my favorite color combination again - ruby and ochre.
Add a few drops of stevia to sweeten it up. Smush some fresh mint and squeeze some lime in the bottom of a glass, add gobs of ice et voila, a sugar and caffeine free glass of summer dee-light.
DEE-licious!!!
Well, like I was saying - this girl's got lots to do ...
So for now - LIGA ... love, infinite grace and abundance - kvk
