The very hardest parts of actualizing whatever you want are:

1. Figuring out what you want
2. Beginning

You don't even need to know a path to a goal! You just have to start trying!

New earrings

One good thing from Pasadena is that I met some wonderful people, and I acquired a few beautiful supplies. The copper and glass enamel pieces above were traded from Sara Lukkonen for some of my lampworked glass beads. Sara does such beautiful enameling!

I used her components to make these earrings with sterling silver, stainless steel, and anodized copper wires. They hang about 3.75" long. One earring is a little bit longer than the other because my head, like most humans', is a little bit asymmetrical. Earrings of slightly different lengths look even when worn correspondingly in the askew ears.

Gil took this photo in Pasadena

In New York

I flew back to the East Coast today.
I want to stop moving. Now that I'm not working or traveling, I want to dedicate time to think about, and mourn Flo.

No more!

I anticipate that I won't sell my work at craft shows anymore, including RISD Alumni sales and Bazaar Bizarres, at least not for a few years. It takes too much time and causes so much stress for very little financial reward, if any. I want to focus on my work at the Fab Academy, as well as teaching and working on the installation for the Houston Center of Contemporary Craft, and applying for more grants (and starting work on a documentary.)

I intend to continue to exhibit and sell at the Maker Faire, because that's just the best, and the most fun! (Plus the table is free.)

I'll still have some stuff available at Craftland, probably more work on etsy, and you can always email me for custom orders.

Better and the worst

Photo by Ethan Samson
I finally sold a few things at the show, but still, I made less money than what I spent to be there. I took a loss of about $700, but I believe I had paid for the table with some of the grant money that I won. At least I'm not in Haiti.

I just found out that my dear, brilliant and beloved friend,
Flo McGarrell, didn't survive the earthquake. He directed an art center in Jacmel and lived an amazing life; definitely enough life for at least three people, and compacted into 35 too-short years.

Here's an interview with him from the PBS show, art:21


Flo hugging Melissa Webb

Buy stuff from the people who made it.

I lasercut these new acrylic silhouette displays. Some are clear plexiglass and some are mirrored.

I finished the shell and pearl necklace for the doll head pendant.



I have never sold my work at a four day sale, and I have never spent so much money to do a show.
As of this writing at the end of the third day, I have not yet sold a single thing.

In L.A.

I haven't slept in a very long time. I stayed up all night making things-- glass on the torch, metal work, sewing; I even pulled out the drill press to drill holes in shells for the necklace this doll head will be suspended from.

In my morning delirium I forgot to pack the shell necklace, though it's amazing that I didn't forget more considering how absent I was, like somnambulating.
I'm going to try to get it shipped to me.

I took two buses, two trains, and a plane to get here. It's wonderful to be with my maternal family again and have Filipino food for dinner!

Getting ready for L.A.

I'm trying to finalize my ideas for booth design. I'm lasercutting new jewelry displays tomorrow, and I'm trying to make more work to sell at the upcoming Pasadena Bead and Design Show. I've been so busy lately, getting ready for this show and some others, taking care of paperwork and trades. I've also been thinking about houses because so many of them around here are ridiculously cheap, like $30,000. I'd also like to apply for more grants, and I'm especially excited about project ideas around movies to make.

Ketubah

(It's not the best photo of the piece, but it's the best one I have.)
A ketubah is a Jewish marriage contract, usually in the form of a decorative document. I made the ketubah for my brother and sister (in law) when they married. The lovebirds not only represent them, but my brother (our family raised lovebirds when we were little) and the jasmine flowers symbolize my sister because her name is Yasmeen.
I spent more than 60 hours illustrating this, doing the calligraphy in Hebrew and English, making the stained glass, and framing the piece. In person you can see the individual columns painted in the birds' feathers, as well as the texture of the skin on their feet.

New heads

I sculpted two new doll head pendants in Cernit. This one has faceted black rhinestones for eyes. I think she will be Nepali or Tibetan.

This one has glass eyes that I flameworked. I think he'll be of the Nez Perce tribe. Do you know about Chief Joseph? "I will fight no more forever."
I look forward to researching how they should be adorned!

Another contest entry