My love for jewelry

I am making a desperate attempt to keep this blog professional, but I feel that if someone that isn’t related to me by blood or Phi Mu sees this they will have no idea who I am and why I feel the need to 1) make jewelry and 2) be obsessed with swirls. Since I was a little girl I loved to draw and color, drawing turned into drawing cartoons in middle school; then from cartoons to painting in high school, in college I wanted to be a real artist, without the classes. On the Hill (McDaniel) I took my first drawing class with Linda Van Hart, who cranked so many pieces from me. I took the class thinking it was easy, but it was anything but that. We all had our own drawing ability, some could render objects to look like the real thing, some where like me so had a certain flare to cover up their inability to render and of course you had the elementary school drawers (I know for some assignments I was in that class). But as difficult as it was to complete an assignment that required you to draw a hybrid of two animals (I chose a hippabunny, past Hippo part bunny) I liked her teaching style. She was a small woman, with a big attitude and a love of art that I hadn’t seen in anyone else. I decided to find a elective class that would be an easy A, seeing that I got an A in Linda’s first class I knew her teaching style and I figured I could handle Jewelry Making. Little did I know that the class taught me metal smithing, I didn’t think on the first day of class I would be holding an acetylene torch praying not to set my partner on fire. But I loved it, I loved the torch and I made the majority of my work with chains. I loved the creative outlet so much I took the independent study, which took me two semesters since I couldn’t finish my locket in enough time. That locket was my labor of love and I hated the outcome. I think she gave me a B for it, since I had a general design for it, and it didn’t fall apart.

College ended in ’06 and I found myself clueless in the world. I went back to what I knew best, administrative work; leaving my jewelry pliers and pearls to collect dust until I found a cute bead shop in Dupont Circle. I made a couple of things for myself and I continued to make my own pieces when the occasion called for it, but until recently I felt the need to really share my talent. Although with limited means (no torch) I am restricted to the creative process, but I am determined to make it happen. I am learning how to use polymer clay to make beads and pendants. I found it to be an inexpensive way to add a personal touch to my pieces rather than only using glass beads. I am also re-learning wire wrapping and I am experimenting with making statement necklaces which are the new rage.

I think everyone has a talent and I think this is mine.