Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is MoonRae! You have won a pair of lips (smooch!) from Tari Sasser of Creative Impressions in Clay!
Please email Tari with your address so she can ship that off to you.
This Studio Saturday we visit Shannon LeVart of missficklemedia.com.
So now is the time for missficklemedia to take the show on the road. With the kiddos a bit older, Mike and I have set up a goal for 2012 to re-enter trade and craft shows. Many plans are under way but with only a few small steps forward of actual progress.
When things seem overwhelming to me and I do not know where to start first, I work backwards from the end, Most Positive, result. The end result for this particular goal would be impressed shoppers at our artfully arranged and unique table presentation, money in hand and ready to buy. But how to impress them? With the black flocked velour plastic displays set on too low of tables? No, that wasn’t me. It didn’t showcase our product very well and it didn’t make me feel anything even remotely close to excitement. So on the back burner these preparations sat. Until Oct. of 2010.
I took my mama out to lunch and started whining about how I couldn’t find anything that suited my needs. I tried describing what was in my mind and she asked a few specific questions that sparked an idea. We excitedly starting brain storming on our idea and many more ideas grew from there. But I had no time. No time to put this into place. It was so frustrating, to finally have solid inspiration but no way to start on the gathering of supplies and designing.
Well, flash forward to January and Mom comes over to watch the kids while Mike and I take yet another day long trip to the hospital. When we arrive home and walk in, we see these spread out all over the kitchen table…..
Salvaged Driftwood and Reclaimed Copper Jewelry Displays!
How fabulous is that!?!?! My mom and pop went down to the Mississippi river and salvaged special pieces of driftwood that caught my moms artists eye. They loaded up their truck, brought them home, washed each piece and cured them for a week. After the driftwood had dried, my mom spread them all out and let her inner muse take over; placing this piece with that one. And this one with that one. Moving it again and again until she found its mate and all the pieces had a cohesive top and a base. She then instructed my poppy to drill holes and cut copper tubing in certain places and specific measurements. Once that was done, she assembled each stand individually, hammering and antiquing the copper, varnishing the driftwood to a subtle sheen and securing each piece with liquid nails.
Each is a work of art. Weathered and unique. Organic and free form. Earthy and earth friendly. With a raw beauty. She has named this collection of unique one of kind displays “Washed Up”!
I fell in love hard with these pieces but I saw the potential for other jewelry artists who perhaps felt as I did, that the mass produced, imported, black backdrop was not the investment to make for their special artisan jewelry. So I purchased the second batch from her and began the arduous process of adding them to the store inventory. She is now at work on the third batch, with more ideas bubbling up. Ideas that include antique gears!
One of my personal favorites is this earring tree. The base is from a river tumbled branch that my poppy cut into sections. The copper tree is arranged from scrap electrical wire that they stripped the outer plastic coating from and separated the wires, pulling each down, hammering the ends and antiquing to add depth and character. Each tree is sealed with varnish to protect its finish and allow for even the brightest of sterling silver to hang upon its bough. The top circle is shaped to hold a price card or a photo. Which makes it a multi-functioning piece that would be great as a gift for one who likes trees and having their earrings in an easily accessible place on a dressing table.
Now there is a part of me that wants to keep the Washed Up collection all to myself, but I also want to share them. So I am offering the earring tree above to a randomly drawn winner next week!
My question that you must answer in comments to be eligible is this;
What type of display do you need for your show presentation? Are you like me, in desperate need of extra long necklace displays? Or do you find yourself with no way to properly show off rings? Do you like your necklaces to face the buyer and therefore prefer the bust style display? Or are you frustrated by how few bracelets fit on a typical bar?
Please share with me your display needs for a chance to win the adorable earring tree shown above.
(Sorry! earrings are not included!)
As always, thank you for spending time here with us at Art Bead Scene and letting us share what is happening in our studios!
Much Love and Respect,
Shannon