Hot Date in the Art Studio

Last night was a great "date" night between me and my art supplies in the studio.  I worked on some bases for the Femmes pictured here.  The bases are made of Ultra-Light polymer clay, then covered with regular Sculpey III, Fimo Soft or Premo, depending on the color. The Ultra-Light is amazing...easy to mold, not sticky.  If you use the Ultra-Light and happen to paint it, I'd love some tips on what kinds of paints stick well to it.  I've tried a few things but so far I'm not terribly happy with what I've come up with.  Alcohol inks seem to penetrate plastic well, but as far as brush-on....well the verdict is still out on that. 

Later I started my second sari-strip scarf.  Decided to start with reds and oranges on one part, then will merge some blues and purples into another half.  I'm kind of addicted to ironing the strips right now.  As of this morning, the strips you see below are now sandwiched and pinned between 2 layers of Sulky Ultra-Solvy stabilizer.  When the blue/purple half is finished and attached, I'm going to sew the sandwich lengthwise in large arcs and sweeping curves to make sure all of the sari strips are connected.  When I'm satisfied that I've sewn enough, I will submerge the whole scarf in some water and work the water soluble Ultra-Solvy out of the scarf.  This will be a "beefier", more substantial scarf than the one at work that I made.

Good-bye Jewelry, Hello Grown-up Art!

Jumping out, on, and upward!

 Anyone who has followed my blog for more than 6 months knows that I usually post something only when it's really important.  Well this blog post is ULTRA-important, as it is publicly marking the end of an era for Ovenfried Beads.

After a few years of hemming and hawing over whether or not I like making jewelry, I have discovered that I do not, so I've stopped.  Shoppers who know my Etsy store, or any of the four regular galleries in Cincinnati who sell my work, know that my designs are always changing.  The Stacker beads are one of the only constants in about 12 of the last 19 years I've been working with polymer.  Polymer clay has afforded constant challenges needed to stay stimulated.  In the beginning I was one of a handful of locals using it.  Now with Etsy and other seller venues, the competition has grown very tiring for me, and I feel like I'm treading water backwards.

Last year I took a fabric marbling workshop at Silk Road Textiles in Cincinnati with fiber artist Barb Grothaus.  It opened a whole new venue for that balance of chance and minimal control that I love.  I have also started marbling paper in the Japanese "suminagashi" method.  Paper painting and staining (which is different than making a painting) has also been a barrel of fun, and I'm starting to create my own art components from those colorful stiff sheets.

Then I was able to stand by during two Natural Spirit Doll classes by Carole Staples.  Last week I made my very first art doll, and I can only describe what happened as a creative tidal wave that has exploded out of me.  The polymer beads, buttons and baubles have found a new home...on actual artwork.  I have finally tapped into something that has been wanting to come out for a long time, and the only way I can manifest that is to devote 100% of my artistic energy and time to it.

What does this mean for fans of Ovenfried Beads?  Well, for one thing, my jewelry will only be available for sale in shops through Mother's Day.  Most of what is in stock in the shops has been rotated between galleries, online and in shows for years.  After that I will take it all back so I can disassemble, sort and use in future mixed media art.  The jewelry that is in my Etsy store will also be taken off, but my Stacker bead tutorial will remain for sale.  New non-jewelry items will start to pop up on there sometimes, and eventually when I have created some nice bodies of work, I hope that they will return to the same loyal, local, women-owned stores that have carried my work for years and years, available to the public again. I really look forward to what is to come. 

If you collect my jewelry or give it as gifts, buy it before it is gone.    Below is a list of stores that sell my jewelry. They have all been notified of this new direction.  Visit their website for contact info, store hours and more.

indigenous: a handcrafted gallery
2010 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208
www.indigenouscraft.com

NVision
4577 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45223
www.nvisionshop.com

Urban Eden
1313 Main Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
http://irisbookcafe.com/urban-eden/

Silk Road Textiles
6106 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45224

www.silkroadcincinnati.com

www.ovenfriedbeads.etsy.com

Late Fall/Early Winter Goings-On

Hidey-ho friends,

Ovenfried Beads has been spending a lot of time doing things other than polymer clay lately. I've been really inspired to experiment with inks on papers (various kinds of both), creating non-subjective patterns and weird shapes.  I have no idea what they'll become, but when I figure that out, I'll have a lot to work with!  Have you ever tried Suminagashi?  Suminagashi is a Japanese marbling technique that is just so fun....not as messy as Western fabric or paper marbling.  I'm still in the wee experimental phase of doing it, but I'm really happy with the results.  It's very mesmerizing.  I will add pics once I get them taken and uploaded.

This summer, after I took a fabric marbling class, I started rusting fabric.  Boy is that fun!  It's one of the easiest things on earth to do, much like the mushroom spore prints I played around with during warmer, mushroom-producing months.  I have lots of pieces of fabric to play with, and look forward to the cold cold days of winter when there's a foot of snow on the ground, work is called off and I can just play with the reserve of materials that were created.  Below are photos of the rusting setup, rusting result and a piece of multi-media art I created.
   

This is the fabric over the rusty bits I collected for years

                                         This is the fabric after it was rusted, rinsed and ironed.

                                       

                                          This is the multi-media piece of art I made from leftover paper.


Shows have been scarce for me this year.  My day job requires working weekends, which is when most craft shows occur.  I'm okay with that...I love my job, but I also love selling my work.  SO, if you are in Cincinnati, or will be visiting, you should totally come see my booth at a 2-day show on December 6th from 5:30-8pm and December 7th from 11am-5pm.  I'm having a hard time uploading the swanky PDF that the organizers provided, so here's the address until I can get it up on here.  The New School Montessori, 3 Burton Woods Lane, Cincinnati OH, North Avondale neighborhood.  If I didn't have to head off to work in 5 minutes I'd hunker down and make the poster happen.  Anywhoo, all I can say is that it's going to be a fabulous show featuring staff and alumni of the school.  I used to work there, so I guess I'm staff alumni.  Some of the new experimental work will be for sale.

Gotta run....I'll bring more updates sooner than later.  It's been a crazy month, so I hope this weekend or early next week I can entice you with more photos of new work!

First Outdoor Park in Eons -- Folksiders in Edgewood

The frequency of my blogs is pretty unacceptable, and I accept that.  Why on earth did I wait until 2.5 days before a big show to say anything here?  Because I am a procrastinator.

Tons of new stuff.  Some loose beads and buttons, but the focus will be on new jewelry.

Come one, come all!  39 vendors to browse and shop.  I know some of them.  Cool cats they are!

Folksiders
Freedom Park
Edgewood, KY
Saturday, September 7, 2013
12 noon - 8pm

Bead De-Stash at Pendleton Art Center Annex

(July 3 update....I will return with my destash beads for the July Final Friday.  That will be my last destash opportunity for you to get great deals.  No bagged beads sold last week, so they're all there, waiting for you!)

Hey Cincinnati-area fans....

This Final Friday at the Pendleton Art Center Annex, I will be selling most of the beads that I have accumulated over the last 10+ years.  There's nothing wrong with them....it's just that as the jewelry market gets more and more competitive and my own creative interests turn more and more to fiber, I want these beads to go to good homes.

Click here to see pictures of my sale display.

These will be in bags and strands, priced no more than $5, with many retailing now for $20 and up.  One of the only exceptions is seed beads, which I plan on keeping and using.


~ Pyrite
~ Malachite
~ Hematite
~ Coral
~ Moss agate
~ Picture Jasper
~ Agate
~ German glass
~ Vintage German Lucite
~ Seeds (natural seeds, not seed beads)
~ Wood
~ Abalone
~ etc, etc

There is a table of a variety of great earrings, bracelets and necklaces (and a seed bead embroidered barrette) that are Buy One Get One Free.  You don't have to worry about if it's going to be hot in the studio, because the Annex has central air....if it's 100 degrees outside, you will cool off.  Shop in comfort.


Final Friday Annex, suite 10 on second floor. (Window has large red neon circle in it. The studio window faces the larger main building...you can't miss it.  Stair access only.)
June 28 and July 26, 2013
6pm-9:30pm
Valet parking available.
Due to my day job, I will not be there any Second Look Saturdays.
The studio is being graciously lent to me by Margie of Going In Style.

There is a possibility that I will be continuing the de-stash for August's Final Friday.  Stay tuned here or follow me on Facebook to stay informed.  My polymer clay beads will likely creep into the mix in July and/or August.

Ovenfried Beads is back on Facebook

So I was on this "I'm leaving Facebook" kick and had a great time with a much simpler life:  a quieter mind, more time to hike and create and get back into beadmaking again. 

Well so much for that.  This time I'm going to be much better at managing my time on it. 

I missed out on family event photos and stuff.  Ovenfried Beads had one less majorly important place to toot it's horn about shows and new merch and Etsy sales.  

SO, if you like Ovenfried Beads, then please "LIKE" Ovenfried Beads.
The page is basically brand new again but I will refill it with pretty pictures.

In the meantime, I will be selling my jewelry at the Pendleton Art Center Annex tonight (May 31) from 6 to maybe 9:30 if there are people there.  The Annex is the short building across from Artist Alley.  There's a big sign that says ANNEX.  I'll be upstairs.  It is air conditioned!

New photos coming soon.....new mokume gane pieces have been baked but need a little more work before they're presentable and ready!  Stay tuned!

April Polymer Clay Classes

I'm teaching 2 classes in April at Silk Road Textiles in Cincinnati.   The messaging system on the class descriptions page doesn't work for all emails, especially Gmail (I know because I work there...we're looking into it), so it's best to stop in or call to register.  I copied the class descriptions straight from the page, so that's why it looks like I'm referring to myself in the third person.  ;)

For the button class, I will provide a pasta machine and a whole bunch of neat tools to play with.  When it's summertime, I plan on doing an extruded cane class, but for now we're doing basic canework and fooling around with experimentation.

Class size is limited to 4 (5 if someone brings a pasta machine), so sign up early. 




Stacker Beads/Embellishments                             
$65
Skill Level: No Experience Necessary – appropriate for adults and teens
Fri. 4/19 10am-1pm

Students will learn how to make “stacker beads”, a polymer clay bead design by the instructor, Amy Wallace. Amy created this bead design 12 years ago, and it is popular among polymer clay artists. Her “stacker beads” were published in Polymer Café magazine in 2003. They work great as embellishments on quilts, finished yarn projects and coiled bowls as well as making beautiful jewelry.




Polymer Clay Button Making                                
$65
Skill Level: No Experience Necessary – appropriate for adults and teens
Fri. 4/26 10am-2pm

Students will make handmade buttons using various techniques with polymer clay. Safety and proper tool use will also be covered. Student may bring their own tools and clay if desired, however materials are included.