Winner of My Wild Spirit Jaguar Pendant

Fiona Wins the Wild Spirit Jaguar Pendant!

Thanks to all for participating in the Blank Canvas Blog Hop that I and thirteen other artists hosted! Did you learn some new techniques and tricks for conquering those creative roadblocks?

If by chance you missed the fun -- you can go to my Blank Canvas Blog Hop post -- and go visit the participating artists' blog pages. The giveaways are wrapping up or completed but the information is still relevant in perpetuity!

And I'd like to congratulate Fiona from Spain for her great comments and for being the participant that random selector picked as winner of my Wild Spirit Jaguar Pendant! Enjoy the beauty and passion that this Big Cat attracts into your life, Fiona!

Hello, My Mane in the Wind!

Dear Mane in the Wind,
It's so GREAT! hearing from you. You've been on my mind...always...but somehow I just couldn't sit down at the computer to write you a love letter. I knew somehow that you'd understand, because your blood runs through my veins. I've guess I've been traveling the road of independence, maybe? Kind of like a teenager or college grad? Well,  I've been testing my wings; experimenting with different life situations; trying out all sorts of, hmmmn, illicit substances; giving up old habits and acquiring some new ones! Sometimes I feel very alone in this world. Sometimes I just want to be alone (except for my two kitties). But I really want to tell you and The World what I've been doing creatively for the past two years; what I'm doing now; what's been working and what doesn't seem to fit; what things I planning to do, what things I'm just dreaming about. I think there might be some kindred souls out there who are also traveling this road and I'd love to hear from them!

Was it only 5 years ago I started sharing this creative journey with you? I was so unsure of myself then, as you well know...And now, well, something is stronger! I now know and without hesitancy can claim that I am a gifted, creative soul!

And my mane definitely blows in the wind! It's great to be back!

Love, Love, Love,
Virginia

Photos of Some of the Things I've Been Doing in 2013-2014 (Teaching Artist for ATA; Get to draw Rodin's "The Kiss" at the National Gallery of Scotland; Studiy painting and drawing with Sabrina TerHeune; Hold "Express Yourself! Intro to Altered Books and Collage" and "Altered Book Portals as a Way of Seeing" workshops; Learn intuitive painting from Flora Bowley and Tracy Verdugo workshops; Teach altered books at The Gap, Inc.; "Hold Art Journal Your Travels" workshop at Book Passage; Expand my Wild Spirit Animals line of jewelry...) Visit Kentucky Girl Designs website for more info...

Cities I Love: London Oriel Pendants

 Here's a group of Itsy Bitsy Oriel Pendants that I made as a custom. I enjoyed doing them so much that I plan to do a foreign city/country series. London is so cosmopolitan -- where else other than NYC can you here 12-20 different languages being spoken on the street? It is a curious mix of history, mod-sixties, hip youth, and pop idols.

These are all icons of London -- I'd say my it's my favorite city in the world (English as the primary language). These tiny snapshots (1"-square) will fondly remind me of another place, another time, distant memories....they can also serve as a visualization of a place where I want to go back to visit!

In My Studio: Reflections

When I create one of my oriel pendants it's because I am drawn to a specific image -- I like its color, its shape, its symbolic interpretations, the feelings it brings up in me. These could be feelings of reverence, humor, desire, joy, longing, wildness, adventure, beauty. My pendants are often iconic and people often react to them on this level. Something resonates and is representative of their inner workings -- their hopes, wishes, dreams, desires, loves, passion. When I wear one of my pendants I feel connected to something deep inside of me. I am remembering and celebrating perhaps a part of myself that needs acknowledgment and honoring -- celebrating. People have shared with me that they buy my oriels because something resonates within them as well. I like this exchange. I like this -- I like that they are drawn to a mirror of something positive within themselves and they desire ti acknowledge it and share it with the world.

In My Studio: Wild Spirit Animal Pendants on Display

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 5: Snake Charmer

Snake Charmer Oriel Pendant and Matching Itsy Bitsy (front of both pendants)

This week's pendant is taken from a photo of a dance I performed a number of years ago. I played a snake in a Don't Quit Your Day Job Dancers performance about "fractured" fairy tales. Snake-y, beautiful music with Doree Clark choreography that utilized some of my belly dance training. And of course I crawled all over the stage. I made an Itsy Bitsy that could be worn with the Snake Charmer, using bits of the ribbons used on the front and back.

Snake Charmer Oriel Pendant and Matching Itsy Bitsy (backs of both pendants)

Studio Time Challenge -- Day 3

Studio Time Challenge -- Day 3 Stuff (altered book and oriels)

No way I could get into the studio yesterday -- except for 15 minutes to do my Daily Page. Too many meetings and errands. But I can do my pages anywhere -- lots of time I create them while sitting in front of the television catching up on shows. Day 3. Easier to get into the studio today and actually spent closer to three hours than two. Worked on a spread from an unfinished altered book I started a number of years ago. Title of the book I picked way back when -- A Round-Heeled Woman -- by Jane Juska. Non-fiction about the author's coming into her sexuality late in life after a divorce. Nicely written and much humor with a touch of chagrin. I felt this book was the perfect altered book for my giving voice to my own sexual awakening. Should I blush here? But baby mine started when I was born. So did yours! And every day is a sexual awakening -- and I'm not just talkin' about sex here if you know what I mean -- sex is the sum of the parts, the senses, the meat of life. I guess vitality, sensuality are better words. Anyway, enough said on this here subject! I also finished up another oriel called Snake Charmer, and an Itsy Bitsy to accompany it.

In My Travels: A Cat's Curiousity

Going back through my photos and saw this close up of Zeus inspecting my booth set up under our oak tree: Zeus the Magnificat eyeballing two of my oriels -- a French nude and Siddhartha. Note his smiley cat collar.

What's New in the Studio: REORG!

Voila! On My Way to a Studio Worthy of Photographing!

Must be the spring cleaning bug! Actually I'm getting ready to go into production with custom oriels and new designs...and I just couldn't move in the studio! (See below!)

Beginning Studio Reorg (already removed most items on the back tables)

I needed to breath fresh life into my art space plus have items in reach. I am on Day 2 and definitely making headway. The first thing I am doing is carrying items into the kitchen and onto any available surface in order to free up space in the art studio. Then I start rearranging and styling. I've liked going through and touching every item, throwing away what's not interesting anymore, rediscovering items long hidden or forgotten, and re-purposing boxes and baskets for storage and display. I also bought some incredible mannequins on which to display my oriels, both in the studio and in any street fairs this summer. So I've incorporated them into the back wall.

"New" Antique Abercrombie and Fitch Store Mannequin
and Pier One Wire Mannequin

Pier One Wire Mannequin and Oriels

The back tables are almost finished. But I'll probably change them around once I start soldering and assembling the pendants. I am changing around what I store in the green cupboard behind me and the closet across the table from where I work. Next to tackle is the soldering station and the finishing station. I haven't felt this much energy and movement in years. Here's hoping it lasts!

Featured Oriel Pendant: Sparkle A Plenty

Sparkle Diva Oriel Pendant

Sparkle Diva was one of the first oriel pendants I created in my GlamGirls series! We all secretly admire GlamGirls -- openly sexy, flirtatious, haughty, naughty, sassy, svelte....This line of oriel pendants celebrated the feminine, the movie star, the pin up girl, the seductress. You may not want to be her, but you may just want to try her on for a spell. It's like ordering a Pink Cosmos for the first time. You may not want to make them a habit -- but you love the way your pink lipstick sits on the edge of the glass!

One Year and Three Month Anniversary!

Flying High Tiny Dancer Oriel

Oh my -- the one year anniversary of this blog has come and gone without me mentioning it!!! How did that happen? Well, you know, they say time flies when you're havin' fun!

I began this blog on January 25, 2009, with a blog post entitled Freedom. My intention was to attempt to move steadily into my creativity and art making, and chronicle these endeavors in a blog.

I was drawn to the phenomenon of art blogging and wondered if I too could use this internet journaling as a way to explore and challenge my creativity and inner processes. For many, many years I had danced away from my creative talents. Creating collages and exploring myself in relation to them was something that I would do in spurts, with many dry years passing in between. It occurred to me that I could create artful goals and challenges for myself, announce them online, and then hold myself accountable online as well. Perhaps blogging would provide a vehicle that would stimulate and reinforce the creative habit. As a reality check, I also began my blog acknowledging the side of me that was a worrier with depression as a frequent friend, and all too willing to procrastinate and hide under the covers.

Many, many years ago I read a short story by Catherine Petroski, Beautiful My Mane in the Wind. I resonated deeply with the feeling of the young girl who would pretend she was a horse when things got tough. So it seemed appropriate that my blog's name should reflect that feeling. My Mane Blowing in the Wind represents the me that desires to move through life creatively, with freedom, and confidence -- like a horse running over the hills with its mane blowing in the wind -- or a girl on a motorcycle with her hair whipping behind her -- or a Hollywood starlet in a red MG with its top down. See you get the picture!

After a year and a bit of posting, I have to say that my blog has been exactly what I wanted it to be. I have set creative goals and met more of them than those I have not. I have met and made friends with some terrific people out in the blogging world. I am also not so worried anymore. I am enjoying the process, and I find that as I move on down the road, there is always another door to open, one more cup to drink from, another kite to fly. And most surprisingly -- there is growing sense of freedom -- my mane is blowing in the wind!

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 2: Be Mindful

Be Mindful

"We are the same as plants, as trees, as other people, as the rain that falls. We consist of that which is around us, we are the same as everything." -- Buddha

I have had this image of the Buddha for quite awhile. I liked the unknown artist's interpretation, and the use of the blue lotus leaves beneath him. I made this at the request of my art teacher. Although this is a very simple oriel it packs a punch vibrationally -- just like the Buddha did, I imagine.

This pendant also serves as my submission for Day 6 of the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 1: Flowers Perfumed Her Hair

"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?" -- Frida Khalo

This new year I am restarting my personal Oriel Pendant Challenge to create one new pendant design a week. I may not achieve that, but that's what I'm going for! In this last week I finished one that features Frida Khalo. I used an image of her from one of her self-portraits, placing it on top of two ribbons fused together. I added tiny dried flowers to her hair, the kind that manicurists use to ornament fingernails. The back of the oriel shows the words "Perfumed with Flowers".



This pendant is also my submission for Day 4 of the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge.

"Through her paintings, she breaks all the taboos of the woman's body and of female sexuality." -- Diego Rivera on Frida Kahlo

A Busy December for Kentucky Girl Oriels

This past Christmas season I had the pleasure of creating quite a few custom oriel pendants. I so enjoy making custom oriels for people. It is an opportunity to create a beautiful piece of jewelry that showcases something they love or treasure. People have told me that their pendants hang close to their heart and whenever they touch them the oriel reminds them of a specific love, feeling, or memory.

I will first scan the photos or take the jpegs and reduce them to an appropriate size, print them, and cut them out and place them on my work table. I often sit with the images for a while and let them "speak" to me. This is such an interesting process, often filled with playful humor. What bubbles up is often surprising -- colors, collage materials, background images, beads, crystals, charms, even words -- just seem to appear from out of my stash and fall together to form a collage that once completed, resonates not only with me, the artist, but with the person who is receiving the pendant.

People send me images of their animal companions, near or gone:

Flash

Butch

Angel

Milly

Sammy

Rudy

They'll send me photos of their loved ones:

Josh

Billy and Aubrey

...the memory of a special place they've visited:

Venice

Paris

...even favorite movie stars:
How lucky am I?

"Tiny Dancer" Oriel Pendants

Modern U

Dream Girl

Tango Dream

Ballet Green

Audrey Hep Jazz

I am excited to announce a new line of oriels -- Tiny Dancers -- that I have created exclusively for Stage Dor Dance Studio and Performance Space in Sausalito, CA. I have been dancing with the owner, Doree Clark, for over 20 years. Doree is an inspiring teacher who believes that anyone can dance if they have the desire to! And if you look at the people who come to her studios -- you realize that this is true -- they come from all walks of life, have different careers as well as unlikely ones, varying degrees of talent -- yet they all have the desire to move to music. It's a wonderful mix and many of us perform in front of the public several times a year with the Don't Quit Your Day Job Dancers under her direction.

Doree loves my jewelry, and asked me to create a line of oriels that features dancers from various dance disciplines. The dance styles featured (so far) cover: Lyrical Jazz, Ballroom, Tango, Cabaret, Broadway, Modern, Hip Hop, Belly Dance and more -- most of which are taught joyously at Stage Dor! If you are in the area, drop by and see my Tiny Dancer necklaces, try out a dance class, or come see our November show: Earth Girls Are Easy!

The Bird and the Rose: Pendant Challenge -- Week 8

I decided to keep working on shadow box-style oriels. I had a pin I purchased in Mexico a few years ago and thought it might look good in a 3-D. I took a pair of pliers and snipped off the pin-back and glued the bird-rose pioece to a rust-colored, embroidery type ribbon. For the back of the oriel, I found this verse from a poem: "the bird and rose in rapture sing...." and glued the phrase to a piece of scrapbook paper. I sandwiched the two pieces between a beveled glass front and a plain glass back, then wrapped them both in copper foil making sure I left an even space around the whole oriel. A green-enameled leaf branch, a red bead, and a pewter bird charm complete the oriel. I really like the way this turned out, and it is fun to wear on a big ball chain necklace.

Happy Saturday!

Photo by Michael Serecsko

I have to say that I am very happy when I am making my oriels -- especially when I am making customs for people. I love taking an image of something or someone that a person loves and turning it into a piece of art that can be worn as jewelry that they can keep forever and pass on to those they love. I am very, very lucky woman to be able to tap into the Universe's creative energy and make beautiful, personal things that people can enjoy and treasure. It gives me great pleasure and I am grateful that I am finally at a stage in my life where I can pursue something I love to do and makes me happy in the process. Thank you Lisa for hosting Happy Week -- it has been very thought proking and enjoyable!

A Kiss to Remember: Pendant Challenge -- Week 6

These two lovebirds have been sitting on my desk for a looooong time, and decided they needed to be memorilized. I just love this Hollywood still -- a fabulous, romantic smackeroo. I'm pretty sure this is Cary Grant, but I don't think this is Deborah Kerr from a Kiss to Remember -- the hairstyle seems wrong. But whoever it is, she seems to be enjoying the experience -- wouldn't you? I added little pink stars, and the lovers are resting on a pink brocade ribbon. The back features a sugar-coated flower on a yummy burgundy-pink wallpaper. A pink Swavorski pink rhinestone rondelle accent and a fun, crystal bead dangle finish this dreamy oriel.

Nature Girly-Girl Defeates the Snarly-Toothed Vamp

I am finally getting a moment to lift my head and post some photos of my assemblage submission for Gallery Route One's Annual Box Show. It was a struggle getting this box done this year, but a good exercise in creativity -- surrendering to the creative process and letting the process dictate, not my judgemental, perfectionistic mind! I picked up my box in early June and for 2 months it sat on one of my studio tables before I had the will to pick up a brush and cover it with gesso.

At first I thought I was going to do a vampire theme, and arranged a lot of images around it to see how that felt, but when it cam time to lay down color -- bright greens and yellows rose to the occassion instead of moody vampire blacks, grays and reds.



I started playing with colors on the back of the box and worked with a few layers of dark greens over yellow and etched some designs into the back. But the front seemed to want yellow yellow yellow so I mixed some Titan Buff in to soften the yellow, and slathered it on. The box started to feel like it wanted a nature-oriented them. No people images were coming to mind, so I started thinking about leaves, and the hollow of a tree trunk/ I considered making leaves out of copper sheeting, soldering them and place them inside the box. But when I got down to it, they seemed too cold and unnatural. So I went into our yard and collected some leaves from our oaks and traced their designs on various types of handmade papers from my stash and placed them here and there in the box. The oustside seemed a little bare, so I wrapped the box up with two different leaf-motif sheer ribbons.

Then I thought what would I want to keep in this tree? Something useable -- a useable piece of art. I took one of my small journals and gave it a nature theme and prepared spreads that had an outdoors and people in nature theme. I covered the front with some of the leaves I cut out, and a hawk's head. I also made an oriel pendant of an altered book spread I made a few years ago. I found a stand for the journal, and hung the oriel. Then, looking at the box, I decided it was becoming more and more feminine, so I added rhinestones to the leaves, stamped a swirly leaf design on the front edge, added some rhinestones there and on the front of the journal. Voila! the finished box reveals that I am a nature girl and most definitely a "girly-girl" -- I love nature, but I love sparkle and shine, too!

P.S. I don't even know why I am talking about this process. But this blog is part of my artistic journey and I thought it was an amazing process to be so filled with discomfort and doubt the whole time -- until I wasn't anymore. It was very interesting to hang in there with it, and to see a part of my inner nature claim itself!

To see more photos of the Nature Girly-Girl box, journal, and oriel pendant, go here.

The Maiden -- Pendant Challenge: Week 5

This is the oriel pendant that I created to go in my box for this year's Gallery Route One Box Show. It is a portion of a page from an altered book that I created, Deer Island. I called her "The Maiden of Deer Island". I added tiny green stars on top of the image, and the back is a beautiful plaid ribbon of green, brown and cream. I am creating another and offering it in my Etsy shop.