Craftsmanship is near and dear to my heart. I love to make things with my hands I find that I most at peace when I am doing manual craft work – for that matter any type of manual work is very satisfying. What greater pleasure is there to wear a piece of your jewelry that has been made to the best of your ability – no shortcuts or regrets. (Truthfully, I feel the same way when my kitchen is perfectly clean.)

It seems the slow, thoughtful work that fine craft requires is generally unappreciated by the public and unfortunately by the craft community as well. We are all affected by the need to produce, especially when selling online – your patrons check your site waiting for a new item, if you don’t add new items regularly your patrons move on and you find yourself at the bottom of the heap. Make it – just get it done, photograph it, upload it all in one day is the goal; not art, not craft.

more thinking to do……

My friend Janice Fowler aka doxello sent this story to me this morning about John Unger and his fight to maintain his copyright.    Please see the story below by following the link  http://www.johntunger.com/legal-defense-fund.html

Imitation is the sincerest of flattery. Charles Caleb Colton

When does inspiration turn to outright copying?

I’m sure everyone takes inspiration from others ‘…I like how that bail is attached..’ ‘…that way of stone setting would be great with my…’  Classes, workshops, online tutorials, YouTube, magazine projects, books we all see the same projects and as beginners we might try to make the exact project…taking that aside when do you say the line between inspiration and actually copying has been crossed?

I believe different people coming up with similar designs is fairly common, after all we all start somewhere using the same materials and the same tools.  Think about disc cutters and dapping tools or form folding ala Charles Lewton Brain, so many similar designs come from these techniques and tools.

Further, when you come across a member of your community who has crossed the line, what is the appropriate action?

On one of my bi-weekly, time wasting cruises through an online shopping site’s metalwork ring catagory I saw some pieces that I  recognized by style; I admire the seller’s creativity and execution of the work.  However, upon closer inspection of the new pieces  I noticed…it was an entirely different seller.

I brought up both shops and looked at pieces side by side ..my jaw dropped,  literally dropped.   It’s not that the pieces are similar, some pieces are  in fact almost identical.  If it wasn’t for the marker’s mark on the back I think anyone {but the actually makers} would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the pieces.  I checked the shop & sales dates it’s pretty clear who was the originator, I was so disappointed to find the person I admired is the imitator.

Do we let the parties work it out themselves?  Should the imitator be outed, shamed and shunned?  Or, do we just look the other way and pretend we don’t see it?  As a community, are we obligated to watch out for each other?  Personally, I feel the fool – I complimented this person on many occasions – geez, I actually gushed about the work…I ‘m feeling a tad bitter.

Crossword puzzle – 0    karen – 4!   yea, that’s right crossword puzzle beat you all four days this week…

Breakfast at the beach w/ son & husband, finished the puzzle, off to make some earrings in the studio.  I’ve fallen quite hard for a new design and I neeeeedddd to make a few more pair.

It’s my beloved grandmother’s birthday today – she passed some years ago – not a day goes by I don’t think of her.  A few years ago, I rec’d a catalog from some company that I had actually requested.  I rec’d the catalog addressed to me, a week or so later (on or about 10/15),  I rec’d the very same catalog except the name printed on the back was a nickname that only my grandmother called me, another couple of weeks passed and I rec’d the same catalog for a third time with my name back as the addressee.   love you gram…

Lunch at the beach, designed and made a rock’in pair of earrings and finished the crossword puzzle – not a bad day.

…if I could just figure out where the links are that I keep adding to this blog….?????

I feel so smart on Mondays because I can finish the entire crossword puzzle in ink.

What a great day – not a cloud in the sky, slight breeze, in the 70’s – lunch at the beach.

I struggle with the creative part of making jewelry.  Often returning again and again to the pieces I know how to make – a ring with a stone.  I do a fine job on that ring but…

I spent some time thinking about my favorite personal pieces (that I’ve made), and found perhaps I do have a design process.  A year ago I was planning a weekend to San Francisco and wanted a new pair of earrings for the weekend.  I’ve been to San Francisco many times and we always go to Chinatown for a meal or two and thought about the lanterns along some of the Chinatown streets.

These are the earrings I made for that trip using the lantern as my inspiration. I love these earrings I wear them often.

For last year or so, I’ve been on a ring jag and took my earrings as inspiration and made quite a few rings that I think reflect the earrings.  Here are a couple:

So…maybe, just maybe I’m getting closer to understanding how to use inspiration in the design process.

I’ve seen the light…no more negativity from me.

There are some really fine artists on Etsy, Trunkt, ArtFire, etc., today I saw some really marvelous work by a jewelry artist on Etsy  .   She doesn’t list her name, so I can’t call her anything but: her, jeweler, artist… http://www.flannerygrace.etsy.com

Her work is imaginative, whimsical, finely executed and beautifully detailed both front and back.    A couple of things that I really like about her work is the attention to the details, I like to see the backside of bezels designed with care, if only for the wearer.  Also, her touch of fun with the rattle of stones in the rings – I really like small details and noise.

Her cuffs are …well, pardon me while I gush in admiration – fabulous!  I wish she would have added some words about her technique especially about her cuffs, I can only guess that she’s chased and stamped the designs onto the metal.   I guess that’s I find just amazing – she didn’t just stamp/chase out some design, she created a picture and  told a story with her tools.  Her Spiders Jump Out Of Her Hair necklace is marvelous, I can only imagine what it looks like in person – look for the finger (how’d she do  that?!).

If you love seeing very fine metalwork jewelry, take a moment and look at this site.  I’d advise to buy now – I’m sure the prices will rise quickly.    http://www.flannerygrace.etsy.com

I was recently asked by an internet friend if I knew of any bead related things/events  to do in August while visiting San Diego.   I scoured my usual places for events and surprisingly come up with a nice little list:

The San Diego Museum of Art has the Calder Jewelry exhibit now through January 3, 2010.   Here is a link to a review of the exhibit by the The New York Times.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/arts/design/12cald.html   For more details see the Museum website http://www.sdmart.org/index.asp

The  Bead Society of San Diego is hosting it’s  10th annual Bead Bazaar August 1 & 2.  http://www.sdbeadsociety.org/specialevents/beadbazaar.htm     I’ve attended this show for several years and it’s a nice show.  Unlike a wholesale trade show, most of the beads being sold are made by the person selling them.   If you love handmade lampworked beads, you shouldn’t miss this show.

Whaley Workshops is having a Tool Making Workshop on August 1.   Jay’s studio is located in Hillcrest.  http://www.whaleyworkshops.com/workshops.html

The city of Carlsbad, CA will host Carlsbad Art in the Village August 9.   http://www.kennedyfaires.com/carlsbadart/  This show has gotten better every year; bigger and the jury has become more savvy at weeding out the resellers.

The Talmadge Art Show will be in North County again this summer at the Encinitas Library on August 15.  http://www.talmadgeartshow.com/  A very nice art show that is strictly juried in a beautiful location overlooking the Pacific.  I’ll be there selling finished jewelry and handmade findings along with my daughter selling her photography.

Not San Diego, but if you’re really jewelry minded Metal Artists Society of  Southern California has scheduled August 15 for MASSCAPALOOZA – August Meet and Greet  http://www.massconline.com/events.html  If didn’t have The Talmadge Art Show scheduled, I’d be at this event.

Gem Faire will at the Scottish Rite Center August 21, 22, & 23   http://gemfaire.com/locations/sandiego_aug.html  Typical wholesale/trade show, good variety of vendors.  Some of my particular favorites are Taiko for pearls, KH Lee and Altamont for tools and Eidos for one of a kind cabochons.  To avoid the crowds go Sunday morning.  If you have a resale license, there are wholesale hours Friday morning 10 – 12, bring your license and business card for free and early admission.

Connie Fox aka Jatayu  http://conniefox.com/Education/Classes/CFSD-Classes.htm  has an August soldering class scheduled.  Connie is a great instructor and her classes are almost always full, however cancellations do happen.

Leucadiart presents Art Walk August 30.  http://www.leucadia101.com/ArtWalk.htm  This show is getting better every year, but it is a walk – comfortable shoes are a must.

Places to see:

The Art Studios at Spanish Village in Balboa Park is a very nice way to spend an afternoon.  My friend Susan Ronan makes wonderful jewelry see her work in Studio 33.  The Bead Society, Enamel Guild and San Diego Potters also have studios.  http://www.spanishvillageart.com/index.html

Taboo Studio http://www.taboostudio.com/news.asp

Trios Gallery http://www.triosgallery.com/enews.html

Lost Cites Beads http://lostcitiesbeads.com/  Much of the same bead store stock found in many bead stores…however, they have a really nice selection of old, older and antique beads in the back of the store.  Plus, home made cookies!

Shepherdess Beads http://www.shepherdessbeads.com/  Nice bead store, located next door to Lost Cities, classes offered.