Some Updates

It's been a rather busy summer. The 2010 Bele Chere Festival in Asheville, NC, has (thankfully) come and gone. It was ridiculously hot and although the crowds were huge, sales were hilariously bad! At least there was a nice cold pool at the hotel.

The one dividend of low sales was that I had enough leftover inventory to send off to the two new locations at which I'm consigning my jewelry: Zuzu Studio Gallery in Collingswood, NJ, and Tilde in Portland, OR. Check them out if you're in the neighborhood!

I am now in the process of applying for my first grant. I have no idea what I'm doing! I've been inspired by the local history and architecture here in Spartanburg and want to try and capture a bit of it in a series of new pieces. The county was once home to many textile mills. The mills closed one by one as work was sent overseas, leaving entire communities jobless and buildings abandoned. Although there has been some very recent regrowth, I think that the general economic downturn leaves a pervasive sense of tragedy in the region. I have a number of ideas swirling around in my head for the new pieces and want to try incorporating some new techniques and materials into them.

Tangentially related to the project is this ring - a prototype featuring folded copper and bloom of steel nails.