Shameless promotional post!

As most of you know I've been doing an article every Monday on baytoday.ca...a local online newspaper.  I've tried to make the post interesting and informative, but I've decided it is now time for a promo post...hence the title of this post...the following is the article on baytoday.ca.

I think it is time I did a shameless promotional post…one that is just about my jewelry, not in relation to something else.

I’ve not shown a great deal of what I’ve been up to in the past two months so thought it was time to show a few photos.  I like the Picasso collage tool and have made a few collages in the past…I thought since I can’t post photos in the actual post on baytoday.ca, but have to have separate pages for each photo, I would do a new collage along with an oldie and a bit newer one.  The oldie is to show where I’ve been and the new collages are to show where I’m going!

The older collage shows Swarovski crystals, pearls, glass, and some silver, primarily as findings, showcasing lots of color and sparkle, much is still current today.   At that time, I was new at the jewelry design business but was looking to the future towards one day working with sterling silver, making my own ear wires, pendants, earrings, cuffs, bracelets, setting stones in bezels, etc…all working with silver.  I didn’t know anything about working with silver but knew where I wanted to go… I could learn!

The newer collage, #2, is showing pearls and Swarovski crystals, for a bride’s foot jewelry, gemstones, and glass, but primarily silver pieces…by this time silver had become my focus.  Four years ago I took a 5 day course on working with silver…loved it, reaffirming my direction.  Since that time I’ve accumulated many tools, some traditional, some I’ve made do with…they did the job.  I’ve made many mistakes but tried to learn from the mistakes.  I’m stubborn, I prefer to do it once… I don’t like to experiment with copper then duplicate in silver, so my mistakes can be costly!!!

The third photo shows the present, I’m in a comfortable place with my pieces…working with “scrap” silver, making earrings and pendants…this is enjoyable as I never know what the end result will be until the piece is, in my mind finished.  I enjoy that aspect of working with my scrap silver, it really allows for the creativity to come through.   I strive to ensure whatever I do has a rugged, rustic, classy, artistic feel to it…I want my work to look hand crafted…the last thing I want is for what I do to look like it came from a traditional jewelry store!  The jewelry store look a good thing…just not what I’m about.

 I encourage custom orders, I don’t mind someone bringing me a photo and asking to have something like it…I’m always happy to do my “version” of what it is they want…but…I would never copy a piece!  Inspiration is a “good thing”, as long as it is used as just that!  

Like any artist I have my moments when the creativity is just not there…when this happens I try to do other things…I enjoy taking photos, making greeting cards, attempting to paint, none of which I’m good at but find pleasurable at times...all the while awaiting the return of my jewelry creativity!   I’ve always said, when it stops being fun it is time to move on!  I’m still here…

Send any comments or suggestions to hjcote11@gmail.com or leave a message on my blog…

Cheers