Monday, August 15, 2011

PHEW! I made it!

It's been a VERY busy three days, but I made it through - thanks so much to everyone who came out to the shows, especially those who trekked out to Guilford - which was moved indoors given the unpleasant weather. We also raised a bundle of money for the kids and staff of Nkoaranga orphanage at The Small Things through your contributions with the paper necklaces - thanks so much! The absolute highlight of the weekend - getting to see the gorgeous Grace and her mom Jean, who was my dorm mother in my sophomore year of high school, when Gracie was born! She's grown up a bit since then...
In Clinton on Saturday
For the future, I highly recommend both shows - the Shoreline Jewish Festival was well organized and managed to transfer inside on a few hours notice, no small feat for such a big event. The Clinton Summer Fair was fabulous, with live music, an auction, great food, tons of people, interesting vendors, a train, moonbounce, face painting and art projects for kids! In addition, the organizers were out of this world and went the extra mile to make sure everyone had a good time, including the vendors - truly good people doing good work.

Also, I highly recommend the work Susan Canarella is doing in Uganda through her organization Beads4dreams, which buys paper beads from women in the vicinity of a particular hospital in Uganda, and uses all the proceeds to continue to support that hospital and the surrounding community. Beautiful work, beautiful project, gorgeous kids.

Looking forward to doing the shows next year, if I'm on the continent!

Feminist jewelry

I've been alerted to the existence of another very interesting source for anyone interested in body politics and jewelry - disappointed I didn't have access to it prior to writing my own book! By Susan Cohn:

RECODING JEWELLERY: identity, body, survival addresses a central problem facing contemporary jewellery practice: through the course of the Contemporary Jewellery Movement, the potential of the jewellery-object to mediate intricate social relationships has become constrained. This is in part due to a singular focus of ideas in the field, and in part due to the developmental trajectory of contemporary jewellery networks. Caught up in the art-craft debate, contemporary jewellery missed the potentials in theory for developing a critical voice. This was not helped by the fact that academic discourse (philosophical, social, sexual, political) has largely neglected the significances of jewellery. The aim in this thesis is to negotiate this mutual neglect - or 'double gap' - by finding connections between theory and jewellery in practice. Jewellery involves complex interactions between makers, objects, wearers and audiences within social networks. Possessing a distinct set of codes enlivened by its relationship to the body, jewellery is a way of thinking and connecting which is strongly embedded in the activities of managing identity that define cultures and epochs. In the process, the instinct for adornment becomes an integral means of survival. This thesis draws on modern and postmodern theory, as well as art and jewellery practices, to examine contemporary shifts in thinking about identity, the body and reproduction. Through the three main chapters of this thesis I endeavour to: (i) provide an informed interpretation of the internal and external pressures that have defined contemporary jewellery practice over time; (ii) introduce relevant examples of my own work, and seek ways to move beyond the limitations of my own practice; and (iii) advocate new ways of thinking about contemporary jewellery that might lead it to a different voice. Reflected in this approach are three fundamental influences to my practice: the Contemporary Jewellery Movement; non-jewellery practices such as art, architecture, street culture, technology and performance; and academic writing across a number of fields. The thesis concludes with a discussion of how these interests came together in a single show, Black Intentions. However, the span of work covered extends through my career in jewellery to provide a basis for future directions.
 Thanks to Christopher Hardwick for the heads up. 

Thursday, August 11, 2011

R Cubed Jewelry in Clinton and Guilford this weekend!

Please come check us out on the First Church of Christ in Clinton on Friday and Saturday and the Guilford green Sunday - featuring a brand new paper bead line to benefit The Small Things. 

Clinton: Friday 11am - 9pm, Saturday 9am to 7pm

Guilford: Sunday 12am - 6pm

Rain or shine!

Monday, July 18, 2011

The Small Things Featured

The Small Things is very lucky this week to be featured in the blog of Randolph Sellars, of Real Girls Kick Ass, which in many ways has the same goals of raising healthy and confident children of both genders. He has excelled in that in raising my wonderful  friend Meghan, an early reader and special fan of Simoni stories. Take a look! 

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Orange CT, MEET THE ARTISTS AND ARTISANS!!

Come see me next weekend, June 25th and 26th, at the nationally acclaimed "Meet the Artists and Artisans" show's debut in Orange, Connecticut.

MEET THE ARTISTS AND ARTISANS JUNE 25 & 26 PREMIERS ITS AWARD WINNING JURIED FINE ART AND HANDCRAFTS SHOW AT THE ORANGE CT. FAIRGROUNDS @ 525 ORANGE CENTER ROAD (RT 152)10-6 FREE ADMISSION & PARKING. Exhibitors are chosen for their unique, creative artistic expression, and accompany, discuss, and demonstrate their original work.

Three sculptors feature metal & stone life sized animals, kinetic garden selections. Three author/illustrators present & sign their children’s books. “The Worms Eye” introduces natural stone, mosaic and inlaid marble tables, and unusual lamps. Ted Demers creates elegant furniture from CT. forests. Watercolors of lighthouses, ocean liners, sailing ships on nautical charts by Philip Chagnon. Nine fascinating photographers. Architectural aquarelles of New Haven-its landmarks, parks, villages by Mary Lou Horan. Bruce Dumas -realistic acrylic portrayals on canvas of New England’s coastline, harbors, quiet refuges. Local/ historic vintage maps by the Murphy’s of Orange. Shore birds emerge from blocks of wood while you watch Mike McCarthy carve on site. Hand painted scarves, clothing for adults & children Unusual and exotic woods are “turned” into kaleidoscopes, writing instruments, jewelry boxes, vases and vessels. 12 participating jewelers include hand forged-sterling silver with semi precious gems, lamp worked glass, wire weaving, miniature books, dinner ware set segments, “art to wear” demo. “Fire Witch” embeds peacock feathers and quivering jewels in fantasy stoneware, functional pottery and ceramics. Mail boxes designed for you. Sumptuous floral arrangements tremble in warm breezes. Tim Payson plays keyboard classical jazz on location. The Orange Historical Society presents historic publications about Orange, the Orange Garden Club sells plants and gently used gardening books.

The food pavilion hosts Constantinou-Grecian Delights, Thai Taste, Maui Wowie-smoothies, Faddys-hot doughnuts-ice cream, lemonade, Huge baked potatoes with toppings, Breakfast sandwiches and coffee, Rita’s Italian Ice, Di Roma sauces & olive oils of Italy. The Orange Boy Scout troop serves Grilled American Fare.

The town of Orange welcomes its first nationally acclaimed Meet the Artists and Artisans Show, a legend in CT for the past 49 years. The Town Officials, the Boy Scouts and local leaders are all in agreement that offering this type of Art & Handcraft celebration is beneficial for students, families, art lovers, craft aficionado’s, and visitors to acquaint them with the beauty and history of Orange, and to meet national award winning artists in one of the top Best 100 Fine Art show productions in the U.S. To informally advance visual and literary creativity in this cultural and civic celebration. HELD WHATEVER THE WEATHER!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Pictures from Milford

Milford was a fabulous show, especially when the lovely Karla and Melba of the Guevara clan came out with their men, Mark and Vincent, respectively, in tow. Day one was painfully, painfully windy, but day two was as close to perfect as I've ever seen. Here are a few shots of the new setup!






Come see it all in person next week in Orange!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Fair on the Green!

Come see me at Milford's 40th annual Fair on the Green, Friday June 3rd and Satuday June 4th! All new display, several new styles, and, as always, pieces from the everyday to the extraordinary.

Directions:
From Interstate 95 North or South take Exit 36 (Plains Road).
From North exit make a right at the end of the exit ramp.
From South exit make a left at the end of the exit ramp
(follow the Hospital signs).
Proceed straight to the end of the road (8/10 mile).
At the traffic light before Carvel Ice Cream make a left onto
Bridgeport Avenue.
Pass the Milford Hospital and continue straight (road becomes
Broad Street)
Church is on right, immediately past Peoples Bank.

For more info, http://www.mtm-umc.org/fair.html