Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Early September Update

Well, it's been just a little over a month now in my new studio, and it's coming together nicely. Every day that I'm in there, it feels more and more like 'my studio' and not just some weirdly-shaped office/storefront. It is so nice having my own designated creative space, but I definitely miss my artist friend (and his amazing family) at my old work studio. 


I have to admit, though, the best part about my new studio is that it's only two blocks away from this. (Yep, I feel pretty lucky.)
A lot of things have happened since the move, too. I took a collection of pieces to a beautiful art gallery up in historic Folsom City (just east of Sacramento on 50) called Fire and Rain Gallery. They have some really phenomenal artists in there, so I'm feeling pretty flattered that they accepted my work at all! I brought them a few of my big statement rings and some more of my simpler pieces. I am in anticipation to see how they all do up there. Fingers are crossed that every piece finds a new and completely stoked owner!

Also, my fall dance classes have all started, so among all my kazillion jewelry projects I constantly have on my plate, I am teaching 7 different classes a week at various studios here in the area. I've got a pretty diverse group of students to keep me on my feet, too. Choreographing warm up exercises secretly happens while I'm taking a breather from too much sawing or my hands hurt from filing!

I also decided to re-work my website and in fact re-do it almost completely. Before, it was created and hosted on Wix, a flash-based website builder, but I've been totally unimpressed with so many different aspects of it that I decided to try a different route. Low and behold I discovered I had iWeb on my mac this whole time! iWeb is so easy to use, I put it together in less than three days. It's still not completely finished, but it's a constantly evolving project anyway. Make sure to check it out! What do you think? 


Anyway, since lots of you have been asking for them, I figured I'd share some more pictures of the studio and it all coming together!

Cleaning! Mess equals stress as my old boss used to say.
Started off with a clean slate. Well, okay, mostly clean. The space is a weird double hexagonal shape with windows on almost every wall. Kinda neat, but also kind of like working in a fishbowl.
See? Clean, empty slate!
Front doors to the studio.
My work bench and design table.
Design table with new fancy homemade bead rack.
Signage. (Also homemade. Having little to no money forces one to be creative.)
Well, many more things need to be added, like the perfect jewelry display cases. It's all a work in progress. Just like everything! Hope you liked the pictures. If you're around, come stop by and say hello! 

Erica Freestone 
Handmade Artisan Jewelry
157 Grand Ave. Suite 109
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
www.ericafreestone.com

Much love and many wishes for creativity,
E




Thursday, September 1, 2011

September 1, 2011

My new favorite thing? Stacking rings.

Petite Sterling Silver and Copper Handmade Stacking Rings
Ah, I love these little rings! So cute, so versatile. You can wear one, or as many as you can fit on your finger! I love these little hand-cut flowers. Each has it's own personality, and oh so cute. I usually shy away from copper, but you've got to switch it up every once in a while, right? Now, I am having copper dreams... I love the mixed metals. It's perfect.

Sterling Silver Flower Stacking Ring and Green Onyx Stacking Ring
And what about mixing and matching? It's totally in right now (according to etsy fashionistas) so here's my mix and match. One of my sterling silver flower stacking rings matched with a beautiful green onyx stacking ring. So pretty. So unexpected. Lovely!

Well, that's the update. Much love to you all on this beautiful Thursday evening, and happy September!

-Erica

Sunday, August 28, 2011

News from Pacific Grove


Sterling silver flower and turquoise necklace. Handmade by Erica Freestone. Available on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/listing/80112273/necklace-handmade-turquoise-and-sterling?ref=v1_other_1

Now announcing my new Open Artist Studio

157 Grand Ave. Suite 109
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(on the corner of Central Ave. and Grand Ave. 
across from the library, next to Back Porch Fabrics)

Open Hours
Mondays 10 - 6
Wednesdays 8 - 4
And by appointment

This is a unique opportunity to visit a working metal artist in her natural habitat. ;-)
Stop in, take a peek at my newest pieces, see works in progress, google at all my neat tools (don't mind the mess!)--be a part of my creative process!

Let me make you something beautiful. 
Something you will treasure forever.
Something from both your heart and mine.

See you soon!








Thursday, July 28, 2011

Blog Mention in Kaboodle!

This week my Plume ring was featured in Kaboodle, a blog for shoppers who discover, recommend, and share products online. 


Here's the article:






"Simple summer outfits can be kicked up a notch with the addition of a seriously statement-making piece of jewelry—like one of these 15 amazing rings, curated by Etsy editor Mary from the thousands of independent jewelry designers on Etsy. And, with prices starting at $13, there's a statement ring for every budget!


Statement rings are at the top of the list of this summer’s favorite accessories. Popular styles this season include natural stones, multi-finger, and stacking varieties. This week’s Etsy collection is filled with handcrafted examples of sought-after styles from emerging designers.


Opt for a truly one-of-a-kind design from ericafreestone with this plume agate and sterling silver ring, inspired by traditional southwestern artisans."


Thank you so much for including me and my ring, Etsy and Kaboodle! This is a great selection of some really awesome statement rings. 


And, make sure to check out Kaboodle! It's a pretty cool little site.



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Homage to the West

Just finished this ring (which reminds me very much of my cowboy Grandpa, so is lovingly titled Homage to the West)



Come see it (and me!) in person at the MPC Mother's Day Jewelry Sale, May 3-5!


Love,
Erica

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Mother's Day Jewelry Sale

Join me for the annual
Mother's Day Jewelry Sale
with Mud People ceramics
and Print Club sales

Handmade Artisan Jewelry!
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
May 3rd, 4th, & 5th
9 am to 7 pm

in the MPC student center
follow the signs on campus
off Fishnet Road, park by MPC gym
parking permit is four quarters

Cash or checks only!

Monterey Peninsula College
980 Fremont Street
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 646-4215 www.mpc.edu

Artists featured on postcard: Judy Earp, Mary Bronzan, Lynn Kask, Erica Freestone, Minerva Lundy, Kathryn Loomis, Inge Jockers, Mary Jane Stevens.

Etsy Treasury

Good morning everyone!

One of my limited edition turquoise rings was featured in an Etsy Treasury!


Thank you so much Danu Jewelry for including me in this awesome collection!

More about this ring




This ring is handmade from sterling silver round wire (for comfort) that is hammered on the outside to give it a wonderful texture. Two bands are then soldered together, and a hand-picked turquoise stone from my collection is set in a custom made fine silver bezel which is then soldered onto the double bands. I file out one or two small slivers of the bezel to mimic all the lovely matrix in the stone to complete the look and bring out the character of each individual stone. I then dip the ring in liver of sulfur to oxidize just the right parts and then give it a high polish. The last step is to engrave my signature on the back of the stone.

This ring is made to order to size and is a gorgeous addition to any collection!

Much love as always,
Erica

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Quick Update


Hello everyone!



I am busy preparing inventory for the Monterey Peninsula College Mother's Day Sale which happens May 3, 4, and 5th in the student center. I am working on a bunch of new things, and wanted to quickly share the new ring that is almost finished! 





It still needs some polishing and a few perfectionings (I made that word up), but, it's pretty much finished. I love how it turned out! And, I went with a larger size, I believe it's a size 7. I have a bunch of new stones and I can't wait to get back in to the studio!





Now I'm off to Pacific Grove's Good Old Days festival to enjoy this beautiful sunny weather! Hope everyone's having a great day! Come see me at the MPC jewelry show! I'll give more information in the next posting.

Also, if you haven't already, come find me and 'like' my page on Facebook! You can get up-to-the-minute updates and see projects like this in the works all the time! Go to: 



Much love,
Erica


Sunday, March 27, 2011

Back In The Studio!


After a week with the flu, I was eager to get back into the studio to finish several pieces I had started last weekend. I love the way they all turned out!

I began this piece with a vision for the black onyx cab, thinking it would be so neat to have an interesting cut out in the back showing the back of the stone. I switched back and forth between a telephone (very pop-art of me) or another house or my logo (the little swirl with leaves), but finally decided the angel wings were the perfect fit. Like I said in my last blog, cutting them out wasn't difficult, but filing them and sanding them down to perfection was really quite a challenge! I think they turned out pretty cool. I decided to add the hammered circle on the back just to give the piece some depth.

Meanwhile, I had been trying to think of ways to re-use cut links from chains and had come up with these sweet little flowers with brass ball centers. I just had to add one of these flowers to this piece. The necklace is quite long (measuring 29"--hitting just at the sternum) allowing the pendant to flip back and forth between 'front' and 'back.' I added a little flower bead several inches from the pendant on one side to give it some asymmetry and made the bead with double facing little flowers. Very sweet! I hope it finds a home in a very stylish girl's wardrobe!


I can never work on only one thing at a time (ineffective time-wise!) so, while I was working on that piece I was also working on another little bow necklace. Here is the finished result:

This necklace can be worn two ways: with the flower facing out or the heart facing out. Again, to add asymmetry, there is a red brass heart on one side a few inches up along the chain. The lobster clasp attaches to another bow.




After a week laying in bed and trying to get through my classes (I teach contemporary dance) and no jewelry creating, I had been dreaming up another design for a ring. Here's what came out of that dream!

I love this ring. It's made of red brass, silver, and copper balls. It turned out so cool! It will be hard to see this one go!

Okay! Enough with the blog! I'm ready to get back into the studio again! :)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

New Pieces!

After yesterday's feeling of sickness, today I am feeling much better and am about to head in to the studio. First, I wanted to take some pictures of some of the pieces--really the stones--that I am working with lately!

This is the beginning of a cut out for the back of a black onyx cab. Lots of sanding and filing still needs to be done. I gave myself the challenge of a difficult cut-out, and, I have to say, the actual sawing was not difficult, but the filing and sanding part is! The wings are not perfectly symmetrical, but I really like them. They remind me of a mask for a ball. I'm pretty sure it will end up being a pendant, on a long chain, and I was thinking of adding a version of the 'top' of my Neptune ring to it somewhere. Here's what that might look like:
I think these two things together could be really beautiful. But, who knows what may end up becoming of these two settings! I love the process of having an original idea that then turns into something quite different. I think that happens with all my art--choreographing, music-making, painting, etc.

I'm really interested in making rings lately, but I think rings (that are not made to order, so, the one of a kind variety) are difficult to sell. Really what I want to do is make them in my size, because it's like insurance; if it doesn't sell, then I get to keep it! Yippee! But, I kind of have small fingers (my middle finger is a size 5) and the average ring size is a 7, so it always makes me a bit weary of making a bunch of size 5 rings in hopes that a wonderful buyer who loves the ring also happens to have a size 5. They can be re-sized, so that's always an option...I don't know, we'll see!
This stone, in particular, is one that I'd like to make into a big, gorgeous, cocktail-style ring. Size 7 or 5? Eeek.

Well, that's the update for today. I'm off to the studio!

Love,
Erica

PS I finally upgraded my Wix site, so now there are no more wix ads on my website! Check it out!

www.ericafreestone.com

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Sharing Our Art

I happened upon this sweet video of Tanya Davis' song Art, created by Andrea Dorfman. It rings so true to me. It's a wonderful message and an inspiring example of that message! Check it out!

Tanya Davis' "Art" music video by Andrea Dorfman

Have a GREAT day! :-)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

I'm Officially On Etsy!

My Etsy Store
I've had an Etsy account for several years now, and the time has finally come that I am ready to begin selling in this fabulous online marketplace.

Etsy.com focuses on handmade and vintage items, as well as arts and crafts supplies. If you haven't already, I encourage you to take a look! It's a wonderful opportunity for artists and craftspersons to sell their work, and, instead of forking over half the sale to a gallery or business owner, the artist makes almost all of the sale. Etsy charges only .20 cents to list an item for 4 months, and charges only a 3.5% transaction fee. Needless to say, it is an extraordinary stepping stone for artists to actually make money off of their art.

Please visit my etsy store! Go to www.etsy.com/shop/ericafreestone

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Houses and Bows

I'm not quite sure what's gotten into me lately, but I've had houses and bows on my mind. Here is one of the results!

Little House With Bow (Front)
© Erica Freestone 2011

Sterling silver necklace pendant with rich liver of sulfur coloring in texture and nugold bow and accents. Sterling silver chain and lobster clasp. Pendant completely hand-fabricated by Erica Freestone
(lobster clasp and chain were purchased from a local jewelry supply store). All jump rings soldered shut. 16" in length. Hand-signed and marked 925.
Little House With Bow (Back)
© Erica Freestone 2011

Little House With Bow
© Erica Freestone 2011


Monday, January 31, 2011

Buttons and Social Constructionism


I've been thinking a lot lately about buttons.

It probably has something to do with the new collection I've been working on lately, or maybe it's that I haven't written a research paper in a while, but I kept wondering about buttons and their purpose in life, until I finally caved in and asked my favorite know-it-all, Google.

Just as I suspected, a button's main purpose throughout their long expanse of being (over 5,000 years!) has been functional and practical: fasteners for clothing. But, they have also had a historical use as ornamentation and seals, political campaign propaganda, lockets to hold miniature compasses during wars, and containers for drug smuggling.

What a fabulous smattering of uses!

And now, here I am (although definitely not the first to come up with the idea) making jewelry out of them. The buttons I am using in my jewelry also have an interesting story behind them.

Victorian Black Glass Buttons

Although they are not scarce, Victorian black glass buttons can be difficult to find and some, particularly the imitation fabric type, are quite valuable. They were first made in the 1500's, but it wasn't until the death of Prince Albert in 1861 that they became popularly used in dress. Queen Victoria wore nothing but black until her death in 1903, and fashion trends of that time followed her lead. You can find more about them (and all sorts of other buttons!) here.

The buttons I have that I am using in my new collection have all sorts of different designs, patterns, and images. One of my favorites looks like a seashell. Most of them have a beautiful silver luster and are faceted, which make them extra unique and serve beautifully as re-purposed 'stones' in my jewelry. I love to re-use items in ways they weren't originally intended for, and these buttons are finding new loving homes set in sterling silver as one more form of ornamentation. Their life goes on!

Here are a couple pictures of my two finished pieces set with these beautiful adornments.

Meteor 2010
© Erica Freestone
Sterling silver necklace pendant set with vintage Victorian black glass button.
Vintage Princess 2011
© Erica Freestone
Sterling silver double-banded ring with vintage Victorian black glass button.








Welcome

Welcome to the Erica Freestone handmade artisan jewelry blog!

I am so excited to begin this journey of what I'd like to think of as my own holistic creative process. I hope I can find an audience who will enjoy learning a little bit about how I make my jewelry and watching the progress of different pieces from start to finish. Because silversmithing is not typically an art that everyone knows the process of, I encourage you to ask questions if anything is unclear or you would like more information. Thank you for reading!