Some Quiet Days in Renkum

Finding the Details in Amsterdam

In a city as spectacular as Amsterdam it is hard to stop looking at EVERYTHING and start connecting with something.  It took me some time and a lot of letting my eyes wander to focus in on the things that captured my heart. 

Video of My Artist Residency in Holland

The Colour, Pattern, & Textures of Holland

Every corner I turn this country keeps getting more beautiful.

I am surrounded by colour, pattern, and texture........

That's not who I am and that's just fine.....

I have been thinking about doing things simply. My work for the past number of years has been anything but simple. I am always adding more details, more colour, more pattern, more twists and more turns into my pieces.

I have thought that since my life is a little less twisty and turny these days, my work should also be less complicated. I love the look of modern minimalist pieces of jewelry.
But I was really trying.....almost forcing myself to think and work this way and of course, I kept hitting road blocks. I spent hours yesterday morning fighting with the Swedish sewing machine that I have here trying to make it do what I needed it to do. I was frustrated and annoyed and just tossed it all up to having a bad day.

Then a couple of things happened during my day and I was reminded to stop fighting myself. I love pattern, colour, textures, twists, turns, and lots of little details. I'm not going to make minimalist jewelry, that's not who I am and that's just fine.

I came across this Dutch fashion designer Winde Rienstra. Her designs are complex, with many shapes, textures, and patterns. Many people would look at them and think "how would you possibly wear them?" But I looked at them and thought "Yes, these are amazing and intriguing, and I want to see more"


Later in the evening our hosts here in Holland took us to an art opening at this little place called Telpost Millingen - It was this tiny little watch tower, originally used for counting ships. In 2011 they invited a number of artists to spend 11 days each in the tower to be inspired by their surroundings and create art while there. They recorded the results by publishing a little book where each artist showed the work they created and told the story of their creative process. What interested me the most about this project was how different each artists work and process was even though they were all at the same location for the same amount of time.





So.......my first finished piece while in Holland with all of its twists and turns and tiny little details.........


Necklace. hammered copper, hand fabricated brass chain, sterling silver beads.

Finding Inspiration in Holland

Trying to be open to what's in front of me........


Trying to look at things differently.......


Trying to see things clearer..........