Alchemy Exhibition

I wanted to share a couple of my favourite pieces that are currently in the exhibition "Alchemy - Transformation in Contemporary Enamels". I received the exhibition catalogue in the mail a couple of months back and danced around with excitement while looking through it. My Wedding Cake Ring is included in this exhibit and is in the company of some amazing enamelists!

The Alchemy Exhibition is put on by The Enamelist Society. Averill B. Shepps the President of the Enamelist Society opens the catalogue stating "The exhibitions are integral to the Society's principal purpose to promote and encourage enameling because they represent much of the best work that was done in the medium in the last two years. The Board recognizes the importance of producing the catalog because it represents a permanent record of current work in enameling in any given year."

Alicia Boswell - USA
Ossify
Brooch
Champleve. copper, enamel, sapphire, paint, stainless steel


Jessica Calderwood - USA
Conceal
Wall Panel
Limoges. enamel, copper, laser-cut steel, brass, resin


The Alchemy Exhibition Schedule:

• September 9 - October 29, 2011 at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN.
  
• November 14, 2011 to January 13, 2012 at the Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
  
• March 9 to June 3, 2012 at the Metals Museum, Memphis, TN

A Big YES

This is my Wedding Cake Ring. This ring was recently chosen for The 13th Biennial International Juried Enamel Exhibition.


This is a pretty big deal to me. The exhibition starts September 9th at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg TN. November 14th the exhibit travels to the Knoxville Museum of Art and then February 6th until March 23rd 2012 it will be at The Metal Museum in Memphis TN. I have always lustfully longed over the classes offered by the Arrowmont School and going to The Metal Museum in Memphis is right up there in my top 5 fantasies. I don't think I will be able to travel to all of the places that my ring will get to go to. (I can't believe that my ring will travel without me, how will it look after itself?, I think I just acquired a bit more empathy for what my Mom went through when I went to Barbados for a month when I was 19- sorry Mom) But I am hoping to go and meet up with it when it gets to Memphis next winter.

I made this ring when I was contemplating the meaning of connection. I was thinking about what it meant to connect with another person for a lifetime. I was thinking about doing it. I was thinking about weddings, and delicately decorated wedding cakes. I was thinking about all of the traditional elements of a wedding that make my skin crawl. I was thinking about all of the traditional elements of a wedding that make me cry in an instant.

Here are the links for you to check out the amazing places that my ring will visit, If anyone wants to come meet me in Memphis next February let me know. :)

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts

Knoxville Museum of Art

The Metals Museum

What If The Cherry Blossom's Didn't Fully Bloom This Year?

The Cherry Blossom's on my street are about to burst into bloom. Bringing spring, new growth, and new opportunities with them. I crave this time of year. When February gets so dark and gloomy I dream of the pink cherry blossoms that will soon be on my doorstep. Other streets are already blooming. I wait with patience and respect for my street to catch up with the rest............Then I started thinking.......The cherry blossoms only get to bloom in their full pink loveliness for such a short time and then they are gone. Then their tree endures our fall, and winter. Hard months for all of us. Especially hard for me. So what if the blossoms on these trees are reluctant to bloom again to their fullest? What if they just can't do it again knowing that the winds will blow them down, some people will walk past without even looking at them, and they will all fall down again leaving the branches bare to endure the pains of winter? What if they needed more time to heal from what our extra grey winter threw at them this year? What if they just didn't feel like fully blooming again? What if they needed a little longer to protect themselves from being so open, exposed and vulnerable?


New Cherry Blossom Necklaces......made with hope.

Keeping Jewelry Secrets......

Something that I never realized when scheming to become a jeweller is that I would get to be involved in so many secrets and surprises. I LOVE it - I feel honored to do it......... but it is a little hard for me.........I'm just not that good at hiding things.....I bought tickets to go and see Mumford and Sons for my good friend Sheila's birthday and I almost told her twice before her birthday. She actually had to stop me from telling her once. I just get sooo excited that I can't wait and I spill over with delight and ruin the surprise.

I obviously have to keep it together for the sake of my business integrity when it comes to jewelry surprises.......and so far so good.

In the past few weeks I have been in on some amazing, sweet, loving surprises. I just can't tell you about any of them just yet.....hehehe.....sorry. You know I want to.

Until I can tell you I thought that I would show you some of my new pieces that I still have for sale....there is still time to pass this blog post onto someone who loves you and hope that you too will be one of the lucky recipients of a PKK design surprise this holiday season.


If you've read my blog before you will have figured out that I like to talk about love......This year has been a very tough one for my heart.....It has broken.....it has opened up......it has looked at the truth......it has taken back some of the pieces that got lost in the chaos. These two Love Heart Necklaces are made from sterling silver, that has been blackened and scratched up with a really gritty texture. "The Cracks In Your Heart Let The Sun Shine Through" The small one hangs on a 16" inch chain and is $50. The big one hangs on a 24" inch chain and is $75.




And of course.....the Love Heart Necklace with a little colour and pattern. This one has a rich dark purple enamel. It hangs on a 30"inch chain and is $98.

Please email me if you are interested and we will work out the details.
info@pkkdesign.com

Enjoy,
Patsy.

Wedding Cake Ring

This is my Wedding Cake Ring. I made this ring when I was contemplating the meaning of connection. I was thinking about what it meant to connect with another person for a lifetime. I was thinking about doing it. I was thinking about weddings, and delicately decorated wedding cakes. I was thinking about all of the traditional elements of a wedding that make my skin crawl. I was thinking about all of the traditional elements of a wedding that make me cry in an instant. The Wedding Cake Ring is made of two layers of enameled copper. I silk-screened the enamel to achieve the delicate patterns. I have riveted the enameled disks onto a textured band of sterling silver.