Moving Me Forward in The Right Direction - Two Collaborative One of a Kind Necklaces

Sometimes things enter your life when you need them. Part of getting ready for September Shop was doing some collaboration projects with the other artist's involved. Out of this experience bloomed some pretty amazing things for me.

In the spring I started twisting wire. I had a roll of thin steel wire sitting on a table in my apartment for months. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. One day I picked it up and started to look at it differently. I started twisting it. I twisted through the loss I’ve experienced in this past year of my life……and I twisted into what was blooming around me……

For me art often takes me out of someplace in my head or my heart where I've been stuck. Being stuck isn't very fun. But sometimes I need to tread water in a murky place for a while before I know how to get out of it. Many of my pieces are connected to a bigger story and they often take me from one place in my life to the next. Artistic expression has a way of doing this for me. Writing, drawing, moving metal - creating something that connects itself to my heart has the ability to pull me out of something, to show me what is next, to open my eyes, to dig deeper, to love stronger, to not miss out on something amazing.

Not long after I started twisting wire, Jen Pleadwell of twofolds textiles gave me a handful of her sweet feminine silk flowers in stunning bright colours. I sat with my roll of dark steel wire and these soft vibrant flowers and something incredible started to bloom. Two One of a Kind Necklaces that are completely new for me, completely different, completely unexpected.

A beautiful surprise that moves me forward in the right direction..........



Both of these one of a kind pieces are available at September Shop. September Shop is a pop up shop for the month of September and will close on September 28th, so get there soon.

September Shop is located at 196 Kingsway, the corner of Kingsway and 10th.

A Slice of Artistic Sanity

The Ring a Week project has turned into a little slice of artistic sanity for me. I have to make a ring a week regardless of how chaotic and busy my life gets. I have to sit down and stay still long enough to think of a new idea. I have to stay still long enough to connect with what I'm feeling, which isn't always easy. But my jewelry designs have always been inspired by a story - by lasting love, by painful heartache, by hopeful change.

So, what have I been feeling?...........Honestly my life has become a little chaotic. I have recently opened up a new store with two other artists. We have been thrown into a fire of change and we have to figure things out. It is craziness! For all of you who have opened retail stores on your own, my deepest respect for you! Our space is only 200 square feet and there is 3 of us to share the workload.....and it really has taken over our lives. Hopefully things will smooth out a little and become calmer for us once we get all of the start up tasks figured out.......I imagine those of you who own retail stores are chuckling right now as maybe things never get calmer once you have a store - and if this is true please lie to me, as I need to think that things will be tranquil in my life once again. ;)

My rings for the past few weeks have been twisty- like my mind, with glimmers of hopeful pink pearls - like my heart.

Week 8 Ring

Week 9 Ring

Week 10 Ring

Steel Wire, A Ring A Week...and What Happens Next.

What comes Next?

As an artist and business owner I never quite know what will come Next. I can write business plans and goals but they can change in an instant. Opportunities come up that I have to grab onto. Inspiration hits and a new idea and new direction unfolds. I've accepted this constant flux that my world works in and I'm always in awe of the new places that my art and business take me to.

For the past couple of weeks I have been playing with steel wire.

This is Next for me.

It is different. It is not what I expected.
It sat on my table for months.
I looked at it each day thinking about it, but not quite sure what to do with it. Then one day a few weeks ago I picked it up, I unraveled some of it and I started to see it differently. I have been twisting it, looping it, playing with it in my hands and with my pliers. I've been getting to know it. I've been letting it get to know me. I'm not sure what will come out of it exactly. But it feels right for this moment of my life and I'm willing to lean into it and see what happens Next.

Here's whats happened so far:

Week 4 Ring for my Ring A Week project.

Week 4 Ring Version 2.

Week 5 Ring for The Ring A Week Project.

I've fallen for these little wire wheels and I keep making them in different sizes. I'm going to try enameling some of them and turning them into a neck piece.



What is also happening Next for me is September Shop. September Shop is a Pop-up Retail venture for the month of September. It will feature my jewelry and the work of 5 other local female artists. You can join our Facebook page if you would like to stay in the know. I would love to see you at our opening Gala, it's going to be an exciting and playful September!