Any time that I get intrigued and eventually very excited about a new medium to express myself artistically, I spend a lot of time online doing research and cruising around looking for the artists who have said medium down. Folks whose work inspires me pushes me to perfect the craft myself. Sometimes I discover it isn’t my thing but I still have great appreciation for the work, quite often even more appreciation since I have tried what looks easy and turns out is not. Well in theory it is. But to do it and to create real artistic beauty are not always one and the same thing. For children this is so, but rarely for us adults. The only thing that changes that, in my opinion, is intent.
So I can make Sacred Crap and have it be beautiful simply because I made it with magickal or spiritual intent. This turned out to be the case when I got all dreamy and googley over polymer clay. There are some folks out there making the most amazing stuff out of p.c. You would never even know some of it was clay.
Here are some of my favorite clay artists:
After trial and error, I discovered that this wasn’t really my thing. I had purchased several tools and lots of colors and still have a goodly stash for those times when creating something off the cuff is what I want to do. But I probably won’t get proficient in this medium.
I have found myself of late drawn back to an old love with new twists. I have always loved beads. I have always loved jewelry. What good Crow Woman doesn’t? Working with metal is something I know I will like. But I need classes. I have some friends who teach classes here in the Seattle area and I’m looking forward to getting to attend a couple of them. I want to learn how to rivet, solder, make bezels, raised work, that kind of thing. Not so much casting… In the meantime, I am doing what I can to combine my love of beads with metal in way that I can work with now. That is Wire Wrapping. There is some really truly incredible work being done out there with beads and metal. Not just crafty stuff.
Here are some of my favorites right now:
- Eni Oken
- Isa Malczyk – OH MY GOD, this is my favorite
- Connie Fox – Jatayu
- Anne Made
- Delia Stone
- Midnight Cat
I’m totally inspired. I’ve been making, as I’ve shown, little dangles to get used to silver wire and to begin to let it talk to me and understand the language. And I’ve been downloading tons of images and closely studying them to see if I can figure out what was done. I’ve got books from the library. And I’ve made some Sacred Crap.
My beloved parents, who I celebrated Valentine’s Day with last night, gave me a little financial gift. Which was totally unexpected. And very exciting as I was planning a trip to Fusion Beads on Saturday. They have a brick and mortar store in Seattle that has an incredible selection. So I’ll be coming home with some tools I’ve been yearning over and some Hill Tribe silver charms that I can’t wait to get my hands on. They make such Fae stuff, those Hill Tribes.
Stuff like this:
For utter simplicity and beauty check THIS:
or this
Stitch Witch Cottage 
