Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Last week's winner is Alice! Congratulations! You have won a set of three Gnome-Land beads from the studio of Heather Powers at Humblebeads . Send Heather an email with your address and she will send them right out to you. Adorable, aren't they?
Now to the Studio of Lynn Davis to see what's going on there this week.
Hi, thanks for dropping by the studio. It's a little cleaner than usual. The reason: I've been off work from the day job for the four days of the Labor Day week, and the majority of the time has been spent in the studio.
It's a rare treat for me to have this many days available to spend in creativity mode, so I tried to make the most of them, all day, morning and night, too. And I tried to get as much prepared in advance as possible so I'd have lots of things to work with as I did my marathon sessions. What a luxury!
Lately I've been having fun combining the cast pewter with resin cabochons. I love the old-time look of antique jewelry and try to replicate the feeling, while still having a somewhat modern twist to them. See the words "SWEET BABY" inside the focal picture?
I also enjoy word games, allusions and rhymes. Adding words to the resin pieces has been fun, like doing a jewelry crossword puzzle. These earrings are a word play, you know the word association game, someone says a word and you say the first word that comes to mind. That's what is behind these earrings - DOOR - KEY ... KEY - LOCK. Word puzzles and brain teasers that make you smile. They're called DOOR POST earrings, for tongue-in-cheek reasons.
On some of the pewter I've been adding a coppery-bronze patina. Other pieces are darkened like old silver, while some I've left with the bright silver-grey pewter tone.
Post a reply to this question, and if your post is chosen next week you may win one of my new resin pewter Faux-tiques!
:: What's your favorite metal tone for your jewelry when making up your Art Beads - copper, brass, bronze or silver, bright or dark - and why? How do you choose what metal tone to use with various beads or design ideas? What do each color of metal settings or wire signify for your particular design? ::
Posted by Lynn Davis, who is going back now to continue the self-declared Labor Day Week Beading Marathon!
17 comments:
I've been drooling over Lynn's gorgeous antique-looking beads for some time now. I'd love to save up enough cash to purchase a few of her pendants---someday.
For now, I use only sterling silver or Vintaj brass metal in my jewelry. The silver when I want to make a bright and fresh piece, and the brass for a more earthy piece. I have used gold-filled, but not much since it's expensive.
I'm happy to have won Heather's beads!!!!!!!! Also, thanks for sharing the how-to on making headpins. Candie makes it look so easy.
Silver. I always go back to silver. Sure, I love to experiment with copper and brass but I always prefer to go back to silver. I usually work with a cool palette so silver is the natural choice for me. I love the variety of metal tones you use in you work. All which make the peices feel warm and familiar.
Wow,Lynn!I could write 2-3 pages answering each of your questions!But I'll keep it short for everyones sake.
I prefer a dark copper and a mid-bright bronze.These metals seem to meld in with the stones and beads I work with.And that's what concerns me first,finding the right metal for the beads I'm working with.It really doesn't signify anything to me,getting the right tones for all the beads is enough.I love your copper beads!
Gail
Me gusta ese aire antiguo y original!!!
Goodmorning,
I love visiting here, your work is awesome and a deligh to see.
Thanks for having me..
xoxo
((((hugs))))
Maggie
Lynn,
What a great play on words!! I tend to use silver and copper both with lovely patina. For most pieces I don't even bother with adding the patina. Within 2 weeks both metals have a wondeful warm patina by just sitting out in the air!! Like Gail I tend to pick a metal that will blend in with my beads, and also melds together the vintage pieces with the new pieces. I would love to use some brass and bronse with some pieces. So they are on my must have list for the trip State side next month! :)
Pattie ;)
Mazatlan Mx.
I usually use silver, but there are certain blues that I work with that absoulutely demand copper, which really makes them pop. I like working some with antiqued brass also!!
Love your work!! Enjoy your marathon!!
Patina is what I look for - Vintaj brass, or brass and copper I have aged myself. Dark silver, occasionally a bit of bright but what I really want is rusty!
Hi Lynn,
Love your stuff. Each piece tells a story. My favorite metal to work with is silver, bright silver. I haven't really ventured into the other metals, because I would go towards gold and it's expensive.
Emanda
Artemisiastudio.Etsy.com
Copper bright! I love the natural patina that comes with time!
I really like brass. It seems to compliment anything that it's paired with, it's economical, and available in a wide range of shapes and styles. I choose the metal based mostly on the color of the beads, and the feel that I'm trying to portray with the piece. Silver says "spring" and "summer" to me, while brass and copper are more fall and winter colors.
We are working more with Copper. It goes with much of the newer work that we are doing. If it isn't copper, than it is silver.
Funky Monkey Girls,
Jolene/Donna
I personally like working with darkened copper. I find copper to be a common, easy material to work with. With a darker, antique-ish color, it matches so well with other elements. I also like the blue-rust color that copper gets over time, as it is such a bright, striking, interesting color and the rust adds such a earthy element to the piece.
I've been loving copper and brass lately...It seems that, every time I sit down to make anything, I automatically go for my copper. I love the darker look of it...
I also love silver. I think that copper appeals to me as a good alternative to silver - I've never been that into gold, so I feel pretty comfortable moving between the silver and the copper...
How did I miss this? So nice to see you in your studio! I like all metals, but have a particular fascination with brass and copper together.
Good question Lynn! I love the look of the Vintaj brass, or any of that sort. I also love copper and have been making my own links and then oxidizing them. I prefer the old and grungy and worn looking to the bright and shiny, but I can go both ways! A lot of time it is the beads that dictate where I take the piece. This week I am working with copper a lot. Maybe because that is my go to metal for fall and that is what I am feeling. That is why I LOVE every single thing you make!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
These pieces are simply wonderful! I especially like art with words, so these really "speak" to me.
I guess my mood determines what metal color I like. I really like the antique-look, though, so that always enters in.
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