Opportunities Knocking :: Credit River Art Glass

Julie Nordine of Credit River Art Glass is one of those artists that you can't help but love. Her glass work is bursting with the energy of her sparkling personality. I know because I am the proud owner of two of her amazing copper-capped glass acorns, and I have had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the Bead & Button show this summer.

Julie was gracious enough to grant me an interview even though I happened to pick the exact week that she was busy re-launching her Etsy site. And since Julie is a woman of many words (not unlike me!), I will let her tell you all about Credit River Art Glass.

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ABS :: I see that you have a background in Interior Design. How did you decide to start making your own beads? Did you take classes, go to art school or are you self-taught? How has that background helped you in your beadmaking?

JN :: I've always been fairly creative and knew I wanted to do SOMETHING creative with my life. With creative older sisters, I found myself in bead stores at a young age and would make macrame bracelets for friends and family (back in the 70s, when macrame was cool!). I took some jewelry classes in high school and loved it, but I didn't want to be a starving artist, so I went to school in Denver for Interior Design. I loved Interior Design. I'm really good at it because I have a strong eye for scale and proportion, color, too. Once we moved to Minnesota, I took a stained glass class and loved it. Took pottery, too, and loved it even more. I didn't do either once I started having kids.

I remember being in a bead store where this really cool young guy named Malcolm Potek brought in some of his fantastic fused glass beads and pendants. Around that time I also found a "do it yourself beadmaking kit" and saw someone on a morning show doing a demo of beadmaking. I really wanted to fuse glass like Malcolm Potek did, but I couldn't afford it. So I stuck with interior design and made jewelry for friends, popped into bead stores every so often, started a pearl obsession (anyone need pearls?) when I started noticing these really attractive lampwork beads. The really unique artsy kind, not the mass-produced kind. I found LampworkEtc, a forum for lampworkers and jewelry artists, scoured YouTube for glass beadmaking videos and then signed up for my first class at a local community art center. On the first night, we made those silly little donut shaped black beads (I think everyone starts with these little black beads!). I couldn't wait to try it myself! I jumped when I first lit my little Hot Head torch and when the cold glass rod shattered in the flame. But I figured it out. That first class gave me a really firm foundation to start with.

As I got deeper and deeper into glass beads and improved my shaping skills, my background as an interior designer kicked in. My eye for shape, scale, proportion and color have been a major benefit to shaping my style and moving me forward.

ABS :: There are a lot of romantic ideas about owning your own creative business. Do you do this work full time? What is the best part about being your own boss? What is the worst part?

JN :: I DO do this full time, at least I don't have another paying job.

The best part about being my own boss is that I get to torch when I want and be there for my kids when they need me. I'm home and should be able to maintain the household, but that has never been my strong suit. But dinner is usually on the table every night and I'm loving that I get to CREATE!

The worst part? I sometimes wish I had a studio away from the house because sometimes I get hung up on what there is to do at home and what I could be doing in my studio. When I neglect the house, I tend to feel guilty for 'playing' in my studio. It wasn't until recently that I got real with myself and started thinking about this more as a business that needs to be nourished and needed to be a priority.




JN :: I'm definitely inspired by other art... by shapes and little details that I see in everyday life. Motivation comes from loving what I'm doing and of course it motivates me even more when others live it as well. This has been really good for my ego.

ABS :: Glass is so intriguing to me. It is so fragile but yet so strong at the same time. Do you plan out your ideas, like sketching them, or do you let them grow organically when you are at the torch?

JN :: I've never been a planner... If I'm onto something and feel like I need to explore it further, I sit down at the torch and work it out. Sometimes I jot down notes so I can remember them, but a lot of what I do is just serendipity. I might be doing one thing and it completely gets away from me, so I sit back and look at it and take whatever direction it's already moving. A lot of what I do started out as me covering up mistakes! ;-)

ABS :: I love to see all the colored rods that lampwork aritsts always have in their studios. What color palette do you find yourself reaching for time and time again?
JN :: I love really rich colors mixed with organic colors and textures. If you look at the pictures of my beads soaking in water at the end of the day, I'm really heavily into cool colors -- green, blue, purple -- as well as really deep reds. I'll also pull in some rich oranges from time to time.

ABS :: I am currently hoarding two very precious acorn beads that I bought from you at Bead & Button. What is your favorite bead that you have ever made?

JN :: Hmmmmm...that's tough. I'm quite fond of my work ;-) But probably my favorite was an acorn that I made for my little sister when she was struggling through her divorce. Acorns represent strength, patience, potential... things she wasn't able to see in herself but I knew they were there. I asked her to wear it so that when she looked at it, touched it or just felt it hanging there, that she'd remember how proud I was for standing up for herself and her kids.


ABS :: As a creative, I am sure that you are brimming with new ideas all the time. Any you care to share with us?

JN :: My most recent was the addition of copper etched oak leaves to go with my acorns and they have been a HUGE hit. I'm really hoping to begin incorporating more metals with my pieces. Skeleton key beads are new for me and I'll be learning some new silversmithing techniques in an upcoming Kristina Logan class.

ABS :: What is next for Credit River Art Glass?

JN :: Continuing to push myself to make my work unique and TEACHING! I'm so excited about this prospect. I'm just delving into teaching. I'm so excited about it! I need to get my studio cleaned out so I can start having some one-on-one sessions and I'm also looking into setting up some studio space away from home. I've been asked to teach at the Midwest Glass Experience in February. And I've been contacted by a friend who is opening a studio and wants me to one of their first national instructors early next year. How awesome is that? I'd love to travel around the country and eventually around the world and teach others. Nothing is more exciting to me than to see someone 'get it', to see the excitement in their eyes.

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Thank you Julie, for taking the time to share your inspiration with all of us!

Do check out Julie in the following places:

Julie Nordine
Credit River Art Glass
Website: http://www.blogger.com/www.creditriverartglass.com
Blog: http://creditriverartglass.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the day!

Erin Prais-Hintz writes about all things that inspire her at Treasures Found::Inspiration Is Everywhere. Her jewelry designs are one-of-a-kind made one-at-a-time. She collects quotes and dust and invites you to send her your favorite (quote - not dust!) to enjoytheday@tesoritrovati.com.
Check out her brand spankin' new website at Tesori Trovati.

Designer of the Week: Erin Strother

Each Monday the Art Bead Scene features the Designer of the Week. One of our editors picks her favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries. This week's featured designer is Erin Strother.

This is what Art Bead Scene Editor Tari Sasser had to say about this piece:

"I love this necklace. Especially, that the elements of the focal pendant were intentionally placed off center. The splash of red is perfect."

"Persia" by George Barbier

September Monthly Challenge

Sundays with Cindy

Let's see what our Bead Bloggers have been up to this week....

A Bead A Day
Are you thinking of branching out into polymer clay work? Lisa has gathered some blog reader feedback on how to get started.

About.com Jewelry Making
Are you in or out when it comes to plated metals? This polls seems to indicate a mixed bag .

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene Announces the September Monthly Challenge. Come gain inspiration from Barbier.

Barbe Saint John
Stamped Metal Jewelry book review!

Beading Arts
Have you tried wool roving in your jewelry designs? See what Cyndi has been doing with this fascinating material!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi is thrilled to go down a new artistic road with paper pendants!

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Wondering what Cindy's really like? Come see her first ever video and find out if she's really that quirky!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie celebrates the start of school season with a series of Friday book giveaways, starting with Creative Paper Jewelry.

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei takes a bit of a directional turn, in business. You may want to read this!

Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
It is Jean's birthday month! To celebrate, she is reposting a review of a lovely book by Cathy Jakicic which she is particularly fond of!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Margot Potter recently debuted her new book, "Bead Chic". Find out how you can win a copy

Studio Saturday with Creative Impressions In Clay

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.

This weeks winner is Paige Maxim. Congratulations! 

You have won a a pendant from the studio of Jennifer Heynen. 

Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.

I have lots of cans lying around since I made a fish with recycled cans for the scales. 

I have a show next weekend and I have been trying to come up with a jewelry item using the cans. Above is one of my ideas for using the aluminum cans. I cut disks out with a large paper punch, put 2 together with eyelets that are used for scrapbooking. Michaels was clearancing a wire spiral maker doohickey by Beadalon, which worked well for this application. 

Paula Radke dichroic beads were used as a drop for the earrings. 

My Question this week is:

What would you do different if you were brainstorming jewelry incorporating a recycled material? 

Use less, add more? Different material?

Leave a comment and you could win 2 small puzzle piece buttons.

Have a great beginning of Fall Weekend!

Biz Tip - Booth Banners

As some of you are gearing up for your Fall and Holiday selling season I wanted to share a great resource for banners.  Check out Vista Print for inexpensive and nice quality banners.  You can have them printed with an image that you create, like the one on the left, or use one of their images, like the one on the right.  Templates are available on the site.  It was super easy to create in Photoshop.  The image printed out great, they are durable and roll up for storage. If you sign up for Vista Print's email list and wait for a promotion, you can get one small sign for free!  Their large signs, which are 6 ft long, start under $35. 

Hot tips for great booth designs:

Add in texture with fabric, dishes, plates, etc.  I love those leaf plates, I think they were for candles and I picked them at the end of the season one year from my grocery story.  You never know where you might find a good display idea.

Add height to your displays: I used planters turned over for small shelves.  You could use baskets, small decorative boxes, window glass blocks, etc.

Raise the tables - use pvc pipe or bed risers.

Choose your colors to compliment your jewelry style.

Refurbish old necklace displays by covering them with fabric, just glue it to the backside with a hot glue gun.  I used grey dupioni silk in the ones above.

Think outside the box!  I used nests for bowls - these would like cute with a pair or two of earrings nestled inside or a special bracelet.  I found the nests at Hobby Lobby.

Want more booth ideas?  Check out the Jewelry & Bead Booth flickr group.

Vintaj Art Deco

Since our monthly challenge is straight from the Art Deco period, I asked the creative team at Vintaj to put together a collection of their findings that are inspired by the era.

Love the leaf charms from Vintaj - how perfect for our challenge!

Art Deco

Jazz

Flappers

1920s & 30s

Geometric Shapes

Strong Lines

Egyptian, African and Oriental themes
Butterflies

Tassels

Longer strands of beads

Layered necklaces & bracelets

Long, bold dangle earrings

Czech beads

Stones - real or faux:

jade, coral, onyx, mother of pearl, lapis, rock crystal, chrysoprase, carnelian, rubies, emeralds, smoky quartz, amozonite

For more information on costume jewelry from this period check out this article.

I Spy With My Bead-y Eye -- Fabrics and Beads

I recently wrote a post on my personal blog about shoes.  I probably could have gone into shoe sales from the number of posts and emails I received about this particular pair of shoes and how many people decided to buy a pair...

(photo via Zappos.com)

The point of my post that day was finding inspiration in the wild colors of my favorite shoes and using that as a springboard out of beader's block.  The idea is to find something (like shoes) with a design, and then search out beads to match it, thus hopefully triggering your imagination in a different way.

So I thought I'd try that again, but this time, with fabrics from Spoonflower.com.  If you're not familiar with Spoonflower, you're in for a treat.  You can have your OWN custom designs printed onto fabric!  How cool is that?

So let's start.

My first fabric choice is "Supahero" by hamburgerliebe.

Not your common inspiration, is it?  It's not floral, or an Oriental rug, but let's push ourselves a bit and see what beads we can find....

Photo by Flying Corgi

First, the colors worked for me.  Second, there was a slightly goofy, irreverent, fun spirit in this bead that I just couldn't pass up.  I think it's just a perfect jump from fabric to bead.  It doesn't have to match perfectly to be a perfect fit.

Next, we have "Umbrellas" by natalie

I like this.  I want an umbrella made with this umbrella fabric.  But let's find beads that match up with this, m'k?

bead by Gaea

These ceramic beads by Gaea picked up the slightly muted colors of the turquoise, red, lime, and orange umbrellas.  How about using leather with this one, or wire-linking each bead to keep it airy?

My last fabric choice is "Cherry Blue" by cottageindustrialist.

How about this borosilicate focal?  Isn't it perfect?  Now it's up to you to add in the rest -- Thai silver flowers, perhaps?  Wood beads to pick up on the branches? The sky's the limit.

Boro focal by uvanomos

I hope you've enjoyed this new way to find inspiration and get out of the rut we all fall into from time to time.  But what if you have a huge stash of beads and don't need to buy new ones?  Pull out a drawer of beads, set it by your computer, and surf through Spoonflower.  You might find a fabric that triggers a memory ("Oh yeah, I have a bead kind of like that!) and awaaaaay you go!

Lori Anderson creates jewelry for Lori Anderson Designs.  She writes the blogs Pretty Things and An Artist's Year Off.