New masks and photo question

I've been playing with new mask designs, and trying to figure out how best to photograph them. Generally speaking, I prefer mask pictures *without* a model as I feel they're distracting (my eye is always drawn to the person's face, and the mask becomes less of a focus). However, I'm not sure this glass head is doing me any favors.

What do you think? Is the mask better showcased with or without a model?

PS. I realize that there are other facets of my photography that could stand improvement ... hopefully, some of those issues will be addressed in the photography class that I'm starting this week! ;o)

Happy day

Robb's been on my case lately about being a workaholic (does loving my job make it ok?). Yesterday, I decided to humor him and take a day off. The fact that it was amazingly gorgeous out might've influenced my decision a bit too ;o)

We took a leisurely drive up through the Cascade mountains, stopping at antique stores and art galleries along the way. Well, we tried to stop at those places anyway -- most were closed. We did get to see some cool art, and met some odd and interesting folks while we soaked in the beautiful weather and great scenery.

It was a really nice day, spent with one of my favorite people in the world.

When we got home, I discovered that Imaginestudio included my work in an Etsy treasury :

this is my first time in a treasury, and Imaginestudio does exquisite work, so I was all kinds of flattered and happy. It was a really nice ending to an already sweet day :)

Remembering September 11th

My travels with The Bead Quilt Project have introduced me to some of the most inspiring people. At the top of that list are the families and rescue workers of 9/11, who remain resilient, hopeful and proactive in the face of tremendous loss. I've learned (and grown) so much from knowing them.

We weren't able to bring the quilts to New York this year for the annual Voices of September 11th memorial... but I'm thinking of all those people, and holding them in my heart today.

Long lost box of beadwork unearthed!

We recently cleaned out a storage unit that had been untouched for some time. I was psyched to find a box of beadwork that I thought had been lost in a move years prior!

I'm guessing this work is circa 1997-2001, and it's in various stages of completion. There are some pieces I'd still like to finish ... like these two necklaces in the upper right:

They're from a "goddesses and angels" phase I went through. In 1999, a dear friend of mine died. I can't help thinking that if she'd nurtured herself as much as she did everyone else, she might still be around. It became really important to me to remind my women friends that they're amazing -- divine, even -- and to honor that. These necklaces (and brooches) were the result. It's nearly 10 years later, and this sentiment still resonates with me.

Besides, they're almost done! The bright blue one below is worked in microbeads (mostly 16/o to 18/o) and features firey opal and rainbow moonstone cabochons. I have her pictured above her big sister there for a sense of scale. All she needs now is some arms (or wings) and to have the neckline polished off:

Other pieces will probably remain unfinished, like the multitude of amulet bags. Below are just a few. Some are pretty cool -- but it's been more than a decade since my big amulet craze, and I'm still burnt out on making them! ;o)

I think the little dove amulet is the most recent work in this box. It was a sample for a pattern Julia created as a Bead Quilt fundraiser in 2002. At that point, the quilt kind of took over my creative/beady energy and I didn't bead again for quite awhile.

This box runs the gambit from "wow, I need to explore that idea more!" to "OMG, what was I thinking?". Some pieces will be finished, sold or gifted, while others will stay as they are. All of these pieces are special, they represent a piece of my past -- of myself -- that I thought I'd lost long ago!

2007 BJP - June page

This is a picture of my June 2007 bead journal project page.

It's about 3 & 3/4" round, and it's about my daughter. It uses her colors (which are SO opposite from mine!) and the words describe some of the traits I enjoy and admire most about her: compassionate, brave, curious, silly, resilient, insightful & wise.

It incorporates Czech glass flowers and firepolish, 2mm Swarovski crystals, and seed beads ranging from size 15/o to size 18/o. The colors look washed out in the pic -- it's much louder & brighter IRL.

2008 BJP musings...

I've been assembling my 2007 BJP pages, and thinking more on what I'd like to try with my 2008 journal. My primary goal with last year's journal was simply to get back into beading regularly. Beyond that, my "rules" were pretty flexible ... try to work outside of my comfort zone in terms of color & technique, explore negative space (I always want to fill the page!) and give myself room to play. I opted not to look at other artists work along the way, so that I could reintegrate beadwork into my life without too much outside influence.

This year I think I'd like a bit more continuity from page to page, so I've chosen a reoccuring image/theme. No funky shapes this time (last year's pages were round) but I'll work a bit larger at 5" x 7". The "empty spaces" idea was challenging for me last year, so I think I'll keep working on that one.

These are my ideas right now, but they're flexible. I'm not going to start my new journal till I've made more headway in finishing the first one ... but I think once I start the first page, it will set the groundwork/tone for the year to come.