Slow Sunday Again

Here's my computer on my desk. The tower is located on a small table next to my desk. I'm happy to have it. In fact, this morning someone came and asked me about a copy of an etching that they had. I had never heard of the artist, but I suggested we look him up on the internet. As it turned out, the man who owned the etching had already done so, but if he hadn't, we could have come inside and searched. And that would have been a nice way to use the wireless connection. As it was, I spent the time explaining about etchings and some of the observations that I have made over time concerning etchings.

If I had money, I would buy etchings. They're not very expensive, even ones created by famous artists like Whistler and Rembrandt, although you have to be careful of ones by Rembrandt. Apparently, he and others attempted to print lots of copies to make money. They even printed reverse ones. Those are ones that are printed the regular way and then another piece of paper is place over the first print and a reverse or backwards print is created.

I was talking to one of the other artists here in Spanish Village. She has a degree in metalsmithing, and she makes lovely pieces. Her style is completely different from mine. She says I'm more of a colorist and that my pieces have a casual, layered look to them. She was talking about style, about how each of us has our own style, and our customers, clients learn to recognize us by it. She also said that you have to be true to your own style or people won't buy what you make. I agree with that. As soon as I try to make something because I think people will like it, it doesn't work and it doesn't sell. As soon as I make something I like myself, or want to wear myself, then other people respond to it and will buy those items.

I spend time looking at jewelry in fashion magazines and on the internet to see what kinds of things are "in." But then I make it in a way that I like. There are some types of jewelry that I don't make because I don't like it and I can't relate to it. Then there are pieces I don't have the ability or setup to make. I've never done casting, and even though I like some cast pieces, I can't make those myself. So I stick with what I can make. And I try to think of new ways to make pieces more interesting, especially in the way I combine stones and crystals together.

Today I was working on one necklace when I discovered I had come to the end of my supply of gold-filled wire in the gauge I use most frequently. I didn't want to stop working, so I decided to make a knotted necklace, one strung on silk. For quite some time now, I've been wanting to make some knotted necklaces made from combinations of beads, not just one type. So I created one from two completely different types of pearls and some crystals. I'm reasonably happy with it, but I would rather it had gold wire between the beads than purple silk. There's nothing like gold to set off any bead or stone. It's no wonder gold is so valuable and valued throughout history.