Jan 22

Class this Saturday

I’m instructing another Intro to Soldering class this Saturday. A couple seats are open at Hidden Art Studio in Midtown, Kansas City.
To register, click the “buy now” button below. If you have questions, please click here to contact me.
 

Intro to Soldering:

Making Jewelry

Date: Sat, Jan 28, 2012
Time: 1-4pm

Nesting Musical Notes Soldered Ring 6*Examples: your pieces will be unique.

Learn the funky art of soldering, and make your own one of a kind jewelry. After receiving instruction, you will be constructing and soldering your own ring and pendant. We will be using images from vintage books, music, and papers, or if you have a special image in mind, please bring it to class. The glass sizes available to make pendants include 1×1, 1×2 and 1×3. The diameter of the ring will be approximately the size of a dime. All supplies are included in the cost of the class, including ball chain for your pendant. If time allows, you may make a marble charm as well.

Techniques learned:

  • soldering a flat sided object
  • soldering a rounded object
  • adding jump rings
  • micro collage

Class size: 8 students max.
Fee: $40

Policies:

    • Prepayment required.
    • 24 hour cancellation notice required for refund. Please try to allow 48 hours for cancellation so that I may notify others on the waiting list.
    • Must be at least 14 years old.

 

 

comment? Posted in Art, soldered
Jan 19

Floating

I have a thing for paper boats, the kind I used to make sitting in the church pew.

After a recent trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, I believe my brain absorbed the salt water…
the ocean

and this song won’t leave my head,

so I keep making boats.

3 comments Posted in Art, Encaustic
Dec 31

Honor is an action verb

Choosing a word as a theme for the coming year has become a tradition for me. I have found that for each word chosen, the year has unfolded with a deep tie to it’s meaning. This past week I have been rolling around ideas, but the word, HONOR, envelops all the other choices.

Honor (verb): to regard or treat (someone) with admiration and respect : to regard or treat with honor

My journey the last few years has brought me to freedom. I feel God gave me a time of rest and showed me who He made me to be. This path has been very self focused, but necessary. But now I sense a shift. Solid in who I am, it is now time for me to become very intentional in honoring my Creator. The most awesome result from honoring God is that everyone is positively affected by it. God is just cool like that.

My plan:

  • Honor my husband, my children, my mother and father, and in-laws by planned and impulsive acts of love and respect.
  • Honor all those I come in contact with by kindness no matter their own behavior and not based on their accomplishments.
  • Honor God by being my true self, by worshiping creatively, and by listening for His direction.
  • Honor my body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit by right eating, exercise and proper rest.

Which means:

  • My mouth will need to blab less and my ear engage more so that I can sense the needs of others.
  • I will have to stretch myself in thinking of tangible ways to honor others. Action is key.
  • Self-discipline and go-with-the-flow will have to meet up and make friends.
  • Intentional communication with God is essential. I must view studio time, Bible reading, and prayer as priorities so that I hear my Father above the din of life.

Wow, writing this out makes it sound like work, but really I’ve already been haphazardly living this way. Choosing the word, HONOR, just brings a greater focus on what has already been knocking on the door of my heart. And I must share a link to an awesome sermon about honor given this fall at my church: Graceway 110611 by Jeff Cox. Yes, it was influential in my thinking.

Fabric & encaustic

What is your word for 2012? Please share a link in the comments if you have blogged about it. I want to know.

15 comments Posted in Even This Is Art, God's leading, God's Word, Hidden Art, Myself, Relationships
Dec 19

Merry Christmas from the Jolley Family Singers

christmas 2011

I’m going offline to slow down and enjoy family, to celebrate Christmas with meaning and intention. The shop will also be closed until next week.
Wishing you all beautiful moments and thoughtful reflection as the end of 2011 approaches.

4 comments Posted in Uncategorized
Dec 14

Soldering on the fly

We have a couple friends that are avid fly fishermen. They make their own flies! One is a musician, one a watercolor artist, both share the same profession as my husband, Scott. So Scott noticed all the funky things I was adding to my waxy soldered pendants and went directly to their studio. While they aren’t busy producing videos, they are making their flies. The trend of feathers in the hair has made it more difficult to find these perfect fly fishing feathers. Even so, these generous guys shared some of their feathers with Scott so I could experiment with something new.

feather

My first experiment is a feather dipped in encaustic medium (beeswax and damar resin). Next will be a dry feather and wax encased in glass.

November is such a challenge for me, blogging (almost) daily about my creative venture for Art Every Day Month. I always grow and love the push. Yet, when December rolls in, I deflate in blogland. My time and attention turn to:

  • Christmas parties!! I love them. So much fun to see everyone outside of a work environment.
  • This year, my daughter turned 18. The party has been going on all month.
  • Semester end for homeschooling. I get the whip out at this point because I want vacation.
  • Oh yeah, our Christmas card takes about all month to get done and out the door.
  • Finishing up commissions for the Christmas season.

Psalm 119:65

I may not have a moment to shout out before Christmas, so I wish you all a beautiful, meaningful holiday season. Relationships first and peace in the center of your soul.

4 comments Posted in Art, Balance, Encaustic, God's Word, Homeschooling, soldered
Nov 30

Phew!

AEDM Day 30

This evening I’ve been immersing papers in wax. My favorite is this hymnal page. I love how the notes from the opposite side show through.

And today I got my hair colored. I used to struggle over whether I should let my hair be natural or not. The struggle is gone. I’m enjoying allowing my awesome stylist to select what she thinks would look fabulous. She and I have something in common. We love change.

Art Every Day Month, I bid you adieu. Twas a delight to be in your company. As always, I am so thankful that Leah has developed this challenge and continues each year. I have grown so much by the process.

3 comments Posted in Art, Art Every Day, Encaustic
Nov 29

Portrait swap

AEDM Day 29

Today I had the delight of doing a portrait swap with an artist friend of mine. She generously provided the crayons. Here’s a quick snap of the portrait I drew of my friend.

And the one she did of me.

Giggle

2 comments Posted in Art, Art Every Day, Homeschooling, Relationships
Nov 28

Retry for better

AEDM Day 28

Encaustic Paper Soldered Earrings

More encaustic experimentation. The “waxed” paper was once yellowed, aging notebook paper. The heat and wax add that dreamy translucence that I love. The earrings I made the other day did not satisfy. Too heavy. I believe I love the handwriting on this paper better too. So fluid.

I’m also working on several commissions. There is a joy to finding the perfect fit for someone, and joy in the pursuit of that perfect.

And finally, I have several waxy pendants listed in my Etsy shop. The sale is going on for a couple more days, 15% off with the coupon code ACHOO. You can also access the my inventory by clicking Shop at the top of the page.

5 comments Posted in Art, Art Every Day, Encaustic, soldered
Nov 27

Gifts

AEDM Day 27

Today I made gifts.
Joy Dance
Joy Dance Encaustic Soldered Pendant is made for Patricia Seggebruch, my constant inspiration. I first met Trish at Artfest 2010. She instructed my favorite class, an encaustic introduction for me. I was so excited about encaustic painting that I took two of her classes at Artfest 2011. But the icing on the cake was her incredible EncaustiCamp this summer. My favorite thing about Trish is her desire to share her encaustic knowledge with the world. She is forging ahead, blazing a trail with her generosity and enthusiasm. For anyone even the slightest bit interested in encaustic painting, EncaustiCamp 2012 will not disappoint.

Kansas prairie
Kansas Prairie Encaustic Soldered Pendant is made for Sue Simpson. She recently asked me to be guest blogger at Earthtone Studios. I so thankful for the honor. The writing of that post prompted me into a frenzy of inspiration. She will also be teaching at EncaustiCamp 2012, giving instruction to those new to encaustic.

 

5 comments Posted in Art, Art Every Day, Artfest, Encaustic, Inspiring, Relationships, soldered
Nov 26

I can’t stop soldering!

AEDM Day 26

The necklaces are complete!

Wax pendant necklaces complete

This pendant below was made as a commission. I’ve been experimenting with “waxed” paper. The paper used here became very translucent when heated by the soldering iron. I love how the light filters through.

Dt 31:6 soldered wax pendant

I sold a pendant just like the nesting bird today. I say “just like” because I soldered another one to re-list in my Etsy shop. One of the reasons I use my original artwork in my jewelry is that I have no worries about reproducing the image. This collage was originally constructed using an 1800s spelling book, vintage embroidery patterns, and blueprints. One of my favorite things about this pendant is the mood bead. I treasured the mood ring I had in the 70s. Fond memories.

Bird nest pendant with mood bead sold

My AEDM for Day 25 is the fabulous Balsamic Vinaigrette I made for our salad. This recipe is now my favorite, very quick and easy to make, and the flavor blows away any bottle balsamic vinaigrettes that I’ve tried. Only warning is the extreme garlic breath that accompanies the dressing. Next time I make it, I may try without the garlic just to experiment. My preference will always be the garlic, but in a social situation, the non-garlic version would be kinder to my audience.

4 comments Posted in Art, Art Every Day, Encaustic, God's Word, soldered
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