Champagne Celebration

In the spirit of New Year's celebrations, I listed my Champagne Collection on Etsy this morning. Made with gold filled wire with gold filled, vermeil, and brass beads in addition to citrine, several varieties and colors of freshwater pearls, and Swarovski crystal, this collection has been quite popular.

It all started when a high school senior approached me a couple of years ago to put together a necklace for her prom dress. The color was a greenish/goldish/creamish color that proved difficult to match at the mall. Fortuately, I love a design challenge, and came up with a collection of beads that blends well with all sorts of colors.

If you wear cream and khaki in the winter (doesn't most everyone?) and are looking for a way to add some sparkle, this is it.

Necklace is 48 inches (1.3 meters) and can be wound twice or three times for variety ($125).

Cuff is about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide, and can be flexed to fit your wrist ($89).

Earrings hang 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from your ear, and are on French wires, but could be put on ball/posts ($24). Sold separately, the set would be $238, but I'll give a special *blog pricing* at $225 (plus shipping of $5.00 in US - other places to be determined).

Happy New Year!

Pastel (and jewelry) Guy

www.matthewweld.com - pastels

www.studio206.etsy.com - handmade and custom jewelry

P.S. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (see sidebar!).

New Earring Design

Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Windows Collection

Every now and again, a new design comes out of my studio that I really like. And this is one of them. It's not new; I actually came up with it last year, as an earring version of my cuff bracelets. So there are some black ones, some green ones, and some yellow ones out there somewhere. I would like to think they are making someone feel fabulous today, but in reality, they are probably at the bottom of someone's jewelry box, or maybe their purse. Who knows what really happens to the Christmas gifts you send out to the family members you don't know very well?

These actually take a bunch of time. First the rectangular 'window' is measured off, bent, and then soldered shut. Then the soldered corner is rounded off to match the other three corners. Once the shape is symmetrical, I then solder on the ring at the top. I used to do all the soldering at once, but more often than not, the ring ended up off center once the soldered corner was rounded off.

The next step is to weave beads inside the frame. The mix has to be just right in order to fit inside the borders, so there is a lot of trial and error. I also try to use a mix of beads that will look attractive both when the light is coming through them (clear beads), or when the light is on them from the front (semiprecious stones and crystals). The trick to making random motifs work is to use a variety of shapes and textures, hence the metal, the squares of tiger's eye, and the heishe glass.

If you'd like a pair, just email me, or keep an eye on Etsy, as they'll be listed soon ($30).

Pastel Guy

http://www.matthewweld.com/ - pastel paintings

http://www.studio206.etsy.com/ - handmade jewelry for sale

A Peek in My Sketchbook

Janice, a fellow jewelry blogger, gave me a great idea for today's blog: a glimpse at my sketchbook. Actually, my jewelry ideas are kept on scraps of paper (the white one, below, is the back of one of my son's papers from school), while my pastels sketches are in a proper sketchbook. ...(don't ask) They then get clipped on a post in my garage ("studio"). See pic, above.

This page shows a couple of earring ideas plus a couple of pendant ideas. I've come close to making the ones on the top left, but kinda forgot about the others. Hmmm.

These two yellow pages show a few more earring ideas which were sketched on scrap paper and tacked up on my Idea Post. You can see that the last one here on the bottom has some notes next to it. I actually made these and made notes to myself for the next time I work with this motif. In fact, this idea led me to make my fuschia earrings which sell very well, and that I have for sale on Etsy (see link, above).



So, thanks, Janice, for your inspiration today. If nothing else, it made me revisit these ideas, and gave me some renewed inspiration for this weekend!



Happy arting!
Pastel (and jewelry) Guy
http://www.matthewweld.com/ - pastels
http://www.studio206.etsy.com/ - handmade jewelry

So Many Options...

Earlier last week, I had another mini craft fair. This is when I take my jewelry to one of the local schools and set it up in the teachers' lounge for a couple of days. It's all on the honors system - I leave it there unattendend, and faculty and staff shops, leaving their checks and cash in a manilla envelope. They even have the option of signing an IOU sheet. So far that arrangement has worked just fine. Turns out I sold 18 pairs of earrings last week. Eighteeen pairs of mostly brown earrings. That means that I have to come up with 18 new designs to replenish my display board for the next mini craft fair.

Just when I think there's no way I'll be able to accomplish that, I pull out my styrofoam plates of beads and stare. Pretty soon the creative juices start flowing, and I can start cranking them out. The picture above is just one of my plates of dark brown. I also have light brown/amber, a couple different greens, a couple blues, black, turquoise, red, pink, pearls, etc.

See, I used to put each bead type in a little compartmentalized box. Then I started buying strands by the bagful, and so that took way to much organization for the right side of my brain to handle. So I decided that I should just arrange them as if they were a palette, and put all the similarly colored beads together, hence the styrofoam plates which were sturdier than paper. What I really need are stackable trays.

This organizational system is actually how I came up with my random designed jewlery, where there's no pattern, just a random assortment of beads strung together, either as a bracelet, a necklace or as a cuff. When you have all these great colors and shapes staring you in the face, it's hard to decide which ones to use. Why not use them all? With a symmetrical design, there would be no way to fit them all in without making it look stupid, and basically random anyway.

The fun comes when you take a handful from one plate and mix it with a handful from another plate. It's mixing colors just like paint! I've ended up with some great combinations: champagne and pearls, dark brown and turquoise, and pastels, just to name a few (the bummer is then separating them back out again once the piece is finished!).

So, I'm off to make some earrings...

Until tomorrow,
PastelGuy
www.matthewweld.com - pastel paintings
www.studio206.etsy.com - handmade jewelry for sale

This Is For You, Australia!

Happy Spring to the bottom half of the world!

Even though all the leaves are gorgeous shades of yellow, orange, and red around here (and the weather a balmy 74 F today), there is a part of the world where it's the opposite. It just seems weird. Christmas in the middle of the summer? What about all the snowflakes and everything that go along with Christmas? Do you have chili peppers and suns?

But, I digress. I hauled this window outside this weekend to photograph it. This is my first real project with stained glass. Unfortunately, I can't take credit for the pattern, although I did alter the colors quite a bit. (The actual size is about 24 x 30 inches)

In a later blog, I'll show you a window where I designed the whole deal. But this bouquet was quite an undertaking. It was made on our kitchen table. Now I have a whole, dedicated space to make things, but this was BS (no, silly, it means Before Studio).

Here's how it went down. It was right about the time my son was born. Our neighbor at the time owned a stained glass shop in town, and offered classes. One spring, I finally relented and took one. Very cool! I made the mandatory class project, but then had to go and do this as my very next project. 'Twas ever thus. I don't ever wade into a project or a new medium. I dive off the high dive!

So, with a small house, and no extra space, our kitchen (no dining room then!) turned into studio, with sheets of glass lying around, a grinder on the counter, and foil tape draped over the chairs.

But my wife was all very supportive (still is! - kisses, hon!) about it all. Not long after, I built myself a big 4 x 8 foot table in the basement. I still am using it today. It definitely was not part of the deal when we sold the house. That was coming with us!

So now I'm taking over part of the garage (glass and jewelry), and part of the playroom (pastels). I guess we're all hoping for the fame and accompanying fortune to set in....

Until tomorrow,

Pastel Guy

http://www.matthewweld.com/

http://www.studio206.etsy.com/

Jewelry Tutorial Part II

In the last Jewelry Tutorial, the materials, cutting, bending ("forming"), and hammering ("planishing") were covered in detail. This time, we'll finish those bad boys and get them posted (by the way, they're already sold - they sold within 24 hours of being posted on Etsy, and are on their way to New Jersey!).

Here you can see how I use my acetylene torch to gently warm the metal from the earring side, since the jump rings are made from 18 gauge silver wire, and heat up much faster. Goodness knows I've melted many a jumpring trying to solder them on! Once the flux has finish bubbling, and had become the gooey mass that I use to hold the two silver pieces together, I use my titanium pick to pick up a piece of medium wire solder, which I then lay at the joint. If you do it right, the solder should melt right into place within about a second of you putting it down.


Once the soldering is finished, the earrings look like a terrible mess - all black and raggedy. So, they then go in the pickle pot - a cheap crock pot filled with pickling solution, which is actually an acid, I believe. If the solution is hot enough, then the fire scale and tarnishing comes right off. I took this picture as soon as I dropped them in, and they are already back to their silver color. Using copper tongs, I take them out and rinse them well in the sink. Next step is polishing.


However, before I started polishing, I notice that there's an unsightly corner sticking out where the ring is soldered to the body of the earring. Using my handpiece and a white rubber wheel, I take off the offending silver in no time. I find this to be faster and more efficient than a file, even though I think you're supposed to use a file. My years as a dental technician (where I was wedded to the darn handpiece!) made me prefer it over the more traditional tools.

OK, my handpiece is my tool of choice unless I'm polishing. Once I started silversmithing more frequently, I investing in this polishing lathe which I LOVE! It make polishing a snap, and was worth every penny. I use the black/fine final polishing compound so that I don't take off the hammering marks. It makes my fingers black, and it sprays up onto my face and head, but that's OK.



Once the polishing is completed, the earrings are looking like a finished product! All that's left now is a bath in ammonia, which dissolves the polishing compound. I swirl them around in there, fish 'em out with an old toothbrush, and give them a scrub. They're now sparkly clean!

The last step before they are wearable is to attach the earwire. Remember to open them sideways, keeping the shape of the circle intact. Otherwise, the loop will be (or could be) messed up when you close them. I use premade earwires, simply because it's easier. If I'm taking this much time to make a pair of earrings which I then sell for a wing and a prayer, then this is the corner I'm choosing to cut.


And there you have it. A unique pair of earrings that actually made that meeting worthwhile!

I hope you have enjoyed this little look into my studio, and into the steps that go into making the jewelry for sale in Studio 206. Please let me know of any comments, questions, or requests for future installments.

Remember, most of my work is one-of-a-kind, and so I love to do custom pieces. Contact me if you're having a wedding or big occasion soon!


Thanks,

Pastel (and whatever) Guy
http://www.matthewweld.com/ - pastels
http://www.studio206.etsy.com/ - jewelry for sale

Jewelry Tutorial Part I

I am asked all the time how I come up with the designs for my jewelry. Then there are tons of questions on how it's actually made. Therefore, today and Tuesday will be dedicated to showing you how I do it.

It all starts with a concept drawing. This particular idea came from doodles I made during a meeting at work (sorry Doug!)


These are all the tools and materials I anticipate using for this project. I've never made these before, so as I'm photographing, you'll see that not all are used, and the end product ends up looking slightly different than the original design. The square is used to measure the wire (14 guage sterling). Starting from the bottom left, there's the ring former pliers (one side is curved, the other flat to help curve wire evenly), chain nose pliers to make the bends, wire cutters, parallel pliers, forming hammer and steel block, the coil of wire, and needle nose pliers and another set of junker wire cutters that I don't mind cutting larger gauge wire with since they are already messed up.

Next, I measure the wire into 3-inch (7.2 cm) lengths, and cut them with the junker wire cutters. 14 gauge wire is right there on the border of being too thick for nice wire cutters - you don't want the blades to get nicked (like the ones on these cutters!).

Then, I start bending the wire, using the drawing as a pattern. I bend the top with my chain nose pliers, and the main curve at the bottom around a Sharpie marker. I have found that all curves should be bent around something to make sure they are smooth. I've used nails, drill bits, pieces of wooden dowel, welding rods, and whatever else is lying around my garage.

Once the shape is set, and they both match each other to the best of my ability, then it's time to hammer out the curves. I make sure to hammer the mirror images, so that the indentations from the hammer will be seen on the correct side. Just like with calligraphy, the widest part of the curve will be flattened to make it wider. This hammer has two heads. I use the flatter, metal forming head to do the initial shaping. Starting on the outside of the curve, I hammer, working toward the bottom of the curve, making sure to bring the follow through of the stroke in the direction of what will be the widest part. Once the shape has been established, then I use the rounded side of the hammer to create the texture that gives the final product a sort of sparkle, similar to faceted gemstones. Be sure to hold the shape with your other hand, because curves have a tendency to widen as they are hammered. And as metal is formed, it will harden. All this means that you can't rebend a curve once you've finished hammering.

The next step is soldering. This photo shows the earrings with the jump rings lying on my soldering pad. If you look closely, there is a blob of flux at the junction. Using my titanium soldering probe and acetylene torch, I will slowly warm the metal from the earring side, since that is the thickest metal, and will absorb the heat the slowest. Once the flux melts, it will act as a sort of glue, holding the two pieces together.

In the next blog (day after tomorrow), I will show you the soldering photos along with the polishing pictures and the final product. Once you make it through the soldering, the rest is just standard procedure - in other words, nothing will go wrong (although I have bent stuff during polishing with the lathe...!)

Until tomorrow,

Pastel (and whatever) Guy

www.matthewweld.com - pastel paintings

www.studio206.etsy.com - jewelry like this for sale

Announcing.....!

Now Open! Studio 206 Jewelry is finally available online!

Here's the dish:

While not everything is 'up there', there is enough to see what Studio 206 is all about, and more will be added a couple times each week, so stay tuned. There's also a section where you can request items. So for all you fans out there, find your PayPal number and start shopping! Christmas is in what, 80 days?

Studio 206 started after a class in stained glass when I started making picture frames and little angels. Along with some pendants made with techniques learned in the class, I frantically made enough merchandise for the local craft fair. The rest is history. This fall is my 8th anniversary, and I've moved from stained glass picture frames (they were pretty cool!) and custom windows to silversmithing and set stones. There was even a detour into pastel painting (I'll be back to that one for sure after the holiday season!).

Along the way there have been an amazing group of people who have become regular customers. To think that they like the results of my tinkering enough to request custom pieces is so affirming. There have been stained glass windows for a restaurant and several homes, jewelry for several bridal parties, a couple mother-of-the-brides, proms, and Christmas gifts. Even a retail store joined in the fray and regularly bought jewelry to display. My paintings made it into a couple shows this summer, even winning an award at an international exhibit in Tacoma, Washington. A gallery in St. Louis hosted an open house featuring my pastels in September, and I've even sold a couple of them.

So the next chapter has begun, and I've already made my first internet sale. Everything I read says that the Internet is the next venue for art sales. For people in my generation (yes, my birthday was yesterday! I'm now officially in my forties) who phoned a store and then went to look at things in person, this is a little weird. But I started this blog, have a website for my paintings, and now a cyber venue for my jewelry.

It's very enervating, and a lot has happened in 8 years...

...but I'm still waiting for the day when I see my jewelry on a complete stranger.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me in the past, and an advanced thanks to the customers-yet-to-be.

Pastel (and whatever) Guy

Jewelry Time!

Mmm. New camera and new camera setup to capture the nuances and subtleties of my jewelry. I'd like to leave the photography to the experts, but a) they are expensive, and b) I really need nice pix of my stuff so that it doesn't look like somebody's hobby (even though it is...). This is tough stuff. I just need someone to come over and say, "rotate the dial to...here. Push this button, and Wham! Perfect picture. I guess everyone is allowed some secret fantasies.

Although my last blogs have been about pastels and plein air, I've made a switcheroo to (semi)precious stones. i need some great ideas for my 2008 collection. A couple years ago, I had to start making annual collections, because otherwise my faithful following would dwindle to nothing because they had everything. It gets a little harder each year, however. I think this year, with the price of gold and silver going through the roof, I might try to do more with colored stones and beads. Last year, I had great success with hammered silver earrings, and although there have been several requests for same, I will probably stay away from too much silver. I don't think my clientele is ready for a doubling of prices!

As far as colors go, I think pink is still good, and lime green and brown are still in enough to use. Black is always the best seller, and it seems as though purple has enjoyed a comeback. As a straight guy trying to navigate the fashion world I need all the help I can get. Comments? Suggestions?

I'm gonna try to get some of my things online to sell. If anyone knows of easy websites/programs/companies to use, please let me know. Several artsy friends have recommended Etsy. Whaddya think?

Peace!

Art Show

I know it's been a while, but it's been busy around here. Last Friday, I had an Open House at Gallerie M in St. Louis. There were 24 of my pastels on display, and I sent out about 60 invitations. Susan had wine, beer, cheese and crackers, as well as other hors d'oeuvres. I was quite pleased with the turnout. considering the gallery is in an out-of-the-way place. During the show, I met some really great people. One woman I talked with new about Grinnell College, my alma mater, and about Flathead Lake, where I grew up. Another gave me pointers about how to get into the lodges of Glacier National Park when I take my family up there next summer. The cool part was to hear about how people viewed my paintings. They saw things in them that I never intended. It was interesting to hear how an image reminded them of someplace they had been. Others wanted to know about my technique. One woman wanted to know why some of my works were more impressionistic ('softer') than some of the others - I hadn't realized that they were!

Of course my family in the area showed up, a couple of them decked out in my jewelry... Several people showed up whom I did not expect to. Several coworkers from the district came over (it was about a 45-minute drive from Illinois), which was very affirming for me. I have to make a mental note to send them a thank you.

The best part, however, was the fact that my mother flew in from Montana to come to the event. She cashed in her lovingly saved frequent flyer miles in order to be there for my inaugural show. Needless to say, I was touched (and the kids were ecstatic to have Grandma here for a few days!)

Now that the show is over, however, I am switching gears. Christmas season is approaching, and more and more people are asking me for jewelry. Studio 206 is back in the groove! I've received several repairs (not my stuff!), a couple mothers-of-the-bride orders, and a reservation to have my jewelry on display for a coulple of days so that employees can do their holiday shopping. In the spirit of making money, I cleared my big 4' x 8' table in my 'studio' (i.e. garage!) off of all my pastels and framing materials so that I can now lay out all my beading tools and materials.

But I haven't given up painting! On the way back from taking my mother back to the airport, I stopped off at Tower Grove Park and photographed their waterlilies as resource material for winter paintings. I wanted to go back there before the water temperature dropped enough to have the tropical lilies quit blooming.

But enough ramblings for now. Keep doing what you love!

Pastel Guy