Friday, April 27, 2012

Meet Rita Sunderland of Rita Sunderland Jewelry - Featured Artist

Let's start Friday and the weekend off with some gorgeous bling by Rita Sunderland Jewelry,  a fellow member of The Artisan Group, Rita Sunderland's jewelry style is anything but ordinary.  Using an array of Gold-Filled, Sterling Silver, Crystals, and Semiprecious Stones to hand make her sophisticated yet easy to wear designs, Rita has also incorporated her talents in macrame into her unique brand.


Rita Sunderland, Designer - Jewelry





How and when did you discover your love for your craft/art?
I started in macramé at 5 years old with a family business where I was born in Russia, then in 2004 here in the USA I tried micro macramé jewelry with limited success. My husband bought me tools and said to try my hand in metals, well let’s say I found my niche, with a dash of inspiration.

Do you remember the first piece you ever made?
Yes it was simple copper wire and crystal, more of a learning tool. The real designs took 4-5 years to come together.
Red Garnet 14K Gold Filled Dangle Earrings

Every Artist has a creative process, can you explain yours?
I usually seek stones that have meaning then find the best and most interesting cuts available to me. Then I let the stones speak to me and try to make a design that shows the stone off and is not detracting from the future owner’s beauty or from what the stone naturally has. I also try to see these along with the shapes of a woman, since that is where they will ultimately be displayed.

When people start doing their craft/art, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them.  How has your work changed since you began?
Oh my, to think I started with store bought cotton twine and glass beads…Now I have made several evolutions and can see myself moving into torch and casting work in the next few years if business permits it.

What inspires you creatively?
Usually a free moment, those are hard to come by being a mom and wife, but when the time comes it is the shapes and stones that inspire me the most. Each contains symbolism and meanings and that is a whole story in itself.
Smokey Quartz with Citrine Sterling Silver Necklace

Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your work?
One was to get the ability to stay home with my daughter after she was born; I have managed to get through six years being mommy and an artist. I also wanted to make people smile and I seem to have done that over and over, that alone is probably my greatest achievement.

Who are some of your favorite artists/crafters and why?
I don’t know too many, my husband is a multi-talented artist and his creativity and capacity is endless, I wish mine were so easy. In crafting my friend Vasilisa makes these dolls (FancyDolls.us) that really as a craft capture the essence of the people that they are taken from, it is like a whole new life form from her hands!

Any goals for the future you would like to share?
Sure. I really am aiming to also work in precious stones and get a space to work with them, it has not been easy working out of our small flat between all the projects our family has!
White Pearl and Macrame Bracelet
What do you do in your spare time?
What is that? Really, I and my husband only sleep about 6 hours a day as is, maybe a vacation is in order.

If you are displaying or selling your craft/art? Where?
I have 2 sites currently RitaSunderland.com and RitaSunderland.ru for those in Russia and Eastern Europe.

If you sell online or at physical store.  How many hours per week to you spend in the creative side versus the business side?
I have not found a way to make retail work…So I have kind of dropped all focus on that for the time being.
14K Gold Filled Low Profile Ruby Ring
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start out or start a business in their craft/art?
Be patient and persistent. If money and business plans do not move as fast as you want, then you only have one option! Make enough pieces to force yourself on the world, if you are prolific enough the world has to deal with all your creations. I learned this from my husband and it was the best advice and vision an artist can have outside of creativity.

If there is anything else you want to add, please feel free to do so.
Thank you for taking interest in my work and ideas, I hope that with all the turmoil and craziness in the world that some of us return to the arts that have carried us through centuries. Focus on what we as people can create, not destroy! If the whole world stopped and learned to knit a sweater, the world would have several days of no violence, aggression, politics and money worries! Plus there would be a lot of warm people next winter! Just a thought….
*****
Thank you Rita!  Be sure to check out Rita's beautiful jewelry collections at these sites:



Penny Cheng

Monday, April 23, 2012

2012 MTV Movie Awards Gift Lounge - FINISHED.. Now the Waiting Game



I think I'll be able to sleep for more than 4 hours a night now. After approximately two months of chainmailling away, my Fidget Pendants for the 2012 MTV Movie Awards Celebrity Gift Lounge hosted by GBK Productions and through my membership with The Artisan Group, is now off to sunny California to be packed up in 100 swag bags.

Along with my pendants to keep them from misbehaving is my Chainmaille Framed Tree of Life decor.  It will make it's debut on the presentation table of The Artisan Group along with fellow members who are also embarking in this incredible journey.

Ready to assemble 100 swag bag gifts
I have to admit, this was a stressful thing for me to do, but I had a lot of fun doing it.  Stressful only because I'm a bit obsessive compulsive and something about deadlines gets me all worked up.  Now that my little "babies" are off to be loved by a celebrity neck,  I just have to sit for a bit, breathe and wait for the event on June 1st and 2nd.  Of course I can't sit for long as there is promoting to be done before and after the event.
100 Fidget Pendants for the 2012 MTV Movie Awards Celebrity Swag Bags

I already started the ball rolling on the promoting part.  Along with my online Press Releases, I did a couple of interviews with my local newspaper, I know I must have babbled a lot, but I think the reporters got an idea of what I was trying to convey.... at least that's what I read...

So there you have it... One award show gifting lounge done and under my belt (sorta).

Chainmaille Framed Tree of Life decor to be displayed at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards Gift Lounge
  Penny Cheng

*****

  • To see a list of all my press releases and what was in the media about Jewelry by Saniki Creations visit my SITE.
  • Find out our Latest News announcements

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Meet Cindy Licenziato of I Adore Life Handmade - Featured Artist

I've been super busy and fell behind on my blogging of my wonderful fellow artists/designers.. so let's just skip my usual long winded intro and get straight to who I want you to get to know today...

Cindy Licenziato of I Adore Life Handmade, fellow Jewelry Designer and member of The Artisan Group.  Cindy's one of a kind wirewrapped gemstones and crystal jewelry is definitely the talk of the town.


How and when did you discover your love for crafting/art?
When I was thirteen I began trading string necklaces for flowers and art from my neighborhood friends. I came up with a name for my necklaces from the last line of a poem I wrote for my class “I adore life.”
Birthstone Rings
Do you remember the first piece you ever made?
Wish Necklaces, made with a single string strand and a fresh water pearl. They were tie on, so when they fell off it symbolized your wish going to come true.

Every artist has a creative process, can you explain yours?
Organization. One word, because it really helps and gets me going and ready to create!

When people start doing craft/art, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them. How has your work changed since you began?
When I began it was with simple jewelry, then moved onto bags, and onto jewelry. Jewelry stuck because its something I really like to do!
Truth Necklace
What inspires you creatively?
Nature, my family and close friends!

Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your work?
I have been accepted into The Artisan Group, which was very exciting for me. I've also now gotten accepted to sell at a local boutique, which has made me very happy!
Freda Rock Bracelet
Who are some of your favorite artists/crafters and why?
My friends from TAG (The Artisan Group). They are some of the most talented groupe of people I've ever met!

Any goals for the future you would like to share?
Making more screen printed shirts with my designs on them! I think it's the perfect way to spread the love and the message! I'd love to see the support and work further toward giving back!

What do you do in your spare time?
I am a mother of one sweet little girl. She takes up a whole lot of my time, just the way I like it! Other than her, it's work, class, and jewerly making for me.

Where are you displaying or selling your craft/art?
I'm selling online at my BigCartel site and in a local boutique, Beadz Boutique!

If you sell online or at a physical store. How many hours per week do you spend in the creative side versus the business side?
Creative: almost all the time. Business take up a good chuck of my mornings. I'd have to say hour per week are around 25.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start out or start business in their craft/art?
Know what you want and stick to it. Don't be afraid to be who you are. Cliche but it motivates and works!

"I specialize in providing inspiration all over the place. Recently adding apparel to the list of things available online, I adore life Handmade is just happy to be spreading the LOVE. All of I adore life Handmade’s products are hand crafted and designed to inspire; To just give the overall feel of joy! Happiness is Healthy!" ~ Cindy Licenziato

*****
Thank you Cindy!  Yes Happiness is Healthy!!!  Be sure to check out all of Cindy's sites below!


*****

  Penny Cheng

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Meet Diane Perry of Catcophony Wearable Art - Featured Artist

"Wearable Art"...  I love hearing those two little words.  To me, anyone can make jewelry, but to make jewelry into art is another story... Art you can wear.. Wearable Art.

Today I am pleased to introduce to you Diane Perry of Catcophony - Wearable Art.  A fellow member of The Artisan Group, Diane's vision of unique jewelry designs handmade with an array of metals, stones, clay and glass has peaked interest from all over.


How and when did you discover your love for your craft/art? 
I have been engaged in art since I was very young.  My mother’s side of the family are both trained and untrained artists-mostly painters in oil or watercolor mediums.  So since a young age I was encouraged to pursue all forms of art.  In High School I was one of the artists for our school’s literary and arts magazine.  In College and graduate I did not pursue art as a vocation (went into the Health Sciences), but I always found time to learn a new craft.  I really like to make things—so everything from stenciling to basket weaving to painting—kept me out of trouble and fed the right side of my brain.  I found Martha Stewart Living and through her magazines and books she really showed me the variety of things one can make.

Do you remember the first piece you ever made?
That depends on whether you mean first piece of art or first piece of jewelry.  One of the first art pieces I clearly remember was a plaster fresco painted with tempera paint I made from scratch….jewelry, was a pair of earrings in silver and gemstones.  They were very rough- style wise.  I realized they needed significant fine tuning and found a number of great videos on the internet and watched-watched-watched and practiced-practiced-practiced.  I am a very visual learner, so those artisans who shared the basic techniques were such a blessing!
Copper Dragonfly Pendant
Every Artist has a creative process, can you explain yours?
I sketch a lot of ideas, but frankly refer to my ‘idea book’ infrequently.  Most often I sit at my bench and see what hits me and start fiddling with combinations.  Sometimes I will see a technique for another art form or craft and say, “how would that be in copper or on copper or….”  I really love to take something developed for another craft and morph it into a unique piece of jewelry.  I really love sitting with someone who has asked me to create something for them and talking through our joint vision of a piece.  The greatest joy is when you show them the final piece and theirs eyes light up and dance with excitement.

When people start doing their craft/art, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them.  How has your work changed since you began?
I love silver and wanted to work in sterling.  But it can make for an expensive trial and error experience—more so now with the silver prices than when I started 5 years ago—so I purchased copper and practiced and tried out ideas with it.  I found I loved the outcome in copper and have gravitated to working more in that metal than any other.  I still work in silver, but not as much as copper.  Which is probably serendipitous since if you spit in any direction at most shows, the internet—you hit a jewelry artist.  You have to find a niche and build on it.
Brown Lip Shell Bracelet
What inspires you creatively?
What doesn’t?  The usual items such as nature and organic  items are focal to a lot of my work, but more often than not it comes out of left field.

Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your work?
Thanks to the amazing group of talented and sharing artisans of The Artisan Group I have found both a nurturing environment to learn and grow and an extraordinarily supportive group of people.  This may not sound like a goal, but when you have a small business and pretty much are it-CEO, CFO, lackey—you don’t have anyone to ‘bounce’ ideas off of and questions. It also is tough to find and disseminate all information that is out there. But this group is my ‘board of directors and in the short time I have been a member I have learned volumes.  Thanks to The Artisan Group my jewelry was recently featured in the GBK Oscars Gift Lounge preceding the Academy Awards and will also be at the MTV Movie Awards later this year.  Who would have thought my jewelry would go “Hollywood!”
Oscar Earrings in Copper
Who are some of your favorite artists/crafters and why?
It may seem a cliché to say Martha Stewart, but she really put crafting/DIY at the forefront and frankly made it cool to make your own things.  Donna Kato gave me inspiration to try not only polymer clay, but sculpting—something I never felt I could do—and showed me the myriad of things one could do with this wonderful medium.  Hadar Jacobson opened me to the possibilities with metal clays and shared her experiences and techniques. From a purely art perspective, I am an avid lover of all of Monet’s impressionist paintings.  There is an elegant simplicity that resonates with me.

Any goals for the future you would like to share?
My overall long-term goal is to grow my business so I can buy more tools and gadgets—I admit it, my name is Diane and I am a tool/gadget junkie—and take tons of classes at some of my favorite folk-art schools.  There are so many techniques and crafts I would like to try and to learn.
Agate & Carnelian Necklace
What do you do in your spare time?
I love to garden and here in NE Georgia we have a very welcoming climate for that.  I also enjoy reading, golf, antiquing, bird watching, and hiking.

If you are displaying or selling your craft/art? Where?
I sell both online on ArtFire and Supadupa and at art shows.
Antique Silver & Turquoise Dragonfly Ring
If you sell online or at physical store.  How many hours per week to you spend in the creative side versus the business side?
I try to divide each day between the fun of creating/making and the mundane side. You have to grow what you are making and you have to grow the business, too.  During tax season, the mundane gets much more time.

What advice would you give to someone who want to start out or start a business in their craft/art? Learn all you can about the art/craft you want to pursue and then pick a niche within it to expand and make
your own.
*****
Thank you Diane for letting us get to know you and your beautiful work!  Be sure to visit and follow Diane and her "Wearable Art" at the sites below.


*****
Penny Cheng

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Meet Heidi Kingman of My Bead Therapy - Featured Artist

Today I am thrilled to feature the talented Heidi Kingman of My Bead Therapy.  A fellow member of The Artisan Group, don't let Heidi's company name fool you.  Her jewelry designs, incorporating metal fabrications, wire wrapping and gorgeous semiprecious stones, are one of my personal favorites.  Heidi's Signature Wire Wrapped Birdhouses are unique, stylish and let's just say... nothing can compare to them.

Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
How and when did you discover your love for your craft/art?
About 4 and a half years ago I was invited to a home party in my neighborhood and learned that my next door neighbor, Lisa, made jewelry with natural semi-precious gemstones. I was really smitten with the stones. She invited me over to “play in her beads.” As soon as I ran my hands through that first bin of stones, I was hooked!

Do you remember the first piece you ever made?
I do! That first day I made a multi-layer treasure-style necklace with a broken shard of carved jade and mixed stones that I dug for in what became known as the “beetle box.” The box of beads was all the mixed up “extras” that were left over after Lisa made her beautifully coordinated pieces. As I was digging through it, I reached for an interesting mottled looking bead (it looked like brown snowflake jasper) and discovered that it was some sort of beetle carapace that had probably been accidentally strung onto a strand of beads. It sure didn’t look like anything native! Anyway, I laid out an eclectic medley of gemstones, glass, and silver beads. I then made a wiggly bail for the jade shard out of a headpin (my first “wire work!”) and strung it all together. Lisa showed me how to use the crimp tubes and crimping pliers to finish it off. So, the fact that I have now become entirely obsessed with jewelry design is basically all Lisa’s fault! (Well, maybe a bit that beetle’s fault, too!)
Heidi Kingman's First Design
Every Artist has a creative process, can you explain yours?
Most of the time I just get an idea of a technique I want to try, or pick up a stone I want to wrap or use, and just see where it takes me. My designs have often built upon each other since new ideas or ways of doing things occur to me as I go. Sometimes I will have things that have ended up next to each other on my desk – combinations of beads, for example – and think, “ooo – that looks cool!” Very rarely I will actually sketch things out to come up with a design. It is usually when it’s a custom piece and I want the client to pick which general style/design they like best. Not everyone can visualize what I am trying to describe in words, so pictures are much better!

When people start doing their craft/art, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them.  How has your work changed since you began?
I have been doing something artsy since I could hold a crayon. Drawing, sculpting in clay, painting, crochet, scrapbooking, photography – you name it, chances are I’ve tried it. Once upon a time I was even a Graphic Arts major. But jewelry was different. It really became a compulsion from the beginning. I don’t know how to describe it really, except that maybe because it incorporates so many of the skills I’ve used in all of those other areas, it just never gets old for me. It is an absolutely endless medium. I basically started with simple stringing … well, actually my designs were always really detailed and complex (even when simple probably would have been better!). Now I am totally smitten by all things metal and wire, and am starting to pull my love of stones, pearls, and multi-media materials back into my metalwork. And I just bought a torch a few weeks ago … oh, the possibilities!
Tribal Cuff Multi-Stone Bracelet
What inspires you creatively?
I am inspired by old architectural elements like wrought iron, things in the garden, animals, graphic design prints, and even color combinations I see in furniture catalogs. Often I see something that I wonder if I can “recreate” in metal, wire, and beads. I loved the one sculpture class I took in college. I think sometimes when I am making jewelry I am really making mini “sculptures” that happen to also be worn as jewelry.

Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your work?
This is all still so new for me that nearly everything I am doing is a work in progress! I am learning to take better photos of my jewelry, but I still think there is lots of room for improvement. I am also starting to settle into a more defined “voice” or “style” to my work – though I haven’t figured out how to describe it! I think that would sure help. And I am slowly seeing a teensy uptick in sales to people other than my close friends and family – so my designs are getting out there. I have now even made three international sales!
Garden Birdhouse Necklace
Who are some of your favorite artists/crafters and why?
Oh, this is a hard one for me. I have met so many incredibly talented artisans over the last couple of years through online social sites, the Weekend with the Wiremasters classes I attended a couple of years ago (the only classes I’ve taken, so far), my participation in Lori Anderson’s 5th Bead Soup Blog Party, and now The Artisan Group. I can probably more easily list the styles of art that speak to me most: macro photography and paintings of plants and flowers, architectural elements and photos of old ruins, wrought iron, and Japanese architecture and interior design, Japanese paintings of landscapes and trees, Talavera pottery, and mid-century poster art. I think the common denominators are the emphasis on lines, graphics, and color, and a good dose of roughened edges where the artist’s “hands” are visible. To me, the beauty in these styles is the honest nature, the detail, and the celebration of “imperfection.”

Any goals for the future you would like to share?
I’ve been meeting my little short-term goals – like selling enough to keep my studio stocked with enough wire, sheet metal, beads and tools to continue to expand my skills. Now I would like to move toward my mid-term goal of bringing in some extra money that I can use to enable my kids to do some of the extracurricular activities they dream about, and to put some money aside to grow a college nest egg for each of them. Then in the long-run, I would love my jewelry biz to give my hubby and I the excuse to travel around the country to various large art festivals (nearby fantastic golf courses, I’m told) and supplement our retirement that way! The sky-high dream? I would love to own a B&B home/studio where I can host jewelry-making retreats with visiting artisan jewelry instructors. That would be awesome!
Couture Suede Jasper Happiness Watch
What do you do in your spare time?
I really don’t know what spare time is! I work fulltime as an attorney. I have three little kids and an enormously patient, but busy, hubby. And now in the last 5 years since I’ve been making jewelry, I’ve suddenly added jewelry design, blogging, social networking, website design/maintaining (from a template), and loads of learning about both the artistic and business side of things. Somehow I do manage to still get out and garden, cook, dabble in photography, etc. I just don’t sleep much.

If you are displaying or selling your craft/art? Where?
Currently I have shop on ArtFire and I also take custom orders on my main website, www.mybeadtherapy.com. I try to do a couple of art shows a year, also. I’m waiting to hear what happens with this year’s applications. I would love to have my pieces carried in boutiques and galleries again, too. The economy has been especially tough on small shops, so the accounts I had faded away.

If you sell online or at physical store.  How many hours per week to you spend in the creative side versus the business side?
I work full-time during the week. So I try to spend a few hours a week during the evenings on computer-type activities (social media, applications, shop updates, blog, etc.) and then I tend to squeeze in studio time weekend-warrior style. I am usually up until the wee hours on Friday and Saturday nights because it is really my only time to totally immerse myself and be free of distractions. I know if I could devote more time to my biz, it would likely thrive at a much faster pace. It’s a constant source of frustration for me because I am just one of those people that wants to put all of myself into everything I do – which means between family, work, and my micro-biz, I’m pretty well maxed out!
Wire Weave Bicolor Sterling Spiral Column Earrings
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start out or start a business in their craft/art?
Join forums or teams or support groups with people who are at all levels of the spectrum from beginners to experts. You will learn more than I can even list here. I have been completely blown away by the support, guidance, and encouragement I’ve found in The Artisan Group. It is honestly beyond belief and I am ever so grateful and honored to have been accepted into such an outstanding group of talented and generous people.

Besides that, I guess I would say try to ignore that naysayer in your head. Take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other. Baby steps. Just set your goals and move forward. It’s not a race, so whatever pace works for you is just fine.
*****
Thank you so much Heidi!!!  Be sure to check out Heidi's "Wearable Art" at her sites below!



*****
  Penny Cheng