Where did time go?
A lot has happened since that last post in June 2013.
For example, I have picked up my belongings in Cambridge, MA and moved to the Bay Area to pursue a Master of Fine Arts Degree at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA.
It's been an adjustment, but I have no complaints. The weather is nice, people are friendly; school keeps me very busy and engaged, which is all good stuff!
Just because the blog was on hiatus, does not mean LBEW Jewelry had been! Here are a few things that I am happy to have created:
Last fall, I started making these wire-wrapped orbits. I would wrap a small crystal with wire, then take the crystal out and continue to wrap around the wire "cage" with small gemstones like sapphire, labradorite, seed beads, etc. It was a fun process. I didn't like the idea of "cage" though.
This past week was a big week. I heard the news that a beloved professor from my alma mater had passed away. Wendy was a loving friend and a compassionate, brilliant teacher. I owe my creative career to her. She was the first person in my life to acknowledge me and believe in me as an artist.
I feel so sad for the loss, but also incredibly grateful to have met her, and to have been touched by her...
I'm also thankful to gmail for keeping my old emails where i was able to find an email from her that said:
"YES you would be suitable for art school! Your problem will be figuring out which art form(s) to concentrate on since you are so talented! I could also see you going into arts management but would rather imagine you in art, not business school! I think when people ask you should say, "yes, I am an artist." What is an artist? I define it as a person who makes things - and you do. For me it has more to do with passion and action than fame or marketability, or (even) quality (though one assumes artists are always committed to pursuing quality in their work)."So spot on...
It was her belief in me as an artist that deeply encouraged me to pursue this creative path. So I thought the best way to honor her was to make something to remember her, and this is what emerged:
I used pearls, a green amethyst and wire.
This is the first time the orbit doesn't feel like a cage, but protection.
Pearls for the quality of hard work, patience, and endurance
Amethyst for healing
The finished product almost reminds me of the magic pumpkin in which Cinderella rode to the palace. Wendy was kind of like a Fairy Godmother. She was so loving and lovely. Fierce and generous.
Thank you Wendy for everything. You will always be loved and remembered.
