New to the Baltimore craft scene and one of my favorite exhibitors this year was Tristyn Albright. My jaw literally dropped when I came across her booth, number 2006. The craftsmanship, color, and amazing detail of her series of Beaded Vessels drew me in to take a closer look. There wasn’t much of a crowd on Thursday, which is why I chose to go before the weekend chaos hit. However, her little corner sure did draw in an impressive amount of people. As I patiently waited my turn, everyone had nothing but positive things to say. Tristyn was there, standing off to the side, soaking in the scene of gawkers with slight apprehension and grace in her eyes. I was impressed by how young she was and how much she has accomplished already. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with in the future.
Another newcomer whose work caught my attention was Anne Barone. She had an award winning piece from the Smithsonians jewelry and craft show on display, which was quite impressive.
This year there are more items that are priced below $100. I’m not the only one who noticed, as The Baltimore Sun points it out as well. I bought a glass necklace designed by Caitlin Burch for $58. And to be even more accommodating, tickets are half price tonight if you arrive between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.
The American Craft Council Show will be at the Baltimore Convention Center this week from Thursday to Sunday. We get a whole extra day this year, and they have added a new category called “Lawn and Garden”, which will feature artists who have focused their craft specifically on outdoor decor. This show is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I don’t think of it as a craft fair, it’s more like an exhibit of exhibitors. I can honestly tell you that after going last year, it’s almost impossible to see everything in one day. This year I’m sure it will take me at least two days. After being so inspired last year, I’ve become a fan and have been following some of the artists blogs (Lauren Schlossberg)—so considering that some of these artists are like celebrities to me (Karen Gilbert), and that I will actually get a chance to meet them and speak with them (JacQueline Sanchez), who knows how long it will take me. But then again, I am quite shy, so I guess it depends on how cheeky I am feeling that day!
Well, I kept plenty busy while the snow had me trapped inside. I’m working toward being in a craft fair and actually selling some of my jewelry this year. I am quickly learning new techniques, so hopefully I will have some strong pieces to sell. I’ll be sharing a booth with a colleague of mine, so I think that will help with my anxiety. We are shooting toward an event in the summer or fall. Stay tuned!
Last week I made a series of necklaces using dyed coral and another using gemstone chips—and a few others that were floating around in my thoughts.
I am obviously drawn to turquoise. It just goes with everything! I’ve heard artists say that they try creating a variety of pieces in order to attract a bigger audience. I think that’s good advice but working with turquoise makes me happy. Ideas incorporating this stone come more naturally to me than with anything else. It is also obvious that I like to use natural elements like gem, stone, shell, or wood beads. I’ve already explored paper beads, which I also love. Maybe one day my passion will lead to fabric, glass, clay, and metals as well. The possibilities are endless. I can already sense the wheels turning in my brain!
Other jewelry posts from ArtSense:
Pink October: Breast Cancer series
More Jewelry
Making Necklaces with Seed Beads
Handmade Mothers Day Jewelry
Paper bead necklaces
Handmade paper bead bracelet
Nestled in between Baltimore and Washington D.C. is my home. The area is over-populated with an overabundance of things to do. But if you add three feet of snow into the mix, you might as well call it a day—or how about a week! The hustle and bustle of this busy community was brought to a halt after being hit by two back-to-back snowstorms. The amount of snow we received broke records! It also caused thousands of cases of severe cabin fever!
Most people weren’t able to get out before the second storm hit. I’m just lucky that my grocery store is in walking distance. That came in handy when I lost power for 12 hours on the Saturday of the first storm. And I was able to make it into the office on Tuesday, but I was trapped in my house for the rest of the week with no sign of a snowplow.
On Sunday after the second storm was long gone, the sun came out and everyone began to emerge from their igloos. Everyone in my neighborhood was out! Children were laughing, dogs were frolicking in the snow, and helping hands were all around with courteous gestures and shovels. But once we were able to make our way out onto the roads with our aching backs and mounds of snow still left on the roofs of our SUVs, we soon discovered that our world wasn’t quite back to normal yet, and it caused a lot of drivers to be impatient and rude.
Most people were out and about for no apparent reason; they just needed to be out. The parking lots were like mazes with mountains of snow that forced one-way traffic and blaring horns. Roads and highways were cleared in a rush with icy exit ramps, no merge lanes, and lanes that just disappeared with no warning. It was the most interesting when trying to make a turn at a stop sign. I just loved playing chicken with the closest lane of traffic as I tried to inch my way out just enough to see past the five-foot mound of snow that blocked my view. Things definitely weren’t back to normal, and it appeared as though it might take weeks before it was again.
This photo was taken after the first storm. You can see the storm clouds off in the distance. Can you tell this parking lot is filled with cars? Can you tell this is a parking lot?!
After 32 hours and 38 inches of snow, the sunset appears!
And I just love this photo! I don’t know how long it will take all of this snow to melt, but I am ready for spring!
I’ve been embarrassed to admit that I have no wall art on my unpainted walls that have been screaming for color—“PAINT ME!” I guess I have a hard time deciding on something that I want to look at every day and, because I change my mind so often, I haven’t come up with anything that appeals to me. I know my plan was to stick to neutral tones so that I could add bright combinations of accessories, like pillows! So I finally broke down and hung a set of shelves. I chose a narrow wall surrounded by windows in my living room. They are the main focal point of the room and one of the first things that catches your eye when you walk in the front door.
I experimented with displaying different trinkets and picture frames on the shelves, but nothing seemed to work. There was no balance. No chi. Until one day an idea came to me as I was walking through the aisles of my favorite second-hand store. I noticed that there were an obscene amount of unappreciated glass containers of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. And at fifty cents to $2 a piece, they were a steal! They seemed to look a lot more fascinating to me in clusters. So I picked out a variety of clear glass pieces that worked well as a group and decided that my theme would be natural objects. I used a combination of things that I found outside along with a bag of potpourri. I added plants, candles, shells, rocks and voila! Wall art! Amount spent on glass containers, $23. Next challenge? Paint!
NOTE: Be sure to use a wall anchor that accommodates the amount of weight your shelves will hold. Read this online article about Choosing and Installing Wall Anchors to help you decide.
