Jen Worden-Mixed Media Artist

Oh. My.

Jen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:39 +0000

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing and take a look at this set of rings by MetalRiot (aka Thomasin Durgin. Don’t miss the descriptions. And be sure to check out her videos as well. Love. Love. Love!!

Work in Progress

Jen — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:21:10 +0000

I’ve been bitten by the jewelry bug. Ironic given the only piece I wear is my …very plain… wedding ring. But there is something about creating sculptural pieces that go beyond being simply decorative. Generally I think people feel more of a connection with what they wear than what they put up in their homes. How about you?

In that vein, I’ve been trawling flickr (is there nothing flickr can’t do?!?) for inspiration. Oh! What wonders people are creating. I’ve developed some major creative crushes on a few artists … Amanda Scrivener . experimetal . Madelyn Smoak. Can I just say? *swoon*

It was Amanda’s Sweeney Todd jewelry that got me thinking about a straight razor I’ve had kicking around. Although, frankly, I don’t have the stomach to expose the blade. *shudder* So for mine, I’ve “locked” it via the lower jump ring.

I think it needs a second string above the razor and I’m pretty sure a head of some sort will be added to the bottom.

What I realize as I continue on this ‘new-to-me’ path is how specific our materials are. Much of what I’ve accumulated for assemblage is all but useless for jewelry. But. I’m trying to re-purpose what I have in an effort to keep the accumulation bug at bay. For example, I have virtually no beads and I’m desperately trying to resist the impulse to Buy! Buy! Buy! Ha. We’ll see how long THAT lasts, huh?!?

Back at it

Jen — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:39:41 +0000

So after all the sturm und drang (thanks Jan for reminding me how much I love this phrase!) of OWOH coupled with THE cold from hell, I finally returned to my studio table and got back to work on the much languished Assemblage Challenge. You might remember that I finished Stacy’s piece back in what? OMG! NOVEMBER!! I had NO idea I was so far behind.

Okay. So just to refresh your memories … here are the components that Fin sent me:

Assemblage Challenge - Fin's Stuff

Of course, I immediately pulled the clock apart. Don’t know what it is about clocks … and radios… I HAVE to pull them apart! And pretty much knew right away I wanted to use the casing. It’s such a perfect size. And the glass is all roundy (technical term) and yum! I also loved what I think is a sheep’s wool carding tool. Though I could be wrong. It has all the elements I love … metal, rust and a bit ..erm.. dangerous looking!

I have a couple more iterations before it’s completed. But here’s the work in progress:

And a few detail shots. Click on any to see them bigger.

Now off to melt some solder!

Artist Collective – Help!

Jen — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:12:13 +0000

I’m continuing to ponder the “Yes. YES!” excitement from yesterday’s reading of SisterDiane’s post “What If We Paid Each Other” over on Make and Meaning. Creating a centralized site for self-publishing isn’t rocket science as we all know there are other sites out there that do it right now. Blurb is one I know of as friend Cynjon has published his Varietist Muse Zine through them and from what I gather the quality is excellent. I’m sure there are others.

In fact, I just did a google search “self publish book” and came up with an unwieldy 89,600 results! At the top of the pack was Lulu … clicking on over, I see they have a Craft and Hobbies section with a whopping 4073 results. As I trawl through the pages though, the majority seem to be either really fringe, How to Haunt Your House (okay. total judgement call. maybe a TON of folks want to know how to haunt their houses!) or focus on creating realistic baby dolls. (*shrug* who knew?!?)

But this isn’t exactly what I envision. These are full books. Similar to what Lark or Quarry already put out there. Where I see this going is deconstructing the “book” idea … in exactly the same way the music industry has taken apart the CD and made each track downloadable.

I see each project, each technique, each pattern or design being available. Either as a “one of” – digitally as a PDF or Podcast or Video – or as a combo plate – I’ll take one of Michael deMeng’s Pez dispensers, add in a Wire Wrapping 101 from Deryn Mentock, and a tutorial on How to Solder a Bezel from Jane Wynn and create my own Jen’s Mixed Media Handbook that can be printed and sent to me.

So. If you know of anyone that might be interested in such a concept, if YOU are interested in this concept, have ideas on how it might work, or not, or has the wherewithal to even conceptualize how this would piece together? Comment! Send them over! Let’s get the ball rolling and take our work into our OWN hands and make this thing happen!

Naugler’s Diversion

Jen — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:19:08 +0000

A Diversion

I had planned on doing a post/book review on Susan Lenart Kazmer’s Making Connections. But as I was reading my feeds this morning, a new post on Make and Meaning which, if you haven’t visited and read this phenomenal blog? Go. Now!

The gist of the last few posts has been about “free” in the craft world – both in the good sense (read: NOT to generate meaningless traffic one’s site via a giveaway. I know. The irony was not lost on me. ) in that giving with an open heart and hand is not blog suicide – and in the bad sense in that, as artists, we are asked way too often to donate our time, energy and “product” for loosely defined/if any benefits.

However it was a link within the latest post that has me more excited than I’ve been in a very long time – THIS post. If you’ve known me for any length of time you know I’ve been grumbling about the craft publishing business getting “rich” off the backs of crafters/artists good will. I know rich is subjective but I’m guessing that they, the publishers/authors, are at least getting SOMETHING for their efforts. But that isn’t what’s got me all in a dither.

It is the second paragraph of this comment that has my mind racing:

shescrafty December 8, 2009 at 1:14 amReally great to read you post and see what people have shared about their own experiences. No doubt the publishing industry is in a transition and it will be interesting to see what happens. I have just published my first book of knitting patterns, Vintage Knits for Modern Babies, and I also sell individual patterns as PDF files on my website. My goal with writing the book was to increase my overall traffic to my website and my individual pattern sales and see if it is worth continuing on with. Time will tell.

I think the craft industry is also following in the foot steps of the music industry and it is up to us to figure out how to make it work. Remember back in the day when you had to buy the whole album even though you only wanted one song? Now we can download and purchase the one song. Well, as designers we are probably going to need to follow the same idea. Curators can organize and sell designs by artists and craftspeople with the lions share going directly to the artist. Magazine style. There are many websites that follow in that idea and more to come…

OMFG! Can you envision the possibilities? A central site …a designer collective … that allows upload/download of PDF projects/patterns? Or! Pick and choose which project or process or technique you’d like to include after which they are collated, printed and sent to you as your own personal how-to handbook?? We only pay for what we want. And each designer gets compensated for their work. No middleman. No publisher. No “author”. It truly boggles the mind!

Voila!

Jen — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:35:33 +0000

After a big push yesterday … thanks Tom for puppy-wrangling! … the necklace is DONE! I’m glad to have it finished. I hate deadlines hanging over my head and frankly, there were a few times there that I despaired whether I would ever get past the clasp and hinge!

Here it is laying and on a black background.

Light background and hanging. Clearly if I go into jewelry making I have to resolve my pitiful photo taking skills! For what it’s worth, the beads in the dangle are actually silver metal that have been tarnished so aren’t quite as black in real life. They look like magnetic beads. But they aren’t! The drop bead is vintage.

Detail of the handmade clasp, chain and added washer/bead combo (there’s got to be a name for this, yes?)

Blurry dangle detail. You can see the more silvery colour of the beads in this one.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the result of this experiment. Would I do it again? Likely I wouldn’t. Not this way at any rate. I have some other ideas for containment lockets but they don’t involve hearts! I think the shape is too ubiquitous to do poorly. (read: we all know what a heart locket is supposed to look like!) Perhaps reshaping the heart would work better? I don’t know. But I loved creating something small, something wearable, pushing my own limits and all the problem solving that needed to take place. A success in anyone’s estimation, I would think!

Thanks for visiting. Thanks for the comments and Good Luck to all those of you in the draw!

Check back on Monday for the randomly drawn winning name!

Coming Along

Jen — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:41:54 +0000

I have entered the embellishment stage of the necklace. The locket and surrounding “cage” being done. I still may age parts of this but the construction? DONE!

Initially I was going to do the entire thing in metal but after going through some options, I think a bit of red is in order. After all, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

Onward…

I can’t believe I posted the wrong address to Nourish & Sustain. What a doof! Anyway, you can still check out the works and even bid on them online, if you’re so inclined. The correct address is: marylouzeekgallery.com and here’s the direct link while the show is on.

Below is a shot of some of the works. And if you direct your view to just above the word “comfort” you’ll see my piece “Teach a Man to Fish” (which is still available, I might add!).

Oh the places I’ve been.

Jen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:39:35 +0000

Or how a simple necklace/locket turns into a multi-day extravaganza on how NOT to make closures!

Oh. I know. It LOOKS innocent enough. All sweetness and bright coppery goodness. But don’t be fooled. As a quick glance at my work area can attest:

THAT is the mayhem that the so-called “innocent” locket created. And that’s just today’s flotsam and jetsam. Part of the problem is not having a soldering area in the house. Because frankly, I would’ve simplified the design with some well chosen joints had they been at my disposal. Still. I’ve learned TONS!

For example, when creating something that has to move, think about how it moves. Sounds like a no-brainer but there IS a reason there is a certain amount of play in things like hinges and doors. And if you need to keep something closed, figure out HOW before cutting, filing, sanding, attaching said something. (I’m still working on it!) And expect for the f*&(&#?!!ing thing to break when you really really REALLY don’t need it to. (like when you’ve FINALLY figured out how the hinge is going to work and it’s…almost…done. Yep. That’s when.) And though copper is really easy to manipulate, it might be just a bit TOO easy with this application.

After all is said and done though, I’m thrilled beyond reason with how this is turning out. And I can see some more jewelry making in my future. Maybe not lockets!

Problem Solving 101

Jen — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:05:23 +0000

I’ve said it before and I’ll likely say it again, assemblage is all about problem solving. And while my OWOH necklace isn’t an assemblage per se, the process is very similar. My initial attempt at creating the locket part of this piece has been met with all sorts of problems, not the least of which is figuring out how to get it closed and keep it closed. I’ve researched closures and the majority of heart lockets are hinged on one side with a resistance clasp (for want of a better read: proper technical term!) on the other. This would require very developed soldering skills. Which I definitely do not possess. And while, I plan on eventually being able to handle something like this, today is not that day.

So. How do I keep the locket closed?

Trust me, I’ve pondered every variation, been down every avenue including nuts & bolts – cool but I can’t count on my recipient wanting something quite so permanent – and finally settled on a cold connection solution. It won’t be as “closey” as the traditional method but it will be more fitting with the Steampunk direction I was looking for.

The downside with all this ruminating, researching, pondering is that most of my time has been brainside NOT worktableside. However, because of the changed closure I did have to refurb the heart.

Not a whole lot different but the direction is significant. And unfortunately, the next stage is going to be equally “thinky”. I try to keep positive realizing that with every false path, I learn a TON! Case in point: I am now a Wire Rivet Master!

On another note, am overwhelmed how many visitors have stopped by through the Magic Carpet Ride. If you scroll down and read this, welcome! I hope you enjoy what you see.

Nourish & Sustain

Jen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:24:03 +0000

It’s that time again … 100 Artists Show at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery.

Artist: “Nourish & Sustain” – 100 Artists Show

Show Date: Tuesday, February 2^nd – Saturday, February 27^th, 2010

Opening reception: First Wednesday, February 3^rd, 2010 5-7pm.

SALEM, ORE — For the 7^th consecutive year, during the month of February, the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery will be presenting their annual 100 Artists Show. Benefiting the Marion-Polk Food Share, the theme of this year’s show is “Nourish & Sustain” and appropriately, the 100 participating artists were each sent a large empty food can through the mail and were asked to use this as their starting point for their piece of art. Each can was sent “as is”, and was not packaged or boxed, but rather processed directly by the postal service firsthand. The stamps and addresses on the cans remain a part of the artwork for identification and for evidence of the actual mailing. Each artist, starting with the exact same object, has had over three months to transform, build, infuse, reduce, paint or reinvent the can into their own unique work of art.

The exhibit will open on Tuesday, February 2^nd at 10:00 am pacific time. The public will be invited to bid on their favorite artwork via a silent auction that will run through Friday, February 26^th at 5:30 pm pacific time. Beginning bids are $50.00 with minimum increments of $5.00 and a maximum purchase price of $300. The entire show will be posted online at www.marylouzeekgallery.com. Bids can be made in person at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery or by calling 503-581-3229.

You really need to head over to the website and check out some of the amazing pieces that have been created with a tin can. I find it interesting that so many artists this year went with a folk art vibe. Does the raw material affect the end result? Seems so!