Swaps The Spirit of Giving #2

I made another wonderful swap last week with Philadelphia sculptor + print maker Kate VanVliet. I have known Kate for some time through selling my work at Moore College of Art & Design's Art Shop.

I saw this lovely print on her blog + asked if she was interested. She already owns a pair of my Cocoon Earrings + now she is proudly wearing one of my Claw Rings.

Thanx Kate!!!

A Collaboration with Simply Jess

Recently while reading one of my favourite local blogs Sprout, I learned of a local jewelry project Simply Jess that I am really, really excited about. Simply Jess is a jewelry project started by a 7th grader here in Worcester, Massachusetts to raise funds for Jess's trip to Europe as part of the People To People Ambassador Program. Jess will be representing Central Massachusetts and will travel Europe for 19 days as part of a cultural/education exchange.

I recently got in touch with Jess and invited her and her mom to join me in my studio for a day to create a line of Eco-jewelry for her to add to her collections that she is selling to raise funds for her trip. The idea is to take disassemble old jewelry and reassemble it into something completely new while not buying any new materials thus saving the old jewelry from going into a landfill and giving new life to the old jewelry.

If you have any old jewelry you would like to donate to our collaboration we would LOVE to hear from you. Please send me an email letting us know your interest and I will let you know where to send the old jewelry. We will post photos of our collaboration on our websites/blogs so stay tuned!

Resist the temptation of buying something mass-produced, support local artists. Simply Jess will be selling her creations at Chain of Lights Shopping Alley, Sutton, MA, Saturday, December 5, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Peace.

Swaps - The Spirit of Giving

Recently I was in in Manchester doing a photo shoot for my upcoming book on recycled materials/found objects in jewelry. The book focuses on my work as well as the work of 5 other jewelers. One of these jewelers is Emiko Oye of San Francisco who creates jewelry with LEGO®. I admire her jewelry very much for it's thoughtful use of materials + amazing colour scheme. There are a number of examples on the internet of people using LEGO® to make jewelry but I think Emiko's LEGO® jewelry is without a doubt the best out there.

This bracelet here is a limited edition bracelet made of repurposed LEGO®, patinated sterling silver tubing, synthetic ruby corundum set in 14k gold, rubber cord and is titled 'Fruit Stripe'. I fell in love with this bracelet the very moment I saw it. The colours just made me salivate and totally made me think of my childhood chomping on Fruit Strip gum as a kid in my Nana's kitchen.

After I returned from the shoot I became very reluctant to send this baby back to Emiko so asked her if she would be interested in a swap for some of my jewelry. She happily agreed!! I am now the proud owner of this sweeeeeeet thang and Emiko has my Fluff Vent Necklace + Fluff Heart Ring in purple. Two very happy artists sharing their work.

As important as it is for us to sell our work so our businesses thrive sometimes it is just nicer to get back to basics, ignore the money + barter. It never hurts to ask. And in these harder economic times it's a little easier. So if you have a talent making jewelry, art, cooking, writing etc. share it with someone and barter.

The Holidays don't have to be stressful. It's all about being thoughtful + giving, not how much stuff you buy or what it costs. What to barter? Let me know.

Peace.

photo courtesy of Emiko Oye

Heather Skowood Jewelry Interview on Wearable Art Blog

I have been following and enjoying the Wearable Art Blog for some time now. I love the interviews with the artists + the wonderful examples of jewelry and clothing designs from around the world that Sandi posts about regularly. Recently I blogged about Wearable Art Blog's interview with Alice Matsumoto's Carrotbox blog all about rings, which I am also a huge fan of. Now, to my great surprise and excitement Sandi has featured me in an interview for Wearable Art Blog about my explorations in recycled materials + found objects in jewelry.


Cheers Sandi!!


Visit both and give us a shout we would love to hear your feedback!

Back From "My Mersey Paradise"

Madame applying make-up to Misty

Well the trip to Madchester was fantastic, as always. It was lovely to be able to go back for a month long visit to see friends + family and catch up properly. We spent a lot of time popping into cafes for tea + Curiosity Cola (I'm so addicted to that stuff, it beats Coke by miles!), cupcakes in Chorlton, checking out the latest work by designer/makers at the Manchester Craft & Design Centre and picking up a few pieces of clothing and accessories in the Northern Quarter (I'll save them for an upcoming post).

The 3-day photo shoot with Jonathan Keenan + Co. for the book I am writing about found object/recycled materials in jewelry was brilliant. It is such a pleasure working with Jonathan + watching him work his magic with the lens to capture the dramatic qualities of wearing my jewelry.

BIG THANX to Jonathan, his assistant David, my so very lovely friends Misty who modeled the jewelery + Madame Deax Chats for providing her make-up skills. As well as Colette Hazelwood, Rochelle Dodson, Samantha Mills, Christine Dhein + Emiko Oye for loaning me their jewelry creations to be included in the book. Cheers Mi Dears!!!!

Jonathan behind the lens shooting a necklace on Misty, David providing some extra light

Jonathan working hard from his throne in his studio in the Northern Quarter

He does work very hard to get the best shot + make everyone comfortable

"How can I feel more tired standing around modeling than a shift at A&E" - Misty

Photographing Emiko Oye's Lego Bracelet

(Bottom right Madame Deaux Chats is wearing the building block bracelet I made for her that will be included in the book)

"O Manchester, so much to answer for..."

Wooohooo tomorrow I'm heading back to Madchesta!!!! I'll be catching up with the Mcr Crew, my gurls of the Manchester Jewellers Network and work with Jonathan Keenan on the model shots of my jewellery for my book!!! It's gonna be Aces! I'll try to post some photos while I'm over there but might have to wait till I get back so much fun to be had while I am there.

Peace.

(photo taken from CowLane Studios in Salford, where I had my studio)

bRing bRing bRing! Carrotbox interview on Wearable Art Blog

Fluff Ring

sterling silver

I LOVE RINGS! I love wearing them as well as making them. For years now I have been following a blog called Carrotbox written by Alice Matsumoto who is also very obsessed with rings. She kindly featured my one of my Fluff rings a few years ago which was a great honour because I admire her taste in rings. Alice has an amazing personal collection of rings + has a serious knack for finding superior examples of interesting rings on the web.

Wearable Art Blog another fantastic blog that I follow recently conducted an interview with Alice of Carrotbox that I highly recommend you read if you love rings!

photo by Jonathan Keenan Photography, UK