When Life Gets in the Way, There’s Still Art

When Life Gets in the Way, There’s Still Art

Life is busy.  We are homeschooling our twelve-year old daughter.  Best decision we ever made!  (For more about that you can read our group blog where Emma writes many of the posts – Emma’s Hope Book.)  I continue to juggle my business and its needs and demands with parenting, homeschooling and writing.  As I no longer have my jewelry in stores, I am doing trunk shows. There are not enough hours in any given day and things fall through the cracks.  Still…  art bleeds through in myriad ways to make life even more exhilarating and exciting.  In preparation for this last trunk show, whose theme was Halloween, I roped my family into carving pumpkins and helping me cook halloween treats.

Art?  Crafts? Who cares?

Let’s begin with a little Halloween fun.

Grinning Pumpkin ~ Carved by Richard Long

Grinning Pumpkin ~ Carved by Richard Long

Our son tries his hand at carving…

Nosy Pumpkin ~ By Nic Z-L

Nosy Pumpkin with Rotting Teeth ~ By Nic Z-L

I'm a purist and went for the more traditional pumpkin.

I’m a purist and went for a more traditional pumpkin, which means I googled “cool carved pumpkins” and found one resembling this and copied it.  🙂

Originally I wanted to paint this wreath black and have a few snakes and rats poking out from the foliage, but this idea was vetoed by all but my 14 year old son…

Welcome to Fall Wreath

Welcome to Fall Wreath

And since that was so much fun, I went a little “wreath crazy”…

Entryway to my pre-Halloween trunk show

Entryway to my pre-Halloween trunk show

Who-doesn't-love-candy-corn-Wreath

Who-doesn’t-love-candy-corn-Wreath

Raven's Nest Wreath

Raven’s Nest Wreath

And then there was cooking that needed to be done…

Trunk show treats - Yes, I made them.  From 11 o'clock going clockwise, Pumpkin granola bars, Spider Web Cupcakes, Pumpkin Blondies, Delicious, decadent fudge and Pumpkin Scones

Trunk show treats – Yes, I made them. From 11 o’clock going clockwise, Pumpkin granola bars, Spider Web Cupcakes, Pumpkin Blondies, Delicious, decadent fudge and Pumpkin Scones

In addition to the halloween treats, I made my spectacular Bloody Mary’s garnished with large green olives, celery and lime.  They were a big hit!

And finally jewels…  lots and lots of jewels…

From the Dauphine Collection - An Aquamarine Ring to rival ALL.

From the Dauphine Collection – An Aquamarine Ring to rival ALL. R46 – 18 Kt Brushed Gold & 83 ct Aquamarine

From the Dauphine Collection - Gold, Amethyst & Spessatite Necklace

From the Dauphine Collection – Gold, Amethyst & Spessatite Necklace  N97 ~ 18 Kt Gold, 55.48 ct Amethyst & Spessatite with 18 Kt Gold, Apatite & Spessatite Clasp

For all of you who would like to be included on our mailing list so you don’t miss out on future trunk shows and events, just say so and I will add the email you use to comment to our email list, or send me a different email, if you prefer.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Perspectives

Perspectives

18 Kt Brushed Gold & 42.8 ct Tourmaline Cabochon Bracelet ~ Samadhi Collection

Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui at the Brooklyn Museum is not to be missed.  Running through August 3rd, it features more than 30 pieces by the Ghanian sculptor, El Anatsui.

Detail of "Drifting Continents" by El Anatsui ~ Brooklyn Museum

Detail of “Drifting Continents” by El Anatsui ~ Brooklyn Museum

The detail above is such a wonderful example of perspectives.   As we were walking through the show, I overheard someone exclaim, “But it’s just a bunch of metal tops!”  And I thought – and we’re just a bunch of cells and water!  But step back and we are so much more.   I am always thinking about things in terms of neurology and autism.  Our culture tends to see autism and those who are Autistic as less than, but if you move away from this thinking, there is great beauty.  (I write about all of this in much greater detail on Emma’s Hope Book.)

Here is another view of the same piece ~ “Drifting Continents”

"Drifting Continents"

“Drifting Continents”

The beauty of the piece is in both the details and in the magnificence of it, as one steps far enough away to view it in its entirety.  Below is a detail of the piece, Gli (Wall) which greets you as you enter the exhibit.

El Anatsui ~ Gli (Wall),  2010 Aluminum & Copper Wire

El Anatsui ~ Gli (Wall), 2010 Aluminum & Copper Wire

A portion of Gli (Wall)

A part of Gli (Wall)

It is majestic…

Gli (Wall), 2010 El Anatsui Aluminum and Copper Wire

Gli (Wall), 2010 El Anatsui
Aluminum and Copper Wire

Gravity and Grace… what a wonderful title for a show that exemplifies both.

To view Ariane Zurcher Jewelry and more perspectives on art and design, click ‘here‘.

A Simple Doodle… To This…

A Simple Doodle… To This…

Pencil Sketches

Pencil Sketches

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Samadhi Collection:  18 Kt Brushed Gold & .49 ct VSII Diamond Pendant, 18 Kt Gold Chain & Clasp

Often an idea comes in the form of a doodle, literally!  Which is why having a sketch book around is so important.  Doodles are like little dreams… they seem to come out of nowhere and if I’m lucky I catch them as they appear.  Not all sketches are pretty, sometimes I’m in the subway or on my way somewhere and so pretty isn’t the goal.  Capturing the idea, the image and getting it down so I won’t forget it, is.  So something that begins as this….

Silver Models for Earrings

Silver Models for Earrings

Turns into this… silver models for what will eventually become 18 Kt Gold earrings.

From the model a silicone mold is made… like this one…

Silicone mold made from silver model

Silicone mold made from silver model

Silicone Mold Library

Silicone Mold Library

I have a great many molds…

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry - 18 Kt Brushed Gold Earrings With Removeable 18 Kt Gold & Diamond Attachments

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry – 18 Kt Brushed Gold Earrings With Removeable 18 Kt Gold & Diamond Attachments

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry - 18 Kt Brushed Gold Earrings With Removable 18 Kt Gold & Red Spinel Attachments

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry – 18 Kt Brushed Gold Earrings With Removable 18 Kt Gold & Red Spinel Attachments

This particular mold will produce what will eventually become these…

The Process of Creating

The Process of Creating

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Juno Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold Earrings With Removable 18 Kt Brushed Gold Ball and Chain 

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Juno Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold Bracelet With AZ Logo Box Clasp

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Juno Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold Bracelet With AZ Logo Box Clasp

On my other blog ~ Emma’s Hope Book ~ where I write about the ever evolving process of being a parent and human being and how my daughter’s autistic neurology has made me rethink everything I once thought I knew (in the best possible way), I wrote today about her perfecting a “catch” at the trapeze school she has gone to for several years.  You can read the entire post ‘here‘, but that process, hours and hours of practice that led up to the video clip I attached, showing her flying through the air on a trapeze and then letting go and catching another person’s arms, looks so much easier than it actually is.  So much in life is like that.

Most works of art, whether the written word, paintings, sculpture, or things we wear, took time to create.  Like a terrific actor who makes the role they’re playing look believable and natural, luring us into the story so we forget this is someone acting a role from a script they’ve memorized, the most beautiful works of art make us forget there is any process at all.  We have an emotional connection to the art, the hours, days, weeks and even years it may have taken to produce it, is not something we think about.  But usually the process of creating is messy…  in my case the creative process means metal dust gets under my fingernails. My hands, face and clothing become covered in a fine dust.  So much so that once, on my way home, a friendly stranger asked, “Oh!  Are you a mechanic?”  There was a trade school for mechanics across the street and no doubt she assumed I must work or teach there.

Work bench

So I want you to see where I go everyday.  Welcome to my studio!  This work bench is one of two, where I make the models of designs I’ve created, sometimes from a sketch, sometimes from wax I’ve carved or hot wax I’ve shot from a gun, sometimes I just start playing around and things happen, things I hadn’t intended.  Often what I visualize in my mind isn’t at all what I end up creating. Other times it is exactly what I visualized.  But the actual process is always similar.  I have to sit at that bench and work to create anything.  Michael Crichton once said that to become a best-selling author, he had to sit down and actually write.  He used a commercial airline pilot as an example.  He said, “If I am due to pilot a plane filled with people, I can’t say, “You know, I’m not really in the mood to fly today.  Let’s reschedule.”  I love that!  So yeah… I have to show up and do the work…

This is one of a half-dozen sketch books I have.  I always carry a sketch book, a pencil and an eraser with me.  As you can see, I made lots of notes and drew pretty detailed sketches for what I wanted to create.

Sketch for clasp

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Juno Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold Orbs Strung on 22 Kt Gold Chain With 18 Kt Brushed Gold AZ Logo Box Clasp

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Juno Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold Orbs Strung on 22 Kt Gold Chain With 18 Kt Brushed Gold AZ Logo Box Clasp

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ The Back of AZ Logo Box Clasp on Juno Bracelet

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ The Back of AZ Logo Box Clasp on Juno Bracelet

The finished product ~ an 18 Kt Brushed Gold Necklace with Hand Fabricated Box Clasp took a number of tries before it looked like this!  And in the process I went a little box clasp crazy.  I made a square box clasp, an oval box clasp, a rectangular box clasp, a small circle box clasp, a medium-sized circle and a large circle box clasp, I even made a box clasp with a false bottom that no one would see except the wearer.

I’ll have to devote a post to box clasps one day, they are a beautiful thing!

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Samadhi Collection:  18 Kt Brushed Gold, Labradorite, Pink Tourmaline, Moss Aquamarine, Ruby, Green Aquamarine

Ariane Zurcher Jewelry ~ Samadhi Collection: 18 Kt Brushed Gold, Labradorite, Pink Tourmaline, Moss Aquamarine, Ruby, Green Aquamarine

This Labradorite necklace with gold “bead” began as a sketch on the page opposite the sketches of the clasp.  It went from pencil sketch to this…

Italian Vogue

And eventually ended up worn like this in Italian Vogue!