Black Water Siren Studio

2011-10-02T23:23:00.001-06:00

My Crystal Transmitter earrings were featured in an Etsy Treasury 10-2-11:

Metal & Stones

2011-09-18T22:49:00.005-06:00

Sneak peek for a new necklace series featuring hand carved pendants and organic style beads:

2011-05-16T01:24:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I get uninspired. Artist's block I guess you could call it. I moped around on the internet tonight, and ended up looking at the comments and feedback people have left for me after purchasing a piece of jewelry. It's really amazing, all the love that is poured forth! I feel blessed. Thank you all! I'll be back to work all fired up again tomorrow.

Here are the latest comments:

I love this piece (Papa Legba Veve) -- sadly rare design -- and it's really nicely done!! I keep it on my altar when I'm not wearing it :-) Thank you!!!

Wow, this is even more beautiful in person! When I unwrapped the ring, it was love at first sight. The huge juicy cherry-red ruby is perfectly complemented by the detailed setting. The band is so comfortable and it fits perfectly too, this ring is going everywhere with me. Great communications, nicely packed, and super-fast shipping too. Thank-you very much!!!

Packaged beautifully!! What adorable earrings!! Thank you so much! It really made my day!

This is gorgeous--much more beautiful in person. The shipping was super fast too. A+ to this seller!

Just beautiful! I feel totally connected to these, as if you chose the crystals and made them just for me :)

I am delighted with both my purchases in the last couple months. There is sooo much attention to detail. I also love that Cyndia makes her jewelry durable. The tip top most wonderful thing is that she has jewelry to compliment every mood from delightfully edgy to sweet nostalgia, then there are some pieces that are somewhere between. My favorite line is the bullet holes that she shot herself. A totally cool artist after my own heart. Thank you so much for offering your treasures to the public.

The item was promptly shipped and it arrived shortly after, safe inside a wonderfully decorated gift box. A lot of care went into the packaging, and I'm sure even more went into crafting the fine piece of jewelry. Thank you so much!

These are BEAUTIFUL. Thank you SO MUCH! They are so fetching and yet primal. It's love.

Sublime necklace. Thanks again, Cyndia.

Absolutely amazing piece at an amazing price. This piece makes me soar.

Truly lovely earrings from the cleverest designer ever. Thanks so much.

Absolutly adorable! Wore them right away and received tons of compliments!!! Love your store!!!!

Gorgeous earrings!! they have a real magical feel to them and the labradorite stones are beautiful. Excellent service and lovely packaging too. Many thanks !

My head is spinning from these unbloodybelievably superb earrings. Being that Etsy is a family site I can't type my *exact* utterance when I first lay eyes on them, but rest assured I was enthusiastic. :) She even made me a custom ring, simply by the asking! It too is simply swoon-worthy. I am blissing like you wouldn't believe. I am in love with this woman. <3

Oh. My. Ever-lovin'. Stars. I cannot rave enough about this necklace! It is not only too amazing for precise (*wink*) articulation, but the packaging was fantastic too. BWS is a top notch seller from top to bottom, stem to stern. I adore this woman.

WOW! Talk about fast service! I ordered these on Friday and received them the following Monday. It was such a nice surprise. The earrings are beautiful and look just like they do in the picture. Great quality and great service. Thanks BWS!

Super fast shipping! Pendant is GORGEOUS! I'm delighted with it. Will make a terrific gift for my sister (assuming I have talked myself out of keeping it)!

Absolutely gorgeous. They arrived extremely quick (I received an email from the seller yesterday letting me know they had shipped, I got them this afternoon. VERY impressed.) and are of superb quality. They're beautiful, very well made - simply gorgeous. Thank you very, very much!

Another gorgeous labradorite pendant from Black Water Siren. This is my third lab from Cyndia, and it's exquisite! Quick shipping an carefully packaged. Thanks so much!

Wow! These earrings are gorgeous! I love the texture on the silver and copper, the turquoise beads are a beautiful contrast to the copper and the workmanship is exquisite. I highly recommend this seller.

Gorgeous! Have only had it two days and I have gotten tons of compliments! The stone is beautiful. Picture doesn't do it justice.

These earrings are truly adorable! I am so glad I finally treated myself to them! Very fast shipping! Thank you!

I adore this ring. It fits perfectly and is simply stunning. Great work.

these earrings are just excellent! even far prettier than the picture. well made & very unique. thanx so much for truly unusual wearable art. i'm so pleased : }

Thank you-this piece is even more stunning in person- I couldn't be happier with the product or the service!

I am delighted with both my purchases in the last couple months. There is sooo much attention to detail. I also love that Cyndia makes her jewelry durable. The tip top most wonderful thing is that she has jewelry to compliment every mood from delightfully edgy to sweet nostalgia, then there are some pieces that are somewhere between. My favorite line is the bullet holes that she shot herself. A totally cool artist after my own heart. Thank you so much for offering your treasures to the public.

Excellent communication. Unwavering patience. Great earrings with gorgeous crystals. Thank you so much. I will definitely be back!

The item was promptly shipped and it arrived shortly after, safe inside a wonderfully decorated gift box. A lot of care went into the packaging, and I'm sure even more went into crafting the fine piece of jewelry. Thank you so much!

These are BEAUTIFUL. Thank you SO MUCH! They are so fetching and yet primal. It's love.

So fun and pretty. I love them. Cyndia, you are the cleverest artist I know!

Absolutely amazing piece at an amazing price. This piece makes me soar.

Sublime necklace. Thanks again, Cyndia.

Absolutely adorable! Wore them right away and received tons of compliments!!! Love your store!!!!

Gorgeous earrings!! they have a real magical feel to them and the labradorite stones are beautiful. Excellent service and lovely packaging too. Many thanks !

My head is spinning from these unbloodybelievably superb earrings. I can't type my *exact* utterance when I first lay eyes on them, but rest assured I was enthusiastic. :) She even made me a custom ring, simply by the asking! It too is simply swoon-worthy. I am blissing like you wouldn't believe. I am in love with this woman. <3

Oh. My. Ever-lovin'. Stars. I cannot rave enough about this necklace! It is not only too amazing for precise (*wink*) articulation, but the packaging was fantastic too. BWS is a top notch seller from top to bottom, stem to stern. I adore this woman

Another lovely creation by BlackWaterSiren! Thanks a million--these are stellar!

Another gorgeous pendant! A beautiful piece of labradorite, perfectly complimented by the copper chain. Exactly as pictured, but even more stunning in person. The pendant arrived in a lovely little gift box, and in record time! Thank you, Cyndia! (Having to wait a month before I could open it just about killed me, but it was SO worth it!!!) Very happy return customer! =D

WOW! Talk about fast service! I ordered these on Friday and received them the following Monday. It was such a nice surprise. The earrings are beautiful and look just like they do in the picture. Great quality and great service. Thanks BWS!

Super fast shipping! Pendant is GORGEOUS! I'm delighted with it. Will make a terrific gift for my sister (assuming I have talked myself out of keeping it)!

The necklace looks great! I like the color of the iolite and I was surprised by the superfast delivery! Thanks so much. I am sure I'll be back soon!

Absolutely gorgeous. They arrived extremely quick (I received an email from the seller yesterday letting me know they had shipped, I got them this afternoon. VERY impressed.) and are of superb quality. They're beautiful, very well made - simply gorgeous. Thank you very, very much!

La La LOVE it! Thank you! :)

Thank you sooo much! It's exactly what I was looking for!

Received quickly and absolutely love it!! Looks just like the picture and the little star charm is such a cute touch.

So gorgeous I love wearing them!

Cyndia your jewelry is so unique and made so beautifully! I enjoy wearing every pair of earrings you have made for me! Thanks for making these for me, too! Awesome!

beautiful, intricate little earrings. I love them. whimsical design. great find!

my new favorite everyday earrings. beautifully handmade and very organic design. very pleased with them.

Beautiful, very well made, Thank you!

Great quality and workmanship! Terrific service and amazingly fast shipping.

Wonderful! Another darling, detailed creative piece of jewelry from your wonderful collection!

Wonderful artisan, great communication, fast service and beautiful work! The earrings are delicate, light and easy to wear! The little puffed heart makes the earrings extra special!

This was an excellent experience. The earrings I purchased were a wedding gift for my wife. We were to be married on a Saturday and I wanted to give them to her the night before (Friday). Of course, me being me, I didn't order the earrings until Wednesday. To make matters worse, I was in Rhode Island and the seller was in Montana! Nevertheless, I contacted the seller and talked to her about shipping options. She was very accommodating and extremely helpful. Long story short, we got the earrings, we got married, and everything was excellent. I can not thank the seller enough for her help. This was a perfect experience all around. Above all else, the earrings themselves are absolutely beautiful, very unique and very classy. Thanks again!

Oh.....my.....goodness!!!!! This piece is truly one of the most stunning pieces of jewelry I've ever seen. And now it's mine! Yeah! I will cherish this!

Stunning! More beautiful in person, well made and original. I love them! Thank you, I will be buying MANY more things from BWS! Amazing work, such a gifted artist.

This seller is fantastic at working with the buyer. I bought these as well as truly wanting a pair that had sold already. The seller worked up a pair of the earrings for me quickly. This type of artwork jewelry is sure to be a hit amongst my friends as well.

I knew I would love these earrings as soon as I saw the photograph. They hang beautifully: constantly moving. I am SO tempted now to buy the longer version as well....
Spectacular earrings! Everyone who sees them is dazzled.

Very quick shipping and very beautiful bracelet - exactly as pictured!!

Quick delivery! Terrific, cute, safe packaging!!

Exceed expectations, great quality, looove them! Fast international postage. Happy buyer.

The most beautiful piece of jewelry I have purchased in years! Thank you.

These were so completely fabulous that a friend stole them from me immediately!

Really nice necklace, came packaged very beautifully and carefully! GREAT SELLER

This made a BEAUTIFUL Set! The gemstones sparkle like crazy! MANY Thanks!

The most beautiful earrings I have ever seen , I will become a collector of BWS!

lovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelove these! You are really talented!

2011-02-14T10:07:00.001-07:00

So what is your favorite material and color??? This was a question from a member of an Etsy group I belong to. I thought I'd put my answer here as well...

My favorite material is metal. I love that it has no grain to it, that it can be formed into any shape either by folding, hammering, melting, soldering. Creating something like a ring is an amazing transformation of metal from its original form of sheet or wire into a piece of art that will last for centuries is an awesome concept and is basically a religious experience for me. I love soldering for that reason, being able to exercise that skill that allows me to create something three dimensional successfully. Every time I do it I marvel at the process.

I also love animal parts. To me, using an animal bone, claw, tooth, or any other part to create jewelry or art with is a spiritual tribute to that animal; it creates a lasting monument from what would otherwise have disintegrated back into the ground. Not to say that animals should be hunted for their parts, I'm talking about found objects.

Favorite colors - deep garnet red, the color of dark cherry red wine when the light comes through it. Then there's the blue/green tourmaline color of an ocean wave when the sunlight shines through it before it crashes into itself. And purple, rich deep purple of african amethyst, the kind of purple you just want to put in your mouth when you see it, it is so rich and saturated.

To be a successful working artist in the medium of my choice is constantly a blessed amazing thing for me. I am truly living my dream!

Gratitude

2010-10-26T02:16:00.003-06:00

I am truly blessed to be a successful working artist. Every once in a while it hits me. After creating jewelry professionally for over twenty years I think I can finally feel I have achieved my goal - to make a mark upon the world, and to touch peoples' hearts with my gift.

Looking back at the shear magnitude of jewelry that I have produced over the years, each piece created with my own hands, is rather astonishing. Thousands upon thousands of pieces of sterling, gold, and copper jewelry strewn all over four continents of this planet. Pretty amazing.

I could not have chosen a more perfect career!

Hold Them Accountable!

2010-06-03T22:49:00.002-06:00

BP needs to drown in their own filth, their own toxic slime, wasteland filth, they should suffer intimately the consequences of their own actions. They need their faces held under this poisonous sludge until they're twisting just as lifelessly in the wind. We should be able to do unto them what they have done to the ravaged innocents of this planet who are now dying by the millions because of their recklessness. One third, hear me, ONE THIRD of the ocean will become a wasteland of death, once thriving coastal towns will become poverty gutted ghost towns, beaches will become ghoulish mortuaries for generations to come because of these people's lack of foresight, vigilance, and responsibility. And this won't go away in a few years. It will be generation upon generation before this is cleaned up, before the wetlands will begin to recover. BP has created an evil apocalypse upon nature and we will never see our coastline the same again in our lifetimes.

The photo above is what has happened in the past five weeks. BP has no real means of stopping this at all, and the most hopeful plans to fix this won't become reality until at least September, and even then these attempts may not be successful. This is why I'm saying that one third of the earth's ocean will be contaminated as a result. This is devastating beyond our current comprehension. Got me wondering; 2012 or just coincidence?

2010-04-02T11:50:00.001-06:00

Official Fan Page:
Black Water Siren Studio

2010-04-02T11:44:00.000-06:00

http://topetsyshops.blogspot.com/

Cosmic Origin

2010-02-26T21:16:00.002-07:00

You know what I really think about where we originally came from? I hear about various theories of intelligent design, how we may have been planted on earth as some experiment, etc...

I think if we, as a human race, were part of anything greater than ourselves, such as some cosmic petrie dish experiment, whoever was in charge probably got drunk on duty and had to pee, and totally forgot to water us - being Earth in a petrie dish, and we inadvertently went to seed, or molded. We are the big cosmic joke, the swept under the rug forgotten experiment. Wouldn't that be such an insipient slap to our human ego. We really don't matter in the great "scheme" of things.

Check out this great featured artist interview of me:

2010-02-01T13:11:00.002-07:00

http://christinesbeadworks.blogspot.com/2010/02/spotlight-on-cyndia-reddish.html

Bullet Holes

2009-08-07T17:39:00.004-06:00

Art is in my blood, my soul; to create art is the reason I was put here on earth. In the twenty years that I have been a professional jewelry artist, I have felt the ever-present conflict between my conservative side of myself and my wild bohemian side, the gainfully employed adult versus the free artistic spirit. I constantly see dichotomy in the world around me as well as within myself; I see beauty in objects that create a sense of uneasiness, even fear in others. For me there is a concurrent sense of balance, a yin/yang, within the inherent conflict of perceptions.

After moving to Montana in 2006, I found myself becoming creatively restless, wanting to reach deeper and unleash a more primal nature, a grittier creativity. By using my art to provocatively confront the uncomfortable feelings that force us to stare at a train wreck even though we want to look away, I feel that I am fulfilling my divine purpose, to touch people and change them in some way that they otherwise might not have achieved alone.
In my latest conceptual jewelry series, the Bullet Hole Collection, I capture an iconic symbol of violence [the bullet] in its precise moment of impact [the hole]. I use what is physically not present to convey movement and action, to tell a story by inference, like using an echo rather than the voice itself. In doing so I create an unsettling beauty in my jewelry with what many would consider to be an alarming, but very unique, choice of subject matter.

I Quit

2009-07-09T09:01:00.004-06:00

It wasn't always this way. I wasn't always a free spirit professional artist following my heart. In fact I spent decades fighting myself.

I was an executive and legal secretary for many years, working at numerous offices and corporations. Those jobs never lasted very long; I was so efficient I could turn any full time office job into part time work. I would ultimately find myself sitting there with nothing to do wishing I were home creating art. Eventually it would get the better of me and I would quit, breathe a huge sigh of relief and play in my studio until I couldn't ignore my bills anymore.

Back into the ring I'd go, continuing the vicious circle. Time vs money. Artist vs secretary. Bohemian vs Conservative. My own personal Fight Club.

Eventually I was able to be a professional jewelry artist able to support myself with my art. I did the whole craft show circuit, the wholesale shows, home parties. After those I started to sell online and became a Power Seller on eBay. Those were the days! I could work in my PJs, barefoot, and only had to go to the post office in the afternoons.

It was around that time that I realized that no matter what else I did, what other careers I tried, nothing else would be very successful for me. I was an artist, born an artist, it was in my blood and in my soul, and trying to be something I was not for the sake of financial security was just not going to work. I had to resign myself to being an artist.

Then the bottom fell out of the economy. The mortgage crisis hit hard. People panicked and stopped spending. My income dropped to half literally overnight. Business owners like myself were all in a state of anxiety and shock.

People, like my family, said these are tough times now and I should find work doing something besides art to pay the bills. Because at this stage in my life I have become a somewhat spoiled and eccentric artist, I try every once in a while to fight myself to prove I can still be "normal". I got a job as a park maintenance worker and, while there were a couple aspects of the job I enjoyed, I was miserable and constantly exhausted.

Last week I quit. And, as has happened amazingly consistently before, as soon as I quit the non-artist job, I've gotten jewelry orders every day since. A big cosmic reward for being true to myself. A huge reminder to stop fighting myself and just be who I truly am. A lesson that I must keep relearning: Create art for the joy of being an artist and, in being patient and true to my calling, the money will come. I will be provided for, as long as I continue to concentrate on what I was put on earth to do.

Be yourself.

Post Apocalyptic Jacket by ShellShocked Threads

2009-06-01T14:56:00.008-06:00

ShellShocked Threads(c) debuts with one of a kind, custom designed, recycled leather jackets created with authentic bullet holes, shell casings, car reflectors, vintage military insignia, hand painting and stitching. Necklace and model by Black Water Siren Studio. Triumph by a few crusty old felons.

Forward

2009-05-31T10:39:00.003-06:00

My wonderful son left yesterday after spending three weeks with me. It was his first time coming to visit me in Montana. We had lots of fun; we did target practice, got my old Triumph running again, hiked up a big hill, went to a gun show. We customized an old leather jacket with his artistic genius, I took a lot of photos of him. It was so nice to have him here.

Now he is back home again on the other side of the universe, and I'm trying not to be despondent and teary eyed. I hadn't seen him in a year, and three weeks went by too quickly, like I knew they would. I have to keep moving forward.

The shop in town wants me to make some stained glass candle holders. I plan to start that project now, plus make some original watercolor/photo pendants while my soldering iron and glass pieces are on the bench.

My son has inspired me to once again stretch my imagination beyond my own boxed in boundaries. Every time I look at something artistic I did five or ten years ago I am amazed at how inspired I was, and how I don't feel like that now. And then again, when I look at these pieces I sometimes remember thinking while I was making them that I wasn't feeling very inspired or creative, so I think my perceptions of my creativity really are kind of twisted and beaten by my own worst enemy - the tyrannical whip-wielding ball-busting deadly critical witch in my head.

With the jacket that he designed and we worked on together I was able to break out of my own limitations, admire his resourcefulness, and try to copy his style and think like him. Once again, as I observed working with my son, when I am able to quiet my chattering brain I realize that keeping a design simple and even artistically primitive is quite often better, and infinitely easier, than trying to detail, decorate, and gaudify every square inch in my typical overkill fashion.

Time to start fresh, start a new chapter, time to break away from my convoluted ideas in my artistic expression and try some new things. Forward, as my family crest decrees.

Thank you, Chris.

Spring Inertia In Bloom

2009-04-20T09:57:00.003-06:00

I seem to be in a state of inertia this month. I have so many things to do; update all the websites my jewelry is on (five, very time consuming), clean the house and studio, write my book, write my blog, make new jewelry, work on new photography... All I end up doing is sitting on my bed in my loft with my laptop. I will be starting a part time summer job in a couple weeks, plus my son is coming out to visit from Pennsylvania the beginning of May for the first time. He has never met my new husband, I've been here almost three years now. I think I'm nervous.

I think I'm also feeling overwhelmed. My creativity seems to have gone into hiding, my motivation feels like a deer caught in the headlights. I sure don't want to have to work while my son is here, but I need the money after being hospitalized for pneumonia in February, and don't want to lose my position. The economy bites the big one lately and it's really affecting my artistic business, and I don't expect it to get much better very soon. I keep plugging away at it, but there are days, like this month, where I'm really grinding my teeth to keep the optimistic smile from slipping.

Then again, maybe I just need to get out more.

Soul Of The Bohemian

2009-01-17T11:26:00.005-07:00

Every once in a while I win the battle with myself. I think it is the one internal lifelong conflict that (in my superstitious belief) if I should ever overcome it I will have learned my life lesson and die. It is ever-present in my artistic expression, my two selves in constant tug-of-war.

One side is the Conservative. The offspring of a girl growing up poor during the Depression era; be sparing, be careful to preserve all, save the scraps, stiff upper lip, stay within the lines.

The other side is the Bohemian. The free spirit who screams to do pornographic shock art, damn the torpedoes, damn society's rules, let me create my masterpiece free from the constraints of [fill in the blank] anything and everything. The ultimate fucku statement.

The Conservative pays the bills. She harangues and berates incessantly, work, work, work, behave yourself. Produce the little safe, meaningless bread-&-butter pieces. Stay middle-of-the-road, make what everybody else does, follow the trend. All the while envious of the Bohemian's precociousness and too fearful to step out on a limb. The pallid wallflower who wishes she had the nerve to dance like a wild wanton gypsy in the firelight.

It is, in fact, the jewelry that the Bohemian makes that sells the fastest. The pendant that was made with the force of passive-aggressive spite and anger against societal shackles is bought up in a snap. When the Bohemian manages to slip through the cracks and play, she creates with licentious ecstasy, childlike glee, reckless spontaneity, giving birth to an orgy of sensual color and texture in her creation. It is the original piece that is created with a tangible, palpable passion that is so mesmerizing and desirable to my clientele.

It is this ongoing struggle between the two that boils relentlessly inside me. I understand that somehow I must get them to balance equally, to work together, to blend into one and become whole, but as of yet they stubbornly refuse. At this point, Conservative needs to relax and give the rope some slack and let Bohemian do what she does best.

Just the act of engaging in the process of creating art for the pure joy of creating needs to be practiced regularly. It is this action of "being in the moment" of creation that produces brilliance, life, originality, authentic expression, true ART.

2009-01-10T14:44:00.003-07:00

My response to the CPSIA law that takes effect February 10th, 2009
Read more about it here:
http://reliableanswers.com/politics/cpsia_of_2009.asp

America is becoming overrun with socialist governmental
micromanagement and interference in every last little detail
of our lives. This is not the job or place of government.
Granted, there are a few laws created with "good intentions",
but for the most part the American people need to get off
their couch potatoes and start taking care of themselves.
They need to start taking a more proactive part in governing
their own lives instead of leaving it up to Big Brother and
Uncle Sam to protect them. Yeah, people think a law is good
if it benefits them directly in some way, but they don't
stop to think that if the government is creating that law,
why would they stop at a little control, why not make more
and more laws for strangle-hold control?

Stop trying to save me, DC. I don't need to be protected
from myself or anyone else by governmental micromanagement.
If my child dies because she ate lead paint it's my responsibility.
It is not the government's job to make sure the lead isn't in
the paint or that the paint is not in my kid's mouth. What do
we expect if we buy something from China anyway? They are
notorious for poisoning their own people and we expect it
to be any different with their exports?

This new bill that is threatening the livelihoods of cottage

industries and small businesses is going to be extremely

hard to enforce. What are label police going to do? Become

nazi swat teams swooping in to raid the buildings of millions

of thrift stores, small businesses, home manufactures and

crafters because we don't have the proper "official papers"?

I get sick to my stomach hearing about each next stupid

law the control freaks in DC pull out of their asses. Why

don't We The People stand up and JUST SAY NO?

They've robbed us blind with their Ponzi scheme and

their bailouts and will continue to devalue the dollar until

it is worthless. They continue to pass more and more laws
until every one of us honest citizens becomes a poverty

stricken criminal just for breathing. What are we doing

about it?

We continue to stay ignorant and immobilized by their

mind control, their accelerating governmental terrorism.

We complain, try to comply with ridiculous mandates and
"requirements", the DC bottom feeders have us so

brainwashed that we whip and beat our own selves up

for our inability to be lawful citizens. Then we sigh and

whimper, "Who is John Galt?" (read Ayn Rand's "Atlas
Shrugged" and you will see what is happening in real

time to America. Scary).

This bill/law (piece-o-tripe) is poorly thought out,
if even thought out at all. How can they

possibly enforce it? Why do we allow them to continue?

If we all, each one of us in America, all at once in unison

just said "NO! We are not going to do this" what could

they do? Put us all in jail? Ticket us, fine us, try to get

blood out of a stone?

Stop giving all our power to these power-crazed
idiots. Just stop. There are more of us than
there are of them. Give them one inch and they'll
demand a hundred miles. Americans need to start
educating themselves and paying attention to what
is going on. It's our own fault if this country
turns into the USSA because we were too
self-absorbed in our own little worlds to stand up
for our rights and our precious freedom.

How did you come up with the name “Black Water Siren”?

2009-01-08T21:04:00.011-07:00

My maiden name ‘Douglass’ is Scottish. Douglass means ‘black water’ in the Gaelic language of my ancestors. The word ‘siren’ is another name for a mermaid, the folklore of which I find to be most fascinating. Let me tell you a story...

Once upon a time I was on holiday in Ocracoke, NC, and was lolling about on a fairly deserted beach, basking in the sun with the sparkling ocean waves splashing over my feet. Lying there warm and half asleep, lulled by the heartbeat of the sea, I meditated on my persistent feeling of anticipation whenever I was at the shore. I've always felt like if I waited long enough, was vigilant enough, I would find a treasure in the sand, spat out and forgotten by the ocean tide. While I've found many lovely things beachcombing over the years, I never really found that one special magical gem, that ethereal mermaid's trinket. So I made one.

I retrieved a pair of pliers and copper wire from the car; I always keep them handy in case I get inspired, and wove together a necklace made from seashells along the water's edge. When it was finally finished it was a magnificent and beautiful piece, shells of shimmering amethyst and cream, sienna and rust, with shiny threads of copper lacing them all together that would later turn a rich brown patina with the salty air.

I left it on the beach that day, draped gracefully over a large sandy piece of driftwood, as if an admiring mermaid had become distracted and inadvertently left it behind, high on the beach where the lazy summer tides wouldn't bother to navigate.

I have often wondered what became of that necklace, if anyone found it and took it home, what that person is like, what they thought when they found it, where the necklace is now.

Then an awesome thought struck me. I was that mermaid, that siren of jewelry. It was I who manifested the magical gem, the mermaid's trinket. The precious gift I had been anticipating and searching for so long was simply to be found within the magic of being someone else's unknown nautical muse, to be able to bring a little magic and beauty into someone else's life.

Quite serendipitously, as if to validate my epiphany, I recently stumbled upon this book summary:

"A long time ago, mermaids would rise from the waves on the Breton shores to comb their long hair on moonlit nights. Sometimes they would came ashore in daylight and spread out on the sand their beautiful white linens covered with precious treasures---pearl necklaces, rings of all kinds, and jewels. If anyone approached, they would wrap up their treasures and quickly dive into the sea. One day two young girls were walking along the beach gathering shells. They were surprised and excited to see a mermaid so busy playing with her treasure that she did not notice them. They tiptoed toward her. When they were right in front of her, she looked up, but she did not grab her treasure and plunge into the sea. Instead she gave each of them a gift in a small white linen cloth, making them promise not to open it until they got home. She then waved and dove into the sea. One of the girls could not wait and opened her linen right away. She found nothing but dirt. The other girl waited until she got home and found her linen full of sparkling jewels." From The Gift of the Mermaid, retold by Ruth Stotter as written in The Golden Axe.

Metallic DNA

2008-12-28T21:24:00.004-07:00

I can't ever remember a time in my life when metal didn't fascinate me. I can still remember the way the old tarnished brass door latches in my parents' house tasted back when I was a toddler learning the world through new objects the typical way a toddler does - by mouth.

Nothing has changed much. I still hold my silver wire in my mouth while I'm working on a pair of earrings, adding sparkly gems and beads to my latest creation.

Metal is in my DNA. I love the feel of it, the different texture of buttery smooth gold, grainy silver, hot velvet copper, and the cool rigidity of brass and bronze. Metal is my muse, my nemesis, my baby, depending on what day it is.

My art in metal is my mark upon the world, it will be here long after I'm gone. Perhaps in a thousand years it will be unearthed again in an archeological dig. I like to contemplate what they will think of it then, since our current culture is so quick to imagine that all antiquities are symbols and expressions of some religious ritual. If so, then metal is my religion. I faithfully practice it, immerse myself in it, pray that what I want to express will be released through it.

Just like fabric, or clay, or paint is natural to some, metal is most natural to me. We are symbiotic, metal and I. In some primal level beyond consciously learned knowledge I understand the properties and characteristics, the personality of metal. I know we go way back thousands of years together, back to a life when I found a chunk of ore and pounded it into a talisman to tie around my neck with a slip of sinew. There is a subconscious resonance to the primal yearning in all of us to create a sacred alter with our special talismans of self expression and adornment.

It is no wonder that I grew up teaching myself how to work with metal. Metal is the primary springboard of jewelry throughout the ages, at least the jewelry that has survived the span of the ages.

Personal adornment, jewelry, was one of humanity's oldest and most primary forms of self-expression. Jewelry is my passion. It pulls like a magnet at the strands of my metallic DNA. The working of metal into jewelry is my primary function; it is what I was put on this earth to do. I feel it in the core of me, throughout my many reincarnations, it has been a basic ingredient in the creation of my soul.

When someone is drawn to my jewelry, they often tell me they feel magic in it, that it touches something deep within, even that it has changed their lives in some way. I believe that perhaps what they may be feeling is the echo of the beginning of time, borne in the manifested creations of my ancient metallic soul.

2008-12-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

A NEW BEGINNING

2008-12-25T18:38:00.003-07:00

The holidays are sweeping past, and the new year is fast approaching. I've already started gearing up for the new resolutions I've decided to achieve. My new year will be starting the day after Christmas, no sense waiting until January 1st.

As usual, I have more on my list that I can ever hope to accomplish, but hope springs eternal. On my list is to learn how to use the new kiln I bought that has been sitting around for a month. This kiln will enable me to create fine silver pieces out of PMC clay, which is a very exciting concept for me. I'm not very proficient with the silver clay, it seems to be too sticky no matter what I use on my hands, and I have no special tools as of yet, but it is a new avenue of creativity that I'm impatient to get started with. The possibilities are limitless.

Another project that I want to tackle in my "spare" time is getting together my photography website and etsy shop, ReddishGallery.etsy.com. I will be putting out new printed photographic notecards and small matted original abstract watercolors.

Sales are going fabulously well with the Femail Creations catalog company. My Imagine & Believe Affirmation earrings were featured in their Fall 2008 catalog, and have sold so well they will be carried over into spring/summer of 2009.

Other outlets for my jewelry include my shop on wholesalecrafts.com that I have been slowly working on and hope to get completely up to speed with shortly. This is a site dedicated to legitimate shop and gallery owners to peruse along with physical trade shows or as an alternative to attending shows.

Psyched and revving up for a juicy productive new year in the face of an impending full blown Second Great Depression, but that's another story...