Today's post on ASK Harriete titled,

CODE in Color Backgrounds for Art and Craft Photography

discusses the color background in art and craft photography with images of art and craft. 

There is no easy answer or one…

Since I last worked on "A Forest". The whirl of the degree shows has passed and I finally got back to the bench today. Before I put the degree shows completely behind me, anyone interested in seeing the work produced by my own students can look backwards through my Flickr photostream from here:

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 The world of art and craft is no "slight of hand" magic show.

Yet, there is a growing trend for including hands in photographs displaying jewelry, accessories and clothing. This increases the need to pay attention to the hands used as props.  

A poorly chosen hand prop can detract from the work in the photo and ruin any chance of being accepted in a book, magazine, show or exhibition. Martha Le Van from Lark Books shared these…

Three degree shows in two days!

First up was the show at Glasgow School of Art, being held for the last time in the Newberry Tower building at GSA after 40 years of being the home of the department. Much as I really like the building, this show showed all-too-clearly why it was time to move: 19 people in one dark space. It didn't really work very well. Not to let that detract from the work. In a way, I am quite sad about the demise of this building as I really rather like it, but…

I have often wondered...How does one go about selling "jewelry" made out of paper or other fragile materials???  I absolutely love the look of handmade or specialty paper...and have combined it with some of my metalwork in the past...but it definitely takes a "special" buyer to actually purchase it.  Check out the brooches made by Sabrina Meyns here on…

SO, my degree students have now all been graded and are awaiting their results after four non-stop days of marking, external exams and exam boards. Their degree show is tomorrow night and I am looking forward to that immensely. Unfortunately, it means that we've slightly neglected our other students and I forgot to mention that the HND, HNC and NQ students have been working hard to get their own entries ready for the prestigious Glasgow-wide competition run by the venerable…

While our panel of experts from "Photography in Flux" at the recent Professional Development Seminar (SNAG Conference Seattle) did not declare a "standard" for photography backgrounds, they did make it clear that

BAD BACKGROUNDS create BAD PHOTOS. …

The students on my new BA (Hons) Jewellery Design and Technology all set up their shows yesterday and it was being assessed today by the external examiner. This is the first year we've offered the BA programme and I was very nervous about it; it was also very, very tiring.

Overall, the show looks great. I'm very pleased with what the students have done, and I am absolutely delighted with the way that a couple of them have pleasantly surprised us with their work. Because the students…

There has been absolutely no update on my work on "A Forest" for the last two days as I've been locked away marking the work of our BA students. It is quite tiring and very intense, especially as this is the first year that I've taught on a degree-level course. I'm sure it gets easier... !

I'll be posting photographs of their show later in the week and if anyone is in Glasgow on Friday night, please come along from 7 - 9pm to North Glasgow College and have a look.

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2Roses of Anaheim California won 1st and 2nd Place in the Polymer Clay category of  Bead and Button's 2011 Bead Dreams Competition. A prize of $500 accompanies the award.

2Roses, "La Reine Noir"

Polymer Clay, Sterling Silver

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Everything snapped back into focus today in the workshop when I actually completed a part of "A Forest". The chain is now completely constructed and only requires to be set, which I started doing before the sunny weather tempted me outside for a bike ride!

The cast elements of the chain put…

The recent Professional Development Seminar offered an informative program titled "Photography in Flux." One of the pressing issues in art and craft photo is the growing popularity of the stark white background, often with a stylized shadow near the work.

As part of the Professional Development Seminar,…

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ACJ at Treasure

As part of the prestigious London Jewellery Week, the ACJ is proud to be represented at Treasure, part of the week which is dedicated to contemporary jewellery from all sorts of people.

You can visit the Treasure Website here, see who is exhibiting or have a look at the…

Last September the awesome Loring Taoka asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a piece for the show put together by Brigitte Martin and Sarah Abramson called Co:Operation Tableware) (to hear more about the idea behind the show this…

Since Thursday evening last week, it has been absolutely non-stop! I spent the weekend in Birmingham, the home of the jewellery industry in the UK and a city I love for its energy, friendliness and genuine multi-culturalism: ignore the naysayers who deride the place... It is WELL worth a visit.

The reason for visiting Birmingham this time was for a board meeting of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, roughly the UK equivalent of SNAG, albeit on a slightly smaller…

Toshiko Takaezu was an especially strong influence on my work as a potter in the early 1970’s.  She made wonderful large, quiet pieces and was a strong role model for me as a woman in a field then heavily dominated by men.  Her esthetic has continued to be a reminder to me as a metalsmith of the strength and beauty in seemingly simple organic forms.

Safe journey, Toshiko…

Genevieve's Visiting Artist program is going strong and she has two other wonderfully talented instructors/artists coming up!

August 5-6, 2011 Forging Fine Silver with Michael David Sturlin

September 6-10, 2011 Hydraulic Press A-Z with Cynthia Eid

Along with the fabulous instructors above more are being added along with a developing schedule…