It's Finally Here!
A Charming Exchange is finally here!
A Charming Exchange is finally here!
Here is what was waiting for me when I got home from nursing Mom through her cataract surgery. Oh,I'm so excited. This book is soo-o--o exciting! [So, I'm taking a little break from my summer Camp Turlington reviews to bring you this special book review!]
Kelly Snelling and Ruth Rae worked passionately (and long -- they started talking to contributors before January 2007 and the work had to be in their hands by May 5, 2007!) getting this fabulous jewelry gallery and special how-to book, A Charming Exchange, ready for publication. They invited some really wonderful artists, not necessarily jewelry makers, to collaborate with them making found object elements for the jewelry pieces for this book. There are 25 how-to projects and many more pieces of jewelry for your visual pleasure. Most of these are collaborative pieces where one artist starts the bracelet, necklace, or earrings and then the piece is passed to other artists to add to or to finish. Here are some pages from the book with a few of the grand collaborative pieces.
Found object necklace, History Lesson, by Crystal Neubauer with Ruth Rae,
Catherine Witherell, Deryn Mentock, and Jessica Moreau-Berry, p.19.
Kelly Snelling and Ruth Rae worked passionately (and long -- they started talking to contributors before January 2007 and the work had to be in their hands by May 5, 2007!) getting this fabulous jewelry gallery and special how-to book, A Charming Exchange, ready for publication. They invited some really wonderful artists, not necessarily jewelry makers, to collaborate with them making found object elements for the jewelry pieces for this book. There are 25 how-to projects and many more pieces of jewelry for your visual pleasure. Most of these are collaborative pieces where one artist starts the bracelet, necklace, or earrings and then the piece is passed to other artists to add to or to finish. Here are some pages from the book with a few of the grand collaborative pieces.
Collaborative Round Robin Jewelry
Found object necklace, History Lesson, by Crystal Neubauer with Ruth Rae,
Catherine Witherell, Deryn Mentock, and Jessica Moreau-Berry, p.19.
Catherine Witherall's Gothic Romance with Ruth Rae, Deryn Mentock,
Jessica Moreau-Berry, and Crystal Newbauer, p.12.
Jessica Moreau-Berry, and Crystal Newbauer, p.12.
Sweet Refuge by Joanna Pierotti, Judy Scott, Ruth Rae, and Kelly Snelling, p. 104.
As you can tell, this is a unique, creative collection of collaborative jewelry. Created by various combinations of the the contributing artists, these pieces incorporate found objects, metal, wire, beads, fabric, fiber, and all manner of other amazing things. The book is not only one of a kind, but also has gorgeous pictures and fantastic step-by-step instructions for most of the projects.
I was extremely fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to be invited to participate in this collaborative endeavor. A few of my contributions were selected to be published. I'll give you a peek here.
A Charming Exchange, p. 40.
This is my Healing Mandala for the Talisman Necklace swap.
The Shepherd's Amulet, a talisman necklace by Deryn Mentock, p. 30.
I was extremely fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to be invited to participate in this collaborative endeavor. A few of my contributions were selected to be published. I'll give you a peek here.
Talisman Necklace Swap
A Charming Exchange, p. 40.
This is my Healing Mandala for the Talisman Necklace swap.
In the photo album titled Healing Mandala in the left side bar of this blog, are a few more picture and my description including a list of the herbs used and their medicinal qualities. Check it out.
My dear friend, Deryn, also had published several pieces of her specialty art jewelry elements in collaborative pieces as well as her one-of-a-kind solo pieces. One of those is her incredible talisman necklace:
My dear friend, Deryn, also had published several pieces of her specialty art jewelry elements in collaborative pieces as well as her one-of-a-kind solo pieces. One of those is her incredible talisman necklace:
The Shepherd's Amulet, a talisman necklace by Deryn Mentock, p. 30.
I noticed that Deryn has also posted about Kelly and Ruth's book and has offered some closer looks at her pieces. So be sure to check out her blog, Something Sublime.
Meanwhile, I'd like to show you how we went about our collaborative earrings.
A Charming Exchange, p. 67.
Collaborative Earrings
Meanwhile, I'd like to show you how we went about our collaborative earrings.
A Charming Exchange, p. 67.
To make the collaborative earrings, one artist started the earrings and sent them along to the next artist who added an element to them and passed them along to the third artist for finishing. We thought this was one of the most unique assignements we had. It was hard to stop when you were the "starter"and definitely challenging when you were the "finisher." These resulted in some of the most exciting pieces of jewelry in the collaborative. Below, the picture on the left is the way the first artist started the earrings, the middle picture shows what the second artist added. Finally, the picture on the right shows how the third artist finished the earrings:
1. Sally Turlington started. 2. Cece Grimes added. 3. Debra Cooper finished.
1. Debra Cooper started. 2. Sally Turlington added. 3. Cece Grimes finished.
1. Cece Grimes started. 2. Debra Cooper added. Sally Turlington finished.
Asymmetrical Earring Swap
1. Sally Turlington started. 2. Cece Grimes added. 3. Debra Cooper finished.
1. Debra Cooper started. 2. Sally Turlington added. 3. Cece Grimes finished.
1. Cece Grimes started. 2. Debra Cooper added. Sally Turlington finished.
Asymmetrical Earring Swap
For the asymmetrical earring swap, we were paired with another artist. Each of us make ONE earring and sent it to the other artist. We we received the other artist's earring, we were to fashion a mate to it - not identical, of course, but "rhyming" with it and send the pair back to the originator. This was another clever, challenging assignment and resulted in lots of thrilling pairs of earrings.
A Charming Exchange, p. 71.
1. Marci Glenn sent this. 2. I made a mate. 3. This is the pair!
A Charming Exchange, p. 73.
1. I made this earring. 2. Ruth created a mate for it & this is the pair!
(Ruth's photo.)
A Charming Exchange, p. 71.
1. Marci Glenn sent this. 2. I made a mate. 3. This is the pair!
(Marci's photo)
A Charming Exchange, p. 73.
1. I made this earring. 2. Ruth created a mate for it & this is the pair!
(Ruth's photo.)
Kelly Snelling and Ruth Rae have to be the most energetic, creative, talented found object art jewelers in creation! They dreamed up all this madness and made sure each and every piece was unique and special. I promise you, this will be your new most favorite jewelry book EVER!! Don't rest until you get your very own copy.
hurray! i am so incredibly excited that you are pleased with the book! yay! yay! doesn't your talisman look beautiful? and your biker chick zipper/snap earrings just rock! thank you, sally, for all your wonderful contributions and, even more, for your wonderful spirit and friendship. mwah!
Posted by: kelly snelling | July 21, 2008 at 11:28 PM
It turned out to be such a wonderful book! I am so amazed and inspired looking thorugh it. I am so thrilled to be part of this project!
Posted by: Maija Lepore | July 22, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Sally, The pictures are AMAZING!
This HAS to be one of the top sellers of the year to come!
Congrats!
Your work is FABULOUS! The Talisman is beautiful and the RR earrings are cool!
Thank you for sharing your review!
Amber Dawn
Posted by: amber dawn | July 22, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Sally your work is amazing! The Healing Mandala is simply stunning. I wish I could have seen it in person! Thank-you for showing my work here on your blog. This was such a fun project to be included on, especially with so many outstanding artists like you! I am on the edge of my seat waiting for my copy to show up in the mail. Meanwhile I am having fun seeing what everyone else is saying about it on their blogs!
Crystal
Posted by: Crystal Neubauer | July 23, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Wow, wow, WOW! Stunning and exciting artwork! Congrats, well deserved!
Posted by: Laura | July 23, 2008 at 06:27 PM
I ADORE your talisman necklace! You're right, this book is a stunner!
Posted by: Deryn Mentock | July 24, 2008 at 02:24 PM
Hey Sally! I can't wait to see the final product. Looks like it will be complete eye-candy for sure!
Hope you are having a wonderful summer!
Posted by: Lorraine George | July 24, 2008 at 08:58 PM
Congratulations! What an amazing project to be a part of! I love your contributions, and thank you co much for the review - I can't wait to get my own copy!
:-)
Posted by: Molly Alexander | July 25, 2008 at 01:54 PM
Hey! I was wondering where everyone was and they are all over here! Hi Sally! I just wanted to get in on the congratulations too. Isn't it fun?
Catherine
Posted by: Catherine Witherell | July 26, 2008 at 01:38 AM
WOW! What a fabulous blog! I'm so glad you came by!
I am having a ball viewing all of the participants in Deryn's challenge. I wanted to, but was fearful of time....now I wish I had just gone for it!
AND THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't it wonderous??? I just can't stand how gorgeous it came out!
ta~ta! Jes
Posted by: jes | July 31, 2008 at 08:20 AM