Open studio closed

The yellow flags of Cambridge Open Studios have come in for 2012. The doors are closed, and clean up has begun. If you couldn't make it, I'm sorry to have missed you, but let me see if I can re-create the experience for you in some small part. 

A few questions and comments came up repeatedly. Let me share some of them with you.

(1)  You're American? Where are you from?

I am originally from the US, and although I have been here for 13 years and now also hold British citizenship, I have failed to gain any sort of accent at all.  I've lived a lot of places in Left-Pondia, mostly across the middle (IL, NJ, CA, IN, UT, and HI just for a while). Most recently I lived in San Francisco, and would like to claim it, but I don't know if 10 years is enough to make me from there. Thirteen years is not enough to make me from here.

(2)  Did you hand paint these?

No, I bought vintage decals from a shut down pottery up north. I like the "found" quality of them. I also alter my mugs and such with "found" texture items, so I see this as consistent with my style. I think the work is still pretty distinctively mine. I might make my own decals in the future, but I'm waiting for a clear vision of what they should be.

(3)  Do you do workshops/classes?

I never have because I never had the space. My studio is very small. We've got a new possible working space now, so it's not out of the question that there could be some hand building events in the future, but nothing is organized yet. 

(4)  You make jewellery? I didn't know you make jewellery!

Yes, I do. It started with making coloured porcelain beads, which I intended to sell to crafters, but I made a few samples to work out any problems, and never quite stopped. I'm now playing around a bit with copper and glass as well.

 Look! Evidence!

A little closer on a few of those.

... and some earrings. I ran out of the cards I display them on, so some are in little plastic pouches. More cards have been ordered.

 Porcelain bead necklaces. I add other beads to add shine and take some of the weight out. My beads are still the main feature, I think.

More necklaces and some bracelets.  Short on detail here, but you get the general idea.

I found this funky wire tree with grabby clip things, and snapped it up to make an earring tree.

I still sell beads. I even sold some today.




Thanks to everyone who came out to talk to me and see what I do. I really appreciate that you braved the weather, and came out to our little village just to see me.



There are still two weekends left of Cambridge Open Studios 2012. I'm going to go see other studios. I hope you go out and visit some too, if you are able.