"On Creativity" with Sarah Breivis

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspective on keeping their creativity alive. 

This week we are talking to Sarah Breivis of Juju By Sarah

What inspires you?

I really like stones, so I usually get inspired on how to showcase a gem. I started making jewelry after I took my first lapidary (stone carving) class over ten years ago. I had all of these finished stones and needed something to do with them. I also get inspired by patterns I see all around me. Whether it's a geometric design on a snake, or some ancient pottery. Designs are everywhere! It's finding the time to make them all that's hard.

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?

New designs usually come in quick bursts. I'll be really busy doing some production work and need a mental break. I will put it aside and make a one of a kind piece from some idea that I've had floating around in my head awhile. It's sort of like sneaking in some fun when I know I should be doing something else. Sometimes I do sketches, but more often I will make a prototypes to see if I like the design and the proportions of a piece before I use more expensive metals.

How do you stay motivated?

Doing one of a kind pieces keeps me motivated. It's not that hard really. I worked in a corporate cubicle for sixteen years before I became a full time jeweler. I was brain dead doing the same thing every day. I told myself that I would never do that again, that I need to change things up all the time. Whenever I get down about what I'm doing (ie; gold pricing, economy, bills etc), I just tell myself that it's the most personally fulfilling work I've ever done and I need to move forward.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?

Oh sure, creativity definitely comes in waves and I know it will come back. Whenever I'm in a rut, I just work on some inventory pieces that I need to replenish. If I get tired of metal smithing, I pull out my lapidary wheels and play around with stone carving for a day or two. Once my hands are all cold and pruned from the water wheels I'm ready to do metal again.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?

Well, I've been creating art since I could hold a pen and have tried many things. I know that I cannot do ceramics or knitting to save my life. But, I have been doing traditional woodworking for almost 20 years. I signed up for a private class called 'woodworking for women' when I was in college and never stopped. My instructor, Debey Zito, is an inspiration for woman who have worked hard in their craft to create beautiful work. It's traditional woodworking using hand tools in the Arts and Crafts style of architecture. It's very similar to jewelry making really. You need to slowly work on your joints (connections) and get them to fit just right. I've made a dining room table and chairs, shelves, side tables, picture and mirror frames and am currently working on a dresser.

I've also gotten in fine chocolate making in the last few years. I guess I just like detailed assembly work. It must be a type of meditation to want to cut and dip fifty hand cooked caramels in chocolate and then give them all away. My husband's job is to sprinkle the embellishment onto each piece.

Sparks Ring: Hand carved quartz with Garnets. This was the first ring I made after I got my lapidary wheels.

 

Jewelry Drawers: Walnut with forged copper handles plated in nickel. Would you believe I made this before I quit my job to become a jeweler.

 

"On Creativity" with Ashley of Ashley Akers Jewelry

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspective on keeping their creativity alive. 

This week we are talking to Ashley of Ashley Akers Jewelry


What inspires you?
My raw materials inspire me. Not so much the metal itself, but whatever material I am designing my piece around. I love to incorporate color and texture into my work and use varied media to do that. Polymer clay, gemstones, pebbles, fabric, enamel, and more recently, plastic aquarium plants, all make appearances in my designs. Really, no non-perishable material is off limits in my mind! Sterling, Copper and sometimes Gold become the framework for these materials. They are, of course, quite important in my designs, but the colorful raw materials are what really inspire me.

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?
Sometimes I sit down and sketch a design and one idea leads to the next. I don't do this as often as I used to, but all my years of sketches still provide inspiration. Lately I sit down with whatever materials I am using and just start playing around until the design and a construction plan come together in my mind. A design might change and morph during the process of making the piece depending on what works and what doesn't. I have plenty of unfinished pieces and sometimes go back to those with a fresh perspective.

How do you stay motivated?
Taking a break from production work and working on larger, one of a kind pieces helps. I have been participating in the Etsy Metal Project Runway Challenge and am finding it quite inspiring. Despite the fact that I just started a new job, after working on jewelry full time for the last three years, I am feeling more motivated lately.  Learning new techniques is also quite motivational. I have a long list of tools and techniques that I would like to incorporate into my work including, adding texture to metal via etching, a rolling mill, repousse and fold forming. (Hmm, it looks like adding texture to metal is something that is missing in my work and needs to be addressed!) I also plan to continue to explore new materials, such as wood, and always find that inspirational. My most recent piece for the Project Runway Challenge was made with Plastic Aquarium Plants, and I already have more ideas for working with those.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
Definitely! Getting inventory ready for shows is always a good way to get myself working. I thrive on deadlines and am a procrastinator if I don't have them. However, the work I do for shows is mostly production work, which is repetitive and can drain my creativity quickly. I must flex those creative muscles and come up with new designs to keep myself inspired. I prefer to make larger, one of a kind pieces and find that work much more inspiring. It is also important for me to play, experiment and truly have fun with my work. These things inevitably lead to a new finished piece of jewelry as well.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
Oh yes! I have, what I have heard a fellow metalsmith cal,l Creative ADD. I want to make all kinds of things, not just jewelry. I want to work in the garden, sew, make my house look nice, crochet, cook, bake, etc. I just have to make things, but staying focused on making jewelry is difficult at times.

 Fiber Cuff made with Needle Felted Silk and Wool, Sterling, Copper and Brass Nuts and Bolts

"On Creativity" with Rebecca of Adobe Sol Designs

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive. 

This week we are talking to Rebecca Bogan of Adobe Sol Designs

What inspires you?
Nothing romantic here... I am inspired by everything that I come into contact with. Often times the materials that I am working with inspire certain designs. Each stone, metal or bead tells a different story!

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?
Once an idea starts to percolate in my mind I either sketch it, jot it down on the nearest napkin or just go ahead and start working on it. Sometimes I just put an idea in the back of my mind and it will surface at a later time.

How do you stay motivated?
Generally I stay motivated by keeping my body, mind and spirit healthy. My best creativity happens when I am feeling really good. A good diet and plenty of gruelling exercise help!

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
Oh yes. When I get into a creative rut I know it is time to take a small break and evaluate what is not quite right in my world. Usually a good mountain bike ride, spending time with family and good friends will get me back into my groove.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
For a while I got into making quilts. I love the feel of the fabric and the colors available to play with. I made a few really nice quilts but found that it is not really my "Thing". 

"On Creativity" with Konstanze of Nodeform

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive. 

This week we are talking to Konstanze of Nodeform


What inspires you?
Everything from twigs and seeds, I pick up on my walks with my dogs, to visual stimulation by images, artwork, movies, music and architecture.

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?
I never sketch anything. I develop a vague idea in my head. Then I just start with a block of wax and carve away. Sometimes the original idea evolves in something different during the carving process, which is always fascinating. I buy a lot of unique gemstones and use those as a starting point for a new design. Each of them demands their own form and shape around them.

How do you stay motivated?
Positive feedback from peers, friends and customers keeps me energized to always try new things. Seeing my business grow steadily helps a lot.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
Not often, I always have so many ideas in my head and never enough time to try them out. The hardest part for me is staying focused on finishing orders of older designs. I have to force myself to wrap them up first before I can get back to whatever new thing sits on my bench.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
I still work as an architect being involved in large-scale commercial projects. If time permits I try to do home improvement projects around the house. I also love gardening and cooking. 

"On Creativity" with Su of Quercus Silver

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive. 

This week we are talking to Su of Quercus Silver


What inspires you? Often it's visual. These cufflinks developed from a lot of reading about 1950's textiles and design and a piece of vintage fabric. 

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas? I'll pin images up on my workshop walls of art/textiles/jewellery/poems/words that are influencing my thinking. Then I'll start sketching, maybe painting and printing to get ideas. Eventually, all this will gel into a direct idea for a piece of jewellery.
Then again, sometimes I'll start with the material, resin, leather, metal and see how I can play with it.

How do you stay motivated? An important and direct motivation is my customers. Selling your work is a vital part of being a craftsperson, I think.
Although the downside to working for yourself can be the isolation, I've found the jewellery and craft community online to be a great support.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut?
If so how do you get out of it?
Not really but if feel my work isn't exciting me I will close my workshop for a day or two and go and visit old friends and new places, galleries and exhibitions. That usually works,

Do you make other things besides jewelry? I have always been a dressmaker and recently I've loved making dressing up outfits for my boys. I quilt, too.  

"On Creativity" with Maria Whetman

In our blog series "On Creativity" each week we will feature one of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive.

This week we are talking to Maria of Fluxplay


What inspires you?
An event, a place, an object, an artists work, a material....This brooch was inspired by the peninsula of land that I live on which is surrounded by sea and two rivers on the edges of Cornwall & Devon. The pottery shards were found on the shore, remnants of busier times on the peninsula. The boat reflects the maritime history of the place....now most of the boats are pleasure craft, fishing as a pastime. I made it specifically for showing in the Jewellery category at the small, annual village show where I live, a real community show of jams, vegetables, cakes, flowers and local crafts, a celebration of the community. Last year I won 2nd prize in the "savoury flan" category (my jam was a flop)

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas? There is always a starting point of a story for me, a narrative.

How do you stay motivated?
As long as I am not tired then I am motivated by my inspirations...the key is not to work to exhaustion.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it? I very rarely fall into the creative ruts, but when I do, all I have to do is look through my many sketchbooks, scrapbooks, materials or the wonderful books on my shelves. The hard part is staying focused on just one idea...that's why I call myself "Fluxplay", "flux" means change and movement, "play" infers that I am not seriously focused enough to make a range and stick to it, even if something sells very well I find it hard to keep making it...my mind wanders to the next idea........

Do you make other things besides jewelry? I make clothes using my 1971 Bernina. I crochet clothes too. In more time-free days I used to work on my house and garden, building, constructing, decorating, accessorizing....those days are long gone! I teach metals at a college 4 days a week so a lot of my energy goes into that job and looking after my daughter. The problem is finding time to make my own work, this is only the 2nd thing I've made since January. 

 

"On Creativity" with 2Roses

We are starting a new blog series "On Creativity". Each week will feature one or more of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive.

This week we are talking to John and Corliss of 2Roses

What inspires you?
Oddly enough, everything, all the time. Finding inspiration has never been a problem. Stopping and focusing on one thing is the challenge. We often get going in one direction and become interested in something else mid stream.

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?
Our design process is very spontaneous. We carry sketchbooks everywhere. We are never without one. While we draw constantly, deigns frequently change during the execution.

How do you stay motivated?
The problem for us is stopping, not starting. Left to our own devices we will work in the studio till we drop, sleep for a few hours,get up and do it again. We will typically force ourselves out of the studio after 3-4 days of this. The net result of getting out of the studio is being immersed in the big world of inspiration - which drives us back into the studio.


Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
No, we do not stay in one place creatively long enough to get into a rut. We throw ourselves into new and unfamiliar experiences constantly. If we find something on the menu we've never had - that's what we're having. We'll do things even when we don't think we'll like it - just to have the experience (most of the time we discover new things we like). Even when we don't enjoy it, the experience teaches us something and inspires something.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
Yes. We are actively engaged in a wide variety of media and disciplines. Current projects include video production, publication design, furniture, clothing, a writing project, three tool development projects, and recipe formulations.



Carved bone and spontaneous body modification earrings.
Back story here.

"On Creativity" with Michele Grady

We are starting a new blog series "On Creativity". Each week will feature one or more of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive.

This week we are talking to Michele Grady Designs

What inspires you?
Being a self taught silversmith most of my inspiration comes from the colors of the metals and stones I use, along with my desire to learn as much as I can about how the metals can be manipulated, textured and shaped. New pieces usually are born due to my experimenting with my tools and new techniques.

How does your design process work/How do you come up with new ideas?
Sometimes I sketch a thing or two but that is rare unless I am working with larger one of a kind stones. Sometimes ideas come to me while laying in bed or driving in the car. Usually I just play around with the metals and tools until I like the end result.

How do you stay motivated?
It's hard to stay motivated sometimes. A custom order from someone who loves my work, a reorder from a gallery, a write up in a newspaper or magazine, or even acceptance into a certain show that I have been trying to get into for a while all help kick me back into gear.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
Yes, every so often I do find myself in a creative rut. When this happens I try to take a break from my normal every day work routine. Sometimes I go out for a run or walk, take a trip to a museum or spend some time with friends. Participating in RAW and some of the Etsy Metal challenges have also helped. When I do come back to work I then try to set aside at least a full day to just to sit and play around with new ideas and techniques.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
I have dabbled in quite a few things here and there. I have taken painting and drawing classes all throughout out my elementary and high school years, and as I got older I moved onto more 3D art such as paper mache and pottery but jewelry is still my passion.

"Sunburst Ring" made for the RAW challenge. The ring's design was created to incorporate a stone and brass spikes.

"On Creativity" with Cynthia Del Giudice

We are starting a new blog series "On Creativity". Each week will feature one or more of our members and their perspectives on keeping their creativity alive.

This week we are talking to Cynthia Del Giudice

What inspires you?
Too many things to list inspire me, the key here is that I have to be in a certain place in my mind and soul to let these things inspire me. In other words, inspiration comes mostly within me, and not so much from outside sources.

How does your design process work? How do you come up with new ideas?
It depends. Sometimes ideas come all of a sudden (many times in the middle of the night), and sometimes they come by chance while I'm experimenting with certain materials or techniques.

How do you stay motivated?
That is hard to control, but recognition certainly helps a lot. It might be from running a successful business, from feedback from friends and colleagues, or from getting a piece accepted into a book, gallery or museum.

Do you ever find yourself in a creative rut? If so how do you get out of it?
I get frustrated when things don't go as I plan or ideas stop coming. I sometimes get a little panicky thinking I won't get good ideas to keep going. I try to stop and do something else I enjoy doing and enjoy life in general. Visiting museums, looking at art, reading books, enjoying the outdoors helps.

Do you make other things besides jewelry?
Of course! I also eat and sleep! and...(never mind)
Creatively speaking, I also paint (once in a while) and do small horse sculptures with soft steel wire.
I also love gardening and improvised cooking.

Sterling Silver Fold Formed Ring II

This piece in particular came from experimenting with fold forming. I had bought a cool book on this technique, and tested many folds and shapes shown in there. After I was done with the exercises I started to experiment and find my own thing. I usually take a material or technique and think "well, but what if..." "what if I do this instead of this", "what would happen if I added this step/fold/shape, etc". And then when I end up with a cool shape I have to design around it to make it wearable (or somewhat wearable). More questions are asked "would this make a good ring?" "how do I present it?", etc.