Monday, November 5, 2012

EtsyMetal Blog Carnival - November Edition: Why do you make jewelry?

Why do I make jewelry?
There are a million reasons.



I've always been artistic and have enjoyed making things throughout my childhood. I love photography and design and painting. I love sculpture, glass and textiles.
When I started college at RISD, I went in thinking for sure I'd major in illustration or photography. Nothing else crossed my mind. We spent our first year there taking all sorts of foundation classes. I had very little actual experience in 3 dimensional art, except for the one ceramics class in grade school, and of course I made lots of things at home. The bonus of having artist parents.
Before that first year was over, we were expected to choose our major. I suddenly had no idea where to go. I definitely didn't measure up to all the talented illustrators at school and I was really enjoying all the work in my sculpture class. During class one day, after a critique, my professor came over to chat. He asked me if I had ever considered majoring in Jewelry.
Well, no, actually.
He commented on my patience, my attention to detail and how I enjoyed working in a small scale.
Hmm.
Obviously, I love to wear jewelry. But I really had no concept of how it was actually produced. I started going to all the open houses to try to spark my hidden passion.

Then I met the jewelry majors.

What an eclectic bunch. They were funny and weird and down to earth. My kind of people. They showed me some of the pieces they made. I loved the conceptual jewelry immediately. I loved that you could make an artistic statement on such a small and personal level and that it could mean something different depending on the wearer.
I was hooked.

I have never once regretted that decision. I love the nitty gritty of working in metal.
I get to play with fire!
I love that my hands always look rough.
*side note: whenever I went home for holidays, my dad always asked to see my hands. He wanted to make sure they were callused and looked like I was working hard.
I love that the jewelry making process is still a mystery to so many people. I feel like a magician!
I love the intimacy of my work. How it pierces the flesh.
I love the symbolism and meaning that each wearer attributes to a piece.
I love the energy it holds.
I love how it makes you feel.
I love that it will last forever.




Make sure to read everyone else's post on this topic!

Cynthia Del Giudice - http://CynthiaDelGiudice.blogspot.com

Laura Jane Bouton - http://laurajanebouton.blogspot.it/

silentgoddess http://silentgoddess.blogspot.com

Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com

Peculiar Forest http://peculiarforest.blogspot.com

Tosca TerĂ¡n http://www.nanopod.me

Nodeform http://nodeform.blogspot.com

Mary Anne Karren: http://silverpearlmetalworks.wordpress.com/

Deborah Lee Taylor: http://www.e5jewelryblog.com

2Roses: http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com

Anne Walker: http://www.creativeinclinations.blogspot.com

Andrea Ring http://www.amuckdesign.blogspot.com

Gracebourne Design http://www.gracebourne.blogspot.com

Danielle Miller http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/

Evelyn Markasky http://markasky.blogspot.com

Inbar Bareket http://www.inbarbareket.info/http:/www. ... d-dig-deep

Jewellietta http://www.jewellietta.blogspot.gr/

Abella Blue - http://www.abellablue.com/blog

e5jewelry - www.e5jewelryblog.com