A bunch of members of the Starving Artists Etsy Team pooled their talents for a Christmas Promo this year.  We all contributed a charm, and put together this wonderful bracelet.

Valued at over $400, it will be given away to one lucky customer!  With each purchase at one of the participating shops, your name will be entered into the draw!

For a list of the participating shops, check out the SATeam’s Blog.  Or, do a search on Etsy using the tag SATEAMWRIST.  Members have also contributed items to the SATeam Etsy Shop, so be sure to check it out as well!

This holiday event runs from October 26 to December 6, 2009!

From:  Dianne Karg
To:  Editor, Lapidary Journal
Date:  2/4/00 4:46:57 PM
Subject:  Lapidary Journal “Beating the Wrap”

I couldn’t help but chuckle about the comment in the February 2000 issue of Lapidary Journal that “wire-wrapped jewelry could be said to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the jewelry world”!  It’s unfortunately a true statement, precisely because it is a craft that can be done b y just about anyone with very little training.  But just simply changing the name to “wirecraft” doesn’t change the fact that there is still a serious perception problem on the part of “traditional” jewellery craftspeople and the public.  I’ve had many an encounter with others who upon hearing what I do, give me a condescendingly benign smile that says “Oh, you’re not a SERIOUS artist.”  The attitude bemuses me – I’ve made jewellery using traditional fabrication methods, and I don’t consider myself to be any less an artist just because my chosen medium is now solderless wire.  Part of the bias comes from the notion that because there is often no soldering, there is no real skill and very little innovation involved creating these pieces.  Quite the contrary is true.  Wire art – which is my preferred term for this type of jewellery – can involve a high degree of dexterity and technical complexity.  For many people who turn their noses up at the idea, it comes as a revelation to see just what IS possible with wire.  There is also a perception that because the craft is so labour intensive, it can’t be profitable.  In fact, based on what your survey results showed, it can be just as profitable as other forms of jewellery.  At the recent Wire Artists Group Convention held in Tallahassee, Florida in January, I had the privilege of meeting an international group of people who are truly pasional about wire art jewellery, and it shows in their work.  I believe that Lapidary Journal could make a significant contribution to the changing of peoples’ perceptions by featuring a story on wire artists who are doing inventive and original work.  The general public could have the opportunity to see that wire art jewellery is much more than simply wrapping wire around a stone.  It could also inspire others who work with wire to stretch their creative muscle and move beyond the traditional forms into new directions.

In the almost 10 years since I wrote that letter, LJ (now Jewelry Artist) has featured wire artists several times, and started publishing the Step-by-Step series of magazines. The wire jewellery I’ve seen the past decade has improved vastly in terms of its creativity and quality of workmanship. My perception is that wire jewellery is commanding a lot more respect. While there are still challenges, I think we’ve come a long way .

I’m still going to be busily working on my tutorials though.

For those of you purchasing tutorials over the next couple days (thank you!), please hang tight if you run into any problems.  I’ll be back online on Sunday evening, so I’ll deal with any issues then.

Have a great end of the week/weekend!

Elizabeth’s Art Gallery
54 Courthouse Square,
Goderich ON, N7A 1M5
www.elizabeths.ca

Prior to the event, I was wracking my brain trying to come up with something, and finally thought, “Well, it’s Fall, so why not do leaves?”  So, that’s what I did.  It was great fun, and I’d encourage anyone coming to next year’s AGM to join in!

The website is now back online and running smoothly.

She recently posted a link to my Stud Tutorial, and made what was the funniest wire related comment I’ve seen in a while:

I feel as though I’ve admired Diane’s wire work since I was a short piece of wire.

(emphasis mine)

The image that conjures up is just priceless…  Thanks for the smile, Cindy