Taming the Tangle

Chicago: One Day Only!

Join me and 35 other women artists for a one-day only pop-up shopping event on Chicago's North side. It will be a fun and lively event with so much beautiful art, all handmade by local women. This is my only Chicago show this year, so I hope to see you!

Saturday, May 12, 11am - 5pm
Chicago Art Girls Pop-Up Shop
http://www.chicagoartgirls.com

Preview more work on our Facebook page

and join the fun on our Twitter feed

I am in town until May 17 and still have several private appointments available if you are not able to make the event, I can come to you! Contact me directly at info [at!] kathyfrey [dot] com to arrange a time... I have several one of a kind pieces under $400... a great price point for a totally unique and wearable piece of art jewelry.

Hope to see you soon, and Happy Mother's Day!

Springtime at Artful Home

Even though I knew the Spring Artful Home catalog would feature some of my jewelry, it's still a wonderful surprise when the catalog actually shows up. It's so much fun to flip through and oooh and aaah over all the beautiful art, lamps, and clothing as well as stunning jewelry. I always feel in such good company!

Artful Home is one of my favorite catalogs!

My newest nests are featured in the catalog... perfect for spring! The Extra Large Gradient Nest Pendant is on a 36" chain and can be switched to any other chain you own for added versatility. The Black Silver Long Nest Vine Hook Earrings have a dramatic new length and asymmetrical handmade hooks.

The Riverstone Bangles are stunning with all of the artisinal clothing offered in the catalog... although, honestly, they make any outfit artsy! These are still custom made to fit your hand.

It was fun to flip through and find an image of several art pieces grouped together, including my Riverstone Bangles.

If you don't receive the Artful Home catalog, you can join the mailing list via the website and see expanded offerings from each artist online.

When it rains it pours

At the moment, it's silent outside. And, yes, I've checked... that doesn't mean it's snowing. For the last 3 weeks we haven't had much relief from rain and snow, unusual for this time of year in California. The weather has thrown a kink in my weekly structure and mood. Luckily I'm not a sullen or mopey person, yet I haven't been my usual bubbily self. I've been hibernating and have been rather anti-social overall. I have not been good with my schedule... exercise has lagged, emailed ignored, and the dishes pile up.

Instead I've been resorting to hard core production. In general I'm all in favor of and actually prefer balance in my life, yet sometimes you just gotta put the head down and keep the nose to the grindstone. I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to create new inventory for the 4th Avenue Spring Street Fair in Tucson, refresh a couple of stores with new work before I leave for said show, fill 4 outstanding orders, as well as create samples that need to be photographed for my catalog update. All in all, I guess I should be thankful that Mother Nature cooperated instead of tempting me with sunshine and garden beds pleading for attention (although those ski slopes sure sound tasty!).

Today amidst a flurry of oxidizing and finishing, I made these earrings that I'm still wondering why I don't make more of... I love them! Especially with my "new" long hair. They are long without being too long, and bold enough for daytime or evening looks. You will definitely see me sporting these more often because I love the movement and versatility, and they are so comfortable.

Long Black Silver Wireball Strand Earrings, ©2011 Kathy Frey

Best of all, they are now available in my Etsy shop!

It's all in how you look at it

Often I listen to audiobooks to keep me motivated during long stretches of production as I've been doing this week to fill orders for stores as well as to build inventory for the upcoming 4th Avenue Spring Street Fair in Tucson, Arizona April 1-3. I've just finished "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute, and it is my very favorite type of book in that it has adventure, takes place in another country, and it has a strong female character.

Suspended Pearl Earrings, photo by Grant Boyle, ©2011 Kathy Frey
Yesterday I made 26 pairs of these earrings, and the time flew by since I was listening to an audiobook

At its very core, this book is so inspiring to me as a woman business owner. The woman in the book is amazing, and business comes rather naturally to her. There are facets to her character that are incredible as well since she endured many hardships as a prisoner of war, yet she didn't dwell on the hardships or bury them to be ignored. It seems she learned from them many lessons about taking things day by day, patience, endurance, strength of character and leadership.

We all have things in our lives that can be viewed in different ways. They can be heavy if we dwell on them, or we can focus on the lessons learned even when there's nothing positive about an experience itself. This makes a personal burden lighter and allows us to proceed with our lives and the making of art in a more open manner.

This year I've been processing a lot of information about the relationship with my mother as she has been officially diagnosed with alzheimer's disease at a young age. Over the years we've had many hardships and our relationship has been a roller coaster of highs and lows, yet I've always loved my mother because I know that without her I wouldn't be who I am today. We are such different people with different taste -- there are similarities, of course, especially when it comes to our sense of humor -- yet I can't deny that somehow both my brother and I run our own businesses, have thoroughly distinct visions about design, and both enjoy art and writing.... none of those things specifically learned from our mother.

Satellite Lariat, photo by Grant Boyle, ©2011 Kathy Frey
Today I set up 16 chains for necklaces to be completed tomorrow... I better find a new audiobook quickly!

Someone told me, when thinking about my mom and the journey we are on now, to focus on her trait I most admire. The word "independence" popped into my head immediately, and that makes me feel very positive about her. It made me feel proud to have learned that from her. It's also been a good guiding word for figuring out next steps for her.

That's also probably most why I love "A Town Like Alice." Jean, the woman in the story, is truly independent throughout her life in its ups and downs. Independence doesn't mean she's alone. She carries her strength of character from youth throughout her life with friends and romance, family and business. Check it out for an inspiring read, and let me know of any books of its ilk that you would recommend as I'm now in need of a new listen!

New for the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing gift shop selected some new designs to add to the collection of Kathy Frey sculptural wire jewelry that they carry. Next week you can look for these new pieces for spring.

In the last year I've been pushing myself to create more asymmetrical designs. This off-center pyramid necklace quickly became a best seller for its flattering drape and surprise hits of red.

Offset Pyramid Multichain Necklace with Coral, photo by Kathy Frey, © 2011 Kathy Frey

 

This pendant is one of my favorites. The cubes are so tiny and cute. Each on their own is too quiet, yet stacked it makes a wonderful statement with all the simplicity of a pendant. I love how the triple strands of delicate ball chain mimic the repetition of the triple cubes, another detail that makes this design successful.

Triple Cube Stack Pendant, photo by Katie Lime, ©2011 Kathy Frey

 

Thoughts of spring inadvertently lead us to thoughts of summer with all of its lightweight flowing fashions. These versatile pendants, akin to frames, can be work year round yet their light weight makes them a perfect summertime accessory since you will barely know you are wearing one... perfect for those steamy days we know are ahead.

Large Twisted Pendants (circle, rectangle, and square), photo by Linda Savitz, ©2011 Kathy Frey

 

Don't live in Chicago? All of these pieces are also available in my etsy shop!

Indulge award winner #1: Tia Kramer

I am at home catching up from all that happened at Indulge, the awesome art jewelry show at the Bellevue Arts Museum last weekend. There were 2 award winners at the show, and I'm going to feature both of them on my blog.

The first one is Tia Kramer, a fellow wire jewelry artist. We met a couple of years ago through a trunk show at the Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing, where we each show our jewelry collections. I've loved her work since the first time I saw it -- she artfully combines wire structures with handmade paper, which allows her pieces to be sculptural, contemporary, and colorful all at once.

Her work has more than blossomed in the last year -- it has exploded! Here is how her booth looked at Indulge:

Tia Kramer's 5x10 booth, photo by Kathy Frey, © 2011 Tia Kramer

This display is like a gallery. Tia used to be an installation designer, so she brought those skills to her vision, which she could easily make a reality since this show is a home-town show for her (i.e., she could rent a Uhaul rather than trying to design around the size constraints of a car).

Tia also pushed herself to create work that would even surpirse herself. This is a glimpse of one of the large pieces she mounted on the wall:

Palpitation Series, photo by Kathy Frey, © 2011 Tia Kramer

The large necklace in the center is more than just a necklace... Tia created a series of pieces that interconnect and can be a necklace, bracelet, and brooch or one grand statement neckpiece. What a stunning designer she is! And all of her pieces can be custom designed in a specific color palette.

Tia and I met for dinner one night to catch up and exchange business ideas and encouragement. She gave me insight into how she reinvented herself, something I'm so interested in. I have piles of breakout sketches... but how to make a push to create a large collection of new work that really makes an impact? I don't want to sound ungrateful in the least for being busy with orders and reorders of my existing designs, yet there is a part of me that wants to push and blossom even more. To feel that excitement within myself and to see it in the faces of friends and clients who have followed me for years is just the motivation I need!

Tia set aside more than a month to really push herself to create new work. Interestingly enough, her studio is not her favorite place for this. Her studio mindset is too based around business pressures... orders to fill, paperwork to be done, production to complete. So to open up her mind to new ideas, she started creating at home and during traveling roadtrips (this is when a driver really comes in handy!). She simply removed herself from her work environment to a place where she felt creative and uninhibited.

During the weeks she set aside, new work was the priority. She couldn't waiver from this, so this meant she needed the full support from her partner Tim as well as the understanding from friends and family. It's kind of like an extended vacation where you might be out of touch for weeks at a time. Now that's a girl who knows how to set boundaries! And all of those people came to the show to see the fruits of her labor... from afar it looked like a wonderful support network.

Part of Tia's motivation was knowing there were awards at the show. She didn't know she would win, but she pushed herself to put her best work forward. I'm so glad it paid off for her! She had sales during the show as well, although we all know that sometimes artistic drive and vision trump even the idea of sales. Showcasing her newest work was the creative drive behind her display... she let the work tell her what it needed to get the attention it deserved.

I was so inspired... I hope you are, too. The only time I did something like this was for a fashion show in Chicago where I was the sole accessory designer... it was a great break-out moment for me, and eventually most of the pieces found homes. More importantly, though, it helped me to create pieces so that people could see my artistic creativity and passion, which compelled them to purchase a piece that worked with their own style yet reminded them of something outrageous that they saw in the show.

Wire Boa, photo by Thea Volk, © 2011 Kathy Frey

Tia and I discussed many other topics, which I will cover in coming posts. Be sure to visit her website... Tia has one of the best "origination stories" ever.

A new nest necklace for spring

Here's a sneak peek of one of the new designs I created for Indulge, the art jewelry show at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington, February 4-6, 2011. My nest pendants and pins are great sellers, yet I'm always pushing myself to work the designs in a new direction. I'm embarrassed to say I've thought of putting a nest off-center for years... well, here's what happens when I "do" rather than just thinking about it:

Double Strand Pearl and Nest Necklace, photo by Sky Mowen, © 2011 Kathy Frey

There are two sizes of pearls in this piece... I used some large specialty pearls for the back part of this necklace, making it a one of a kind since I don't have enough of those pearls to make another. Never fear, though, I will make more necklaces in this style since I was happy with how this first one came out.

I'll send more images from Indulge once I'm setup because I do have a few other new pieces that I'm so excited to share!

What's new on Etsy: long sculptural earrings

One of my 2011 goals is to regularly add new items to my Etsy shop. In looking over my listings there, I realized that many of my favorite pieces were not even available! That's okay... I'm trying to not beat myself up about what hasn't been done and rather switch my focus to what I'm doing. One of my goals is to list 3 new items each week.

In the mix you will find new designs like these fun earrings:

Contrast wrap Wound Circle Earrings, photo by Linda Savitz, ©2011 Kathy Frey

In a similar vein but much more dramatic due to the dimensional wrapping are these yummies:

Long Riverstone Sculpture Hooks, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2011 Kathy Frey

I love the look of long sculptural earrings. Not too long, all of these are wearable on an everyday basis. The lengths flatter most jawlines and work with short hair yet still show up against longer locks. This is another favorite pair you can find now in my Etsy shop:

Long Wireball Sculpture Hooks, photo by Grant Boyle, © 2011 Kathy Frey

Each of these earrings have great detail and personality because I sculpt the pieces individually by hand including the hooks. Each pair of earring has its own special hook shape that adds an interesting line to the earrings.

Look for more new goodies in my Etsy shop each week!

A bundle of new rings

Large Wireball Wrapped Band Rings and Wireball Bundle Rings, photo by Linda Savitz, © 2011 Kathy Frey

 

Rings are so much fun to wear, especially big ones with movement. My newest ring designs are the wrapped band rings in two band widths, thick and thin. The large balls stand up off the finger and are very sculptural, and the ball can spin lightly around the band since it's held in place only by the wrapping of the concave band. Officially I debuted this ring last summer, yet this is the first photo I have of it. I'm working hard to have these rings at every show since they have been a big hit so far. I will definitely be showing them next month at Indulge at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington.

One of my favorite rings for a few years now is the bundle ring, shown above in shiny sterling and half-oxidized finishes. This ring is a statement yet it's surprisingly comfortable to wear. I currently have both options for sale in my etsy shop.

A modern look at pearls

Have you explored etsy treasuries? They are mini curated displays of work based around a theme (note: they do expire after a certain amount of time). I think anyone on etsy can make one. I have never put one together myself, yet am honored to have my work included in them often. This particular one -- Unusual Elegant Pearls -- has a wonderful collection (and great prices!) if you are a pearl fanatic like myself. It features my Pearl Box Dangles and a selection of stunning jewelry creations.

Pearl Box Dangles, oxidized silver and pearls, photographed by Grant Boyle, © 2010 Kathy Frey