Uprooted 2, Photos by Luke Anthony Photography

Although I finished Uprooted 2 at my residency in May, I just got great photos last week of this piece so I thought I'd share.

Photography by Luke Anthony Photography

Photography by Luke Anthony Photography

Photography by Luke Anthony Photography

Uprooted 3: Growth

I started Uprooted 3: Growth while at Blueberry View Artist's Retreat, and I have just finished it last week.  I love making the beaded tendrils and parts of the woodworking, but the sanding and finish work I tend to procrastinate on.  Lucky for me, Luke of Luke Anthony Photography could squeeze me in this week for professional photos of a few of my pieces.  This is the first of posting his awesome photos:

It's secondary name is "growth" because that word really represents my artwork from 3 years ago to now, lots of growth, in my work, as an artist and within myself.  I have had things come up in my life recently that have caused me extreme amounts of stress.  In the past few weeks I have had a lot of personal growth and it feels like a wave has washed over me.  I am calmer than I have been and I am getting my focus and excitement back and centered around my art.

The next two photos I took, because I thought it was unfair to do this post without showing that this piece can also hang on the wall.  When I had finished Uprooted 2: Big Ugly, I had wished that I could hang it on the wall.  I like it fine as a free-standing sculpture, but I always like options.  Uprooted 3 easily lent itself to hanging on the wall with it's flat bottom, so it wasn't a lot of extra work to consider making a small nail-hole.  

This particular piece wasn't growing on me very quickly at first, but I have to say, there was an immediate sense of satisfaction when I put it up on my living-room wall this morning.  I think I will be admiring it from here for a little bit.  It really comes out at you.

I need to thank everyone for their love and encouragement recently.  I know that sometimes posting to social media makes you feel like images and daily progress can go unnoticed, but between Instagram, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter I've had many lovely comments and encouragement to keep going and finish this (among other) pieces. Also a huge thanks to Luke for getting photos so quickly, my next few blog posts are going to be more beautiful with his eye behind the camera rather than mine.

Gold and Black St. Petersburg Chain Jewelry

When I blend in multiple colors together I usually just do a mix in one of the sections of my bead tray and pick up beads at random.  I decided to change up the fade from black to gold in this set of jewelry by utilizing the straight line angle that the St. Petersburg Chain stitch lends itself too.

I'm really enjoying the outcomes:

Necklace

Bracelet

Earrings

Back to Beaded Jewelry: Teal Gold and Black set

I tend to go on a bit of a jewelry-making binge as holiday season comes up.  I decided to go with a combination of dark teal, dark gold and black this year.  Here are some of the new pieces that I have made.

Cluster Earrings

Leaf Bracelet

Bangles

Double Pod Earrings

Lariat Necklace 

3 Leaf Pendant 

Tiny strip pod earrings 

Pod Earring with pearl

Japan Vacation: Ending in Tokyo

I ended our last four days in Tokyo after our Japan Rail Pass was expired. There's lots to see still and I did lots of walking.

Ginza

Fake-lace chain link, but still cool (the design was hooked in separate)

Window displays appreciating skeins

Traditional dress in front of Tiffany's

The floor of the museum, I couldn't help it, I'm inspired by the inlay.

Beautiful gold foiled panels.

So much anime in Electronic Town, this was a bunch of girls dressed as characters, it was in an outdoor expo sort of area.

Back to Ueno park, we hit the Zoo.

So long Tokyo, until we meet again.

Japan Vacation: Atami/Izu Peninsula

I was really tired after hiking Mt. Fuji but got in a nap at a hotel in Mishima and found this great teriyaki place for dinner.

This is their attempt at writing out an English menu.

One of my favorite manhole covers!

Ajiro Station where our host for the Atami Red House that I booked picked us up at 

(more than a few times!)

The only traditional guestroom I stayed in at Atami Red House.  It was a lovely spot.

Oh the slippers! The main ones had little dogs, then there were slippers for the toilet too,

Our hosts took me and another guest for a drive along the sites.  We went to Ajiro's public Beach.

Atami Castle

Atami castle allowed photos of the armor and helmets, which are just beautiful.

I couldn't read anything at the Atami Castle since it was all in Japanese, so I still have no explanation for some of the below images...

(They would carry the lords around in these little boxes)

Atami is known for its dried fish....these are all out in the open markets.

Excellent sashimi, except the cuttlefish....I decided that one wasn't for me.

Zack couldn't help but play with the fish head.

Atami Beach

Private bathhouse that our hosts had access to, hot springs inside and outside on the top story overlooking the bay.

Hibachi

The National Park in Ito...took a wrong turn and had an all-day hike...

It has the largest wax myrtle in Japan.

There's a herd of kitties that live on one of the bluffs along this hike!

The second homemade delicious breakfast at Atami Redhouse.  The bread on the left actually has cream cheese, figs and raisins in the middle.  YUM!

Japan Vacation: Hiking Mount Fuji

Coming up to My. Fuji.

Trail head! 7:15 pm

Trail markers in the dark.

Crazy huge mountain leach.

The moon and clouds.

Flora.

The moon again....the little dots are hikers coming up Mt. Fuji.

Hope!

The entrance to the top. 3:30am

Trying to warm up with miso soup.

Sunrise is coming!

Here it is! 5:15am

Ice at the top.

Heading back down.....

Bells. Make a wish with a bell on Mt. Fuji.

Back down.

Getting close, very tired.

I hiked this at night! It hurt just as bad coming back down. Back to trailhead 9:30am.