Jury Duty

On Sunday I am to take four pieces of jewelry to be juried for the daily market at Granville Island. The jury is held only once every two years. Two years ago, I was tempted but knew that even though my work was pretty, it wasn't up to snuff for the artisans on Granville Island. Frankly, I am nervous about my chances this time too. The competition is fierce and the quality of the artists is outstanding.

Any jury is nervewracking though. Here you are, being judged on whether your work is good enough to sell. They say yes, and wow - big sigh of relief, validation, "They really like me...." You get told "no" though and it's hard to not take it personally. It is a huge blow to one's ego, to one's motivation to keep going. You question whether to keep slogging away at something that means so much and wonder if anyone will ever think it's good enough. It is difficult to sometimes keep that professional distance - to understand that you are not being judged, that it is simply not the right venue for your work. And the problem is too that there is no explanation given when you are told no. It would be nice to know that your worked was liked, but there weren't enough open spaces, that it's not suited for the market, that something.....but it's just NO.

Vancouver is a very competitive jewerly marketplace. There are a lot of designers and they are very good. And while I know that what I make is definitely unique, it is also a more difficult sell. Finding the right venue can be a challenge, and remembering that the jury process is there to make sure that you are successful at the market can help ease the blow of rejection. Let's hope that I remember my own words when I get my answer next week.

Overall, I do prefer markets that jury - even if I don't get in, and especially when I do. It does mean that there is a certain standard that sets the market above just the "first come first served" venue. The customers have a higher expectation and are more likely to appreciate the artistry of the vendors ( and accordingly, shop). They are not there just looking for a bargain or some inexpensive imported bauble to keep the kids quiet for a few minutes.

So....we shall see what happens next week. I won't have an answer right away on Sunday and will have to wait a few days. I'm taking four carefully chosen pieces - "Blooms", a new piece from the Alchemy collection, "Vintage Punk," and .....torn between two others.

There's always 2013.

The Procrastinator's Blog

That really should be the new title of this. Seriously, without that microchip planted in my brain to livestream the daily blogs I do compose in my head directly into the computer, I seriously suck at doing this regularly. So here we are, Happy New Year! I've got until the end of January to keeping wishing people that, don't I?

I have been working. Finished a number of custom pieces so far this month so that's been a great way to start the new year. I've also been shopping. I received some polymer clay for Christmas (Fimo) and tools, so I've been out acquiring the other tools I need to try my hand at making beads. I've really enjoyed studying the techniques by Donna Kato and can't wait to get started. I have to admit that I am a bit nervous about this. I absolutely suck at working with clay. I've tried pottery, even had a wheel when I was younger. Everything looked like it was made by a blind monkey with no hands. I've tried PMC (precious metal clay) - those lumpy little nuggets of silver will never see the light of day. It didn't help that the others in my class were all sculptors and handled their clay beautifully. (and yes, the class did say no experience was required) A bit intimidating and very frustrating. It's a very expensive product too, so just buying some more to play around with is not such an easy expense to swallow.

So here am I about to tackle the medium again. Stubborn girl. I don't expect to be showing any of my beads in my work for quite awhile. But I am prepared to take my time and make mistakes.

I have been working on the bridal line as well. It's called "White." I think that the pieces I've done so far will turn out really well. Delicate, flowing, feminine. I can't wait to see the finished product and post some pictures.

Been buying some new stones and glass too - more steampunk to come and certainly a line of edgier, more industrial pieces. We must evolve and I can't keep churning out the same stuff. I am keeping some favourites - the flowers for example, but they are being repackaged in a fun way.

For now, looking at shows for the year. I need to try out some new venues and broaden my reach. While I did increase sales overall last year from 2009, the markets that had been tried and true in the past dropped dramatically for sales. I may be spending more time in the car this year to go to go a bit further afield.

So I'm looking forward to 2011. It's the year of marketing and growing for Pink Gargoyle. Time to get this show on the road and make a splash.

"And to all, a good night"

Well, it's actually only 11:30 in the morning, but the last line of The Night Before Christmas somehow seemed fitting. 5 days to go and Max is so excited. It's good to see that even at 8 years old, he is still enveloped in the magic of Christmas. Lily is excited too, but a bit quieter about it all. We've been asking and asking what she'd like, and the answers are hard to come by - mostly books really. Neither one of them had any lengthy list of must-haves. It's nice to see that they are content with what they have, but it does make our job a wee bit harder. However, in keeping with my last post, we have ordered several custom gifts for each of them that will be one-of-a-kind and speak volumes to them about how special they are to us. Haven't really set foot in the mall too much. While I cross my fingers that these things will make it here on time, I know that they will be worth the wait if they are a few days late. The presents can wait if they have to, but our Christmas morning will be just as wonderful with just being together. It will be just the four of us on Christmas day as we are entertaining family on Christmas eve, but I don't mind. We so rarely get a whole day to just be together.

I finally slept for 8 hours the other night, but so far it's the only time since September that I've made it all night. The headaches have backed off a bit, so I will take what I can get. I would rather slather on the concealer and feel groggy than feel like taking an ice pick to my head to pry the migraine out. I've had migraines since puberty but the last few years they had mostly gone away. Not sure yeat what is triggering this round, but it has been quite stressful at home the last few months. Big changes are looming for my husband and until that is all settled, I feel that these things will continue for me. When it is settled, then I believe things will be really good for all of us. I've read our horoscopes for 2011 and things look promising. I'm supposed to be more creative than ever, and he is to excel in his career. Let's see if the stars are right.

I'm planning some new things for 2011. More courses for me - wax casting, acid etching to name a couple. I've got a complete bridal line to design in January. More and more custom work keeps coming in and that's super. Thanks so much to everyone who has trusted me to create something special! I'm going to do a series of more practical and technical blogs - try to get pick up by some of the bigger jewelry blog sites. 2011 is all about marketing Pink Gargoyle and really getting it out there - time to get into the States for sure. I'm going to enter some design competitions too. I'm also toying with some home decor items in copper and wood. Let's see if I can avoid biting off more than I can chew!

So that's it for now. I wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanza or whatever you choose to celebrate. I hope you all find peace in 2011. Thanks so much to all of you out there who have supported Pink Gargoyle - it truly means the world to me that you find my work beautiful enough to spend your hard-earned money on it.

Cheers!

What's in a Name?

So in helping Lily do a bit of research on the Notre Dame cathedral the other day, we came across an interesting fact about the origins of the word "gargoyle." It is derived from the latin word "gurgulio," which means throat or gullet. In actuality, the gargoyles on the cathedral are drainpipes, hence the name - the water "gurgling" through their throats. In archetectural terms, gargoyles are functioning drainpipes, non-water spouting gargoyle-like creatures are simply known as "grotesques." There are over 5000 gargoyles at Notre Dame. I guess I have 9 "grotesques" sitting around me at home. Neither Guido nor Salvatore (yes, I name them), spout water, but they do make me happy (they are both smiling). Lily thought this little tidbit about what gargoyle means simply hilarious. So yes, I guess Pink Gargoyle is really Pink Drainpipe.

But still, I really appreciate that a true gargoyle has both form and function. I like that in modern art and architecture too. Pretty objects are lovely, but if they also serve a useful purpose, then so much the better. When I was in my painting phase, I worked first on clothing before moving to larger and larger pieces of furniture. While I decorated these pieces with themes of mythology, or mexican tile designs, each still had a functional purpose. Frankly, you can't argue with the absolute perfection of an iconoclastic Eames chair. I don't pretend that my work was ever so lofty, but still even my painted wooden pepper mills served a need. Does my jewelry? The function is pretty basic - accent an outfit and flatter the wearer by being comfortable and easily wearable. The form - well, that continues to evolve.

I am glad that the season for markets and craft shows is winding down. I have another 5 weeks to go. But I am already chomping at the bit to move on and let my art evolve. I have a list of new skills and techniques to learn during the winter and spring so that I can continue to expand on my vision of what Pink Gargoyle means to me and, hopefully, to you.

One week in

And all is good. I've been walking 5k in the mornings with some hand weights, and am eating sensibly the majority of the time. I finished reading "Skinny Bitch," and the authors do make some well-researched points about diet. However, I am not prepared to go full vegan right now. I am still eating fish and organic eggs. I really can't believe that shrimp have feelings and if the chicken is treated fairly, then there is no issue for me to eat an egg now and then. I've given up dairy, sugar, and white flour. I've been having a delicious maple gluten free cereal with almond milk for breakfast and it is delicious. I don't even like cereal but I look forward to my bowl each day. I've been trying some of the Yves veggie cuisine and it's ok but definitely not the real thing. The "ground beef" was okay over a baked potato and in a taco. Cheese however is a problem. I don't really want to have soy, and the one that I have bought that is totally soy and dairy free is questionable. It make look like cheddar, it may grate like cheddar but I find it musty and nasty. I think it would be better to forego cheese, and maybe have a little of it now and then when it's absolutely necessary. Like eating meat. I am not going to eat meat on a daily basis, but if we go to the Keg for dinner and the smell of steak is infectious, then I may order my filet. I'm certainly not missing meat and there hasn't been an issue cooking it for the rest of the family.

Now, admittedly I did have some wine on the weekend (and it was sooo good), but I'm not missing that either on a daily basis. I feel quite content with what I have been eating but I do need to expand my mostly vegetarian repetoire. While my husband says he will eat what I eat, he has already forbidden any type of bean product. I love beans and there are some great recipes for delicious garlickly white beans. Anyway, he's going away again for weeks on end, so I don't really have to worry about him for now. Last night, we had mussels in a delicious broth and tonight it's scallops with some garlicky-teriyaki type green beans.

The weekend was so-so for sales. The Steveston Artisan & Farmer's market on Sunday was my most successful outing there ever. However, the Tsawwassen Sun Festival was a complete bust. Everyone was looking for a cheap bargain and hitting the beer tent. Not the right environment for my jewelry.

Trying to finish some new pieces this week but I've been slammed with a nasty cold so mostly just drifting around the house. Reading two awesome books, "Her Fearful Symmetry" by the author of "The Time Travellers Wife" and the "Vintage Caper" by Peter Mayle. Promised to take Lily out on a mommy-date today and taking Max for his mommy-date tomorrow. It's been hard giving them each enough attention with my husband away so much, so time for some one-on-one.

Lily is back from gymnastics and is thrilled to have found some change in the parking lot. Off to mommyland.

Cheers.

Coming into my own

The other day I had the pleasure of meeting with a very nice woman from the Surrey Planning & Development department. She had contacted me some months ago about participating in this summer's Flavours of Surrey festival. We chatted about the event, she looked at some of the new pieces, and I decided to get on board. What made my day was when I asked her how she had heard about me. I was expecting to hear that she'd been by my table at one of the White Rock Farmer's markets last summer, or maybe she'd seen someone wearing one of my pieces. But no - she'd found me online and liked what she'd seen. There are only 5 spots for artists at the Flavour of Surrey event, and she was inviting me to be one of the artists. Gobsmacked would be a good word for my reaction. It's the use of the word "artist" to describe my work. And it's a long way from where I started 18 months ago when I would mumble to people that I made jewelry. As I become more and more confident in what I am doing, especially now as I am working to create as much of each piece as possible by hand, I am comfortable saying that I am a jewelry designer. I think my work can stand up to the title without seeming pretentious. "Artist" is something else - and it's a very good thing. I like the sound of it. And I certainly do think that jewelers are artists. The vision, the painstaking work, and the absolute beauty of what so many wonderful artists create using metal, stones, pearls and gems, is truly breathtaking. Even if I am only standing in the doorway, it's so wonderful to be invited to the party. I will post more practical info about the event as details get confirmed.

On another note - I had a lady recently insist that when she gets hot & sweaty, the soldered silver will rub off on her skin and make her messy. Now, the solder melts around 1000 F, give or take. I am sure she won't get that overheated on a summer's afternoon. She really wasn't convinced. In fact, there was some mention of finding me ("hunting me down") in the event that the bracelet she bought did ooze all over her arm. If anyone knows of such a thing happening, please let me know and I will gladly retract all my assertions to the contrary. But really....

Welcome to the Bling!

Hi there - today is the first day of my new blog and I am definately a newbie, having hardly read any other blogs out there but what the heck.

Today, I finally got the hang of soldering - made 5 gorgeous wedding-themed pendants. Collages in glass, composed of funky '60's wedding images and soldered in silver. Perfect for the bride or for her attendants. Love handling the soldering iron and managed not to burn myself. Everything is polished up and ready for wearing. I'll get the pics done and have them on the website in the next couple of days. (www.pinkgargoyledesign.com)

Looking at a few more shows to round out the summer and can't wait to start cutting up more old magazines, books, etc to make some more collages. Entertained the minions in the afternoon, had a couple of glasses of shiraz and waiting for Hell's Kitchen to start.

Be back with more blingnews soon!
Pink Gargoyle