Jeanetteka - Art and Glass

After the death of a loved one, we have the difficult task of living with the immense void created by our personal loss. We also need to get on with the business of living while trying to honour the memory of those whom we loved. For many of us, the natural tendency is to hang on to as much of the belongings of the departed as possible. You will know when the time has come for you to turn a corner of your grief journey and get on with the task to empty drawers and closets, and to deal with some of the personal items such as buttons, costume jewellery, sewing threads, and beads. What I am offering here is a meaningful way to remember a loved one, by incorporating those buttons, threads, beads or even old, but not forgotten, costume jewellery, into a wearable memorial, in the form of a customized grief bracelet. The picture shown is an "example" that has been decorated with a little over 50 mid century gold and black buttons of varying sizes, a few beads and then finall...

Week before last I was solicited to donate work to an upcoming Annual Art Auction happening this March 28th at the Capital Theatre . It is for the  Northumberland Child Development Centre  which is a not-for-profit organization, also here in Port Hope. They  provide programs and services for children who require additional support in our community. I always get excited when embarking on work that will eventually be donated.  Designing and assembling the pieces is where all my time and effort went. These  bodacious  dazzling blue colours are spectacular and right on target for this year's spring fashion colours . I don't think I have ever done a bracelet with that many beads on it before, so it is truly a unique piece. The bracelet took the longest, but  I've been working on all three pieces for the past week.  I'm always wanting to please others with my work, or my creations. I have always been this way. I tend to express my lo...

Perhaps I shouldn't mix business with my personal life, but its been over 9 months since my last post... I'd like to explain that exactly five days after my last post, my mother passed away unexpectedly. Everything changed. Its hard to fathom that millions of people go through this at least once in their lives, but it doesn't make it easier, just that I'm not alone.  In  her  memory, I'd like to share a drawing of her that I did many years back. It was my first project for an art class with  Peter Kolisnyk  at Glendon College. I didn't know until just this minute while searching  online  for his name, that he also passed away in 2009. It was not a bird course by any stretch of the imagination whatsoever. I had spent an entire week, maybe two, working on this drawing and hoping to "wow" Mr. Kolisnyk by showing him that I was a good and eager art student. I did receive my "A" but not without a lecture about originality first.  I wish I c...

Just wanted to jot some notes about the show this past Saturday. My neighbours were Laura of Inspired Soapworks and Anja Hertle who makes the most beautiful mosaic pieces. Anja and I exchanged wares and felt good about having a treat to bring home. We laughed and commiserated together as artists usually do. All in all, it was a really nice show and I did better in sales than the previous year. The show is still experiencing some growing pains although it was very well decorated and put together, it would have been better with more people and of course more sales. It was nice to see familiar faces.  Sally  the organizer said the numbers were about the same as last year, but because everyone is feeling that economic pinch, there were allot of tire kickers. The past few weeks I had been working really hard at making all my jewellery top notch. There wasn't anything there that was less than 100%. I usually go over everything before a show, but this time I really made sure...

    I have been experimenting with copper for the last two years and exploring viking knit, and other treasured techniques, so I thought I'd make a pair of modern'ish copper earrings to go with some of my pieces. To tell you the truth, because the components are goldish-coloured, and the fact that I can't really afford to experiment in gold, copper is a great alternate to highlight these warm coloured hues. As I am about to point out to you, there is no fancy wiring or soldering here at all. It is a simple tiny black "bead bumper" on the top of everything to hold everything in its place. They fit perfectly on this gauge of wire, a number 20 gauge, which by the way is the magic size or gauge for ear hooks. The bumper beads were purchased from BeadFX, as well as the 3" bright copper headpins , and the transparent amber coloured fire polished crystals .       The  lampwork beads  are medium-sized beige beads...