The Last Post

In the last nine months my father passed away, I chose a graduate program, and I moved across the country. More changes are on the horizon, too, ones I know are coming and others so intangible it's nearly impossible to even imagine them. Yesterday another big change happened: I started my graduate program, and a new way of being an artist and a new way of living. I had an inspiring talk with my mentor, Lori Talcott, recently and she told me I have to "submit" to school, meaning I must put aside most everything else and devote myself to my studies. I've been thinking a lot about this word "submit" and what it means to me. Then I found a quote by Henry Miller that defines it in a really beautiful way and articulates how I feel:

"True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself."

So I submit to school and to my work in a way I have not done before, and in doing so, a few more things are forced to change:

my new studio at California College of the Arts

My Sienna Patti Contemporary solo exhibition has been postponed. Sienna and I decided to put the show on hold until I'm done with school. It's just not the right time. What about the Pearl Piece you may wonder? I will continue to work on it (and accept contributions), and when it's done, it will go out into the world. I've said "no" to a few other exhibitions and projects recently, too, and my Etsy shop is now closed.

I started working at Velvet da Vinci one day a week. It's great to work alongside Mike Holmes and will be a great way to stay current in the world of art jewelry while providing me with some structure and regular income.

And, finally, I'm going to take a long break from blogging and other social media that's focused on my work. These things, although I truly enjoy them, take a tremendous amount of time and I know I will need all the time I can get in the coming weeks and months. My work is going to change a lot over the next two years, too, and I think I need to keep things to myself, for the most part, as I move through school. Starting with this entry, I'm going to try a new approach and post only once a month, and I will no longer post here on Blogger. I'm moving over to Tumblr where you will find me at "I live here now." I will continue to actively post on Instagram and will Tweet occasionally, too.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for being a wonderful audience... please stay with me.

I'm Moving...And, a Sale!

"So How's This Going to Work?" is a question I keep asking myself. I'm moving to California in just a few very short weeks; June 8, to be exact. Right now, I'm in the midst of finishing some new work for my galleries, filling a few Etsy orders, and making a couple of custom pieces. Once I'm done at the bench, I can start to pack. I will take my hand tools and my favorite books, and that's probably it. I'm not going to move my entire studio across the country because I will have access to all sorts of tools at school, but I won't have a studio over the summer. So, this brings me to begin to answer this question of "how":

1. I have reduced the number of galleries and shops I'm working with. Please visit Facebook to view a complete list. I will try to keep making work for these places while I'm in school, but I have no idea how demanding school will be. I'll see what's realistic as my schedule unfolds in the fall...more changes may have to be made.

2. And what about Etsy? I've been rolling this over and over in my mind and I have yet to come to a definitive conclusion. My plan for now is to keep the shop "as is" for the following week and everything will be 25% off as a last hurrah before I go. To take advantage of the sale please use the following coupon code - MOVING2015. This will be your last chance to order most of what is currently available, at least for the summer. I will remove everything from the shop when I move, except the pieces I still have in stock. These will be available all summer long, ready to ship within a day of ordering. Once I start school after Labor Day, well, I'm still trying to figure that out... Again, I think I need to see what happens at school first, see what I can realistically handle before making any concrete decisions. I would love to keep the shop open, but I just don't know if that's possible...again, more changes may come. 

So things are pretty hectic around here as I prepare to move. I will keep you posted on my plans and thank you in advance for your patience and support. You are always so good to me! Thank you!

Thanks for reading.