Artist of the Month...
After opening my new etsy sight, I have found MANY wonderful artists across the country and just thought i would share with you some of my favorites.
First up is Roots Jewelry out of Tampa who creates beautiful sterling silver stone set jewelry.
Artist of the Month
Roots Jewelry
Cathryn Fowler of Tampa
http://www.etsy.com/people/RootsJewelry#
My journey through the world of jewelry making has been one of excitement, enthusiasm, and let’s be honest…..a little frustration. I have a heap of discarded metal rings from practicing my soldering technique, and I do mean a heap, to always remind me that you do indeed learn from your mistakes. But let’s rewind a couple years back to a little apartment in Boone, North Carolina. That’s where my initial step into this world was taken. I think I might have left my mark there…literally. Picture two people huddled outside of their apartment in that chilly wind that winter is known for (Did I mention our apartment was on the top of a mountain? A very windy mountaintop?), gathered around a crucible, trying desperately to melt silver to fill my already- made mold using the lost–wax casting process. Those two people would be my loving, very patient husband and myself. Needless to say, we received many strange stares from our neighbors. Eventually, the icy wind got the better of us and we moved the project inside. Yes, that would be inside to our wooden second floor apartment. And yes, we had the fire extinguisher right next to us. And yes, we are very grateful we did not burn the whole complex down. From that failed attempt I moved to microwavable kilns, where I had the overwhelming success of frying a microwave and actually melting the outside of the kiln. With no microwave, and no microwavable kiln, that avenue came to a dead end. The memories of countless hours upon hours of research, complimented with banging heads against the table is so fresh in my mind. ☺ Due to life and its unpredictable turns, jewelry making was put on hold for a little while. However, the itching in my fingers wouldn’t quite go away. I just happened to jump into the deep end, when perhaps I should have waded in the shallow end first.
To read the rest of her bio, go to http://www.etsy.com/people/RootsJewelry
First up is Roots Jewelry out of Tampa who creates beautiful sterling silver stone set jewelry.
Artist of the Month
Roots Jewelry
Cathryn Fowler of Tampa
http://www.etsy.com/people/RootsJewelry#
My journey through the world of jewelry making has been one of excitement, enthusiasm, and let’s be honest…..a little frustration. I have a heap of discarded metal rings from practicing my soldering technique, and I do mean a heap, to always remind me that you do indeed learn from your mistakes. But let’s rewind a couple years back to a little apartment in Boone, North Carolina. That’s where my initial step into this world was taken. I think I might have left my mark there…literally. Picture two people huddled outside of their apartment in that chilly wind that winter is known for (Did I mention our apartment was on the top of a mountain? A very windy mountaintop?), gathered around a crucible, trying desperately to melt silver to fill my already- made mold using the lost–wax casting process. Those two people would be my loving, very patient husband and myself. Needless to say, we received many strange stares from our neighbors. Eventually, the icy wind got the better of us and we moved the project inside. Yes, that would be inside to our wooden second floor apartment. And yes, we had the fire extinguisher right next to us. And yes, we are very grateful we did not burn the whole complex down. From that failed attempt I moved to microwavable kilns, where I had the overwhelming success of frying a microwave and actually melting the outside of the kiln. With no microwave, and no microwavable kiln, that avenue came to a dead end. The memories of countless hours upon hours of research, complimented with banging heads against the table is so fresh in my mind. ☺ Due to life and its unpredictable turns, jewelry making was put on hold for a little while. However, the itching in my fingers wouldn’t quite go away. I just happened to jump into the deep end, when perhaps I should have waded in the shallow end first.
To read the rest of her bio, go to http://www.etsy.com/people/RootsJewelry
Rebecca Morning- Phipps
So as you all know I have a newfound love of hooping, and I'm not the only one who shares this wonderful, blissful, therapeutic hobby.
Morning, a 32 year old Florence, South Carolina gal has also fallen in hoop love. So much so she is creating beautiful one of a kind hoops, some colorful, some collapsable, some glow in the dark, some decorated with beautiful ribbons and colorful tape, and some sparkly.
Here is her hoop story!
I started hooping a little over 7 months ago when my husband brought home a water hoop for my 8 year old. i wanted to be able to hoop like her, so effortlessly, but had never been able to keep a hoop up around my waist. i tried and tried to no avail! after several days of aggravation i figured i would try swinging it the opposite way, and low and behold it worked. i blogged about it here...www.morninglilli.blogspot.com/2010/04/today-i-learned.html
my sweet friend sara janssen saw my post, and sent me a link to ana, brecken, and baxter at a hoop jam, i was BLOWN AWAY!!!! as soon as i saw it i had to get it the hoop!!! a few days later a shiny new adult hoop came in the mail from my fairy hoop mother. :) i couldnt put it down. i hooped everyday for atleast an hour. ate up every bit of the beginner hoop technique video i had, and hit youtube for every ounce of hoop tutorial i could find. i would watch a video then go outside and try it till i got it (sometimes that would take days, and end in all sorts of bruises and bumps).
i decided that i wanted to blog about my hoop journey so started hoopenanigans ....
http://hoopenanigans.blogspot.com/
i love that i have a couple of readers, but really it is just for me to document where i am in the hoop, and keep track of where i have been.
a few months ago i tried my hand at hoop making, i bought some really big tubing from a local farm store and made a few of them for some friends of mine. it seemed only natural to get everyone together for a hoop jam with the new hoops, so we had the first great hooptacular extravaganza!!! i am still making hoops, and actually do it now for not only fun, but for some income also. i love making them! everyone is different, made to order for someone special! i get to think about how much fun i have in my hoop, and that i am making something that could change someones life!!!!!! shipments of hoop tape make me so happy and i feel like a million bucks when i get the end of a roll of tubing, and have to go back to the farm shop and get another roll or two!
we still meet for our hooptacular extravaganzas every week! it is getting cold now, but we still get together with freezing fingers and toes. i love meeting with my partners in crime here in florence, and love it when new hoopers come. it is so much fun to watch someone land a move they have been working on for a week! i find that that is the best part about meet ups. where we would be more inclined to give up while hooping by ourselves, when we are with others we tend to keep at it until we get it! and it helps to have support and someone to walk you through what to do also!
right now my favorite hoop is my 36" 3/4 100 psi silver hoop with a white grip core. it is very responsive, and looks magical doing isolations.
my first hoop was a big ole 42" 3/4 160 psi rainbow collapsible. i still hoop with it from time to time.
the next on my hoop list is a LED. i havent figured out where i want to get one from, or if my husband is going to make one for me. :)
other than that i really want to learn contact staff technique, and i play with poi on occasion. the whole world of flow toys is magical to me!
So when you are ready to begin your hoop bliss check out Morning and her beautiful hoops.
You can check out her hoop blog for more information at http://hoopenanigans.blogspot.com/
Morning, a 32 year old Florence, South Carolina gal has also fallen in hoop love. So much so she is creating beautiful one of a kind hoops, some colorful, some collapsable, some glow in the dark, some decorated with beautiful ribbons and colorful tape, and some sparkly.
Here is her hoop story!
I started hooping a little over 7 months ago when my husband brought home a water hoop for my 8 year old. i wanted to be able to hoop like her, so effortlessly, but had never been able to keep a hoop up around my waist. i tried and tried to no avail! after several days of aggravation i figured i would try swinging it the opposite way, and low and behold it worked. i blogged about it here...www.morninglilli.blogspot.com/2010/04/today-i-learned.html
my sweet friend sara janssen saw my post, and sent me a link to ana, brecken, and baxter at a hoop jam, i was BLOWN AWAY!!!! as soon as i saw it i had to get it the hoop!!! a few days later a shiny new adult hoop came in the mail from my fairy hoop mother. :) i couldnt put it down. i hooped everyday for atleast an hour. ate up every bit of the beginner hoop technique video i had, and hit youtube for every ounce of hoop tutorial i could find. i would watch a video then go outside and try it till i got it (sometimes that would take days, and end in all sorts of bruises and bumps).
i decided that i wanted to blog about my hoop journey so started hoopenanigans ....
http://hoopenanigans.blogspot.com/
i love that i have a couple of readers, but really it is just for me to document where i am in the hoop, and keep track of where i have been.
a few months ago i tried my hand at hoop making, i bought some really big tubing from a local farm store and made a few of them for some friends of mine. it seemed only natural to get everyone together for a hoop jam with the new hoops, so we had the first great hooptacular extravaganza!!! i am still making hoops, and actually do it now for not only fun, but for some income also. i love making them! everyone is different, made to order for someone special! i get to think about how much fun i have in my hoop, and that i am making something that could change someones life!!!!!! shipments of hoop tape make me so happy and i feel like a million bucks when i get the end of a roll of tubing, and have to go back to the farm shop and get another roll or two!
we still meet for our hooptacular extravaganzas every week! it is getting cold now, but we still get together with freezing fingers and toes. i love meeting with my partners in crime here in florence, and love it when new hoopers come. it is so much fun to watch someone land a move they have been working on for a week! i find that that is the best part about meet ups. where we would be more inclined to give up while hooping by ourselves, when we are with others we tend to keep at it until we get it! and it helps to have support and someone to walk you through what to do also!
right now my favorite hoop is my 36" 3/4 100 psi silver hoop with a white grip core. it is very responsive, and looks magical doing isolations.
my first hoop was a big ole 42" 3/4 160 psi rainbow collapsible. i still hoop with it from time to time.
the next on my hoop list is a LED. i havent figured out where i want to get one from, or if my husband is going to make one for me. :)
other than that i really want to learn contact staff technique, and i play with poi on occasion. the whole world of flow toys is magical to me!
So when you are ready to begin your hoop bliss check out Morning and her beautiful hoops.
You can check out her hoop blog for more information at http://hoopenanigans.blogspot.com/
Brian Barnard http://www.brianbarnard.com
I have been creating art for as long as I remember. Having an interest in drawing mainly until I entered the art program at FSU in 2000. There, I tried my hand at design, but found my way into painting soon after and it's been my passion ever since. In the last two years I have been performance painting live at concerts and music festivals. My subject matter usually includes neo-tribal faces, often with a reference to a center "minds" eye, or other natural and spiritual allusions. My pieces always have plenty of bright, bold colors with an abundance of visual texture and patterning. I paint with acrylics and mixed media on canvas, wood and found objects, recently I have been incorporating the use of stencils and enamel. Currently, I can be found in the North East Florida area based out of Fernandina Beach.
http://www.brianbarnard.com
http://www.brianbarnard.com
Erin Hall Weiss
Iris Photographic Arts aka Erin Hall. I was interested in the visual arts at a very young age and by the time I was considering colleges, I knew I wanted to do something creative. I attended SCAD (Savannah College of Arts and Design) where I majored in Graphic Design. While there I had several roommates who were photography majors and became interested in their work and even took a few photography based graphic courses over the years. I left Savannah to return to Jacksonville before completing my degree. I have two beautiful children and up until recently they have been my main focus. However, I recently rekindled my love for the visual arts and have enjoyed the resurgence of the artistic community here in Jacksonville. It really inspired me to pursue photography and design once again. I began Iris Photographic Arts, thanks to the encouragement of my friends and family, back in January of this year. I enjoyed being an artist at RAM but have taken the summer off to be with my children. I will be returning to RAM beginning September 18th and I will be there every other weekend through the end of December. I am back in school studying design and have been designing websites and blogs for small business owners, including myself.
http://www.wix.com/irisphotographicarts/irisphotographicarts
