Rags 2014

For the past several years, I have made it a must to attend the Rags Wearable Art Show in Tacoma.  The goal of the show is to raise funds for the YWCA Woman's abuse shelter. Last year they made their $1,00,000 mark for this very worthy charity.
    I have my favorite artists, so I visit their tables first.  Every year it gets harder to decide which OOAK piece to take home with me.  This year was no exception, as my faves have expanded their lines and have been experimenting with new techniques to tempt me.
   I have made it a point to purchase a pair of enameled earrings from Debbie Jackson every year.  This year she had new color choices that made it hard to decide.  I finally went with these light green beauties.

 I was excited to see some new jewelery designs at her table.  "You've gotten into etching" said I.  "No, I didn't etch, due to the chemicals involved.  I discovered the rolling mill." was her reply.
Believe it or not, she embossed metals for these earrings on a rolling mill using cardboard templates. I would never have thought that cardboard would be sturdy enough to indent metal, but here you go ... proof in these two earring sets:

Another favorite artist is Pamela Bellesen aka The Wide Mouth Frog.  She only does one show a year, and doesn't sell on line. She is featured in numerous galleries around the country, but locally the only way to buy her work is at Rags or her store in Poulsbo, Wa.
   She has expanded her work to include origami papers and embossed metals.

I was very excited to hear that she is offering classes at her studio in Poulsbo, not just in metal work, but other artistic pursuits. Hopefully, I will be able work some classes into my schedule. Poulsbo is a bit of a jaunt from the Emerald City, but it can include a ferry ride and that is always fun in good weather.

I bought from a new (for me) artist this year.  Darcy Thompson upcycles china and ceramics into unique jewelery pieces with the use of colorful grout.  I fell in love with the necklace, and even tho the piece of china it originated from did not include any pieces small enough to make earrings, Darcy was able to find a pair in her stash that matched pretty closely.
 

And last, but certainly not least, I came across Michele Rancy and her Enaminals. She had the most beautiful enameled penguin, but as I had already spent my allotment for the day, I had to pass on it. Fortunately, she also had this copper penguin that was the same design only without the color.  

My totem ... of course he had to go home with me.

WHEEEEEEE !!!!!

Hidden Treasure - Wm Spear Design

While walking down the streets of Juneau, I  happened to see a bunch of pins displayed in the window of a small eatery.  I was very excited as one of the pins was a platypus.  I have liking for weird and unusual  critters (being one myself), so I excitedly went in.  I was told to take the stairs around the corner.

A bit daunting, but the walk up the flight was made more enjoyable by all the positive messages posted along the way.

I got to the top, were a very nice lady greeted me.  I was a bit disappointed to discover that what I thought was a platypus was actually a mole (I must get my eyes checked soon).  But I was NOT disappointed in what I did find!  I had discovered the shop of William Spear, a very talented designer who has produced hundreds of enameled pins.  Each pin is enameled by hand, each glaze having been placed and fired separately on copper which has been electroplated with gold.  I was totally blown away by his creativity and the fact that the prices were SOOOO reasonable.

Those that know me in real life, know that I work in a clinical laboratory, so that can explain why I was so excited to find pins that had been designed with the lab in mind. Of course, I could not decide which I like best, so bought several (did I mention that the prices were good?).

My favorite pin. This is how I feel most days LOL!!

I plan on wearing this one on my lab coat.

Some people might think this kinda gross, but I LOVE it!

Lest you all think that I am totally bonkers about my work, I did buy something "normal". The colors in these earrings are gorgeous.

And I found my penguin!  Every trip that DH and I make, we make a real effort to bring back a penguin for the collection.  Sometimes it is a real challenge, but this time I found a lovely addition

  More of Mr Spears work can be found on line at http://wmspear.com/ if you are interested.