California Girl goes Southwest & Back Again!
Born and raised in Southern California (S CA), I am definitely a "Sun and Sand" girl. After college, I married and my husband "dragged" me to New Mexico (NM) for work. Now, 25 years later, I split my time between NM in the summer & S CA in the winter. The colors and culture of each local inspire me every day: NM's green mountains (golden in fall), blue lakes and skies, golden sunshine, red mesas, & colorful wild flowers, and S CA's beaches, tidepools, and weather. These are some of my favorite things:
Mud: OK, not technically "mud," but rather, clay. I love its earthiness - its connection to nature and our roots. I love the feel of it: its slick, slippery smoothness on the wheel and its malleability in my hands. I love that I can take a misshapen lump of clay and form it into anything. Anything! I love that finished items can be decorative or useful; whimsical or functional. Or all of the above!
Rocks: I love stones! They're like butterflies waiting to unfurl their wings and show their beauty to the world! I love agates for their translucency, geodes for the beautiful crystals that form inside, turquoise and jasper for their vibrant colors, lava stone for its lightweight porousness! I love rocks' connection to the earth. I love jewelry that shows off these qualities!
Color: I've always been drawn to it. Jewelry is the perfect way for anyone to wear color, even if your wardrobe is mostly neutral. Color is great in the fall and winter when we tend to wear darker clothes and it's perfect in the spring and summer when nature emerges around us. Colorful pottery draws me. What better way to add a pop of color to your decor!?!
Whimsy: I've always been attracted to whimsical things, whether in be art, song lyrics, objects, or poems/stories. A cow sitting on top of a frog or sheep driving a truck? Fabulous! "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" (Edward Lear, 1871)? What fun! How about "What can you do? You're in a stew," ("I Eat Cannibals" by Toto, 1982) or "I went to high school and majored in looking real bad; I got a real ugly mom and a real ugly dad" ("I Wish I Looked a Little Better" The Sparks, 1983)? Two of my all time favorite songs! I mean, what could be "funner" to listen to? I always try to incorporate a bit of whimsy into my jewelry and ceramics!
Movement: Anything bo-jangley, and I'm hooked: tassels, charms, bells, etc. Fun! Fun! Fun! It's easier to make bo-jangley jewelry than bo-jangley ceramics. But you never know...I might come up with something yet!
I hope you love my designs!