Latest Artfire Collection: Beadwoven Beauties!

Woven beauty

Curated By: dangerousmezzo

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

Mu-Yin Jewelry: Featured Artfire Artisan

I was browsing through Artfire yesterday and came upon these amazing Rainbow earrings by Artfire Artisan Mu-Yin Jewelry.   I love the way she's used tiny 4 mm faceted gemstones (including garnet, citrine, peridot and amethyst) to represent the colours of the rainbow, and I love the hammered sterling silver setting.  Really stunning work.  She makes other pieces (bracelet, ring and necklace) with the same theme.

The bio of this South Carolina artisan says:  

 

Mu-Yin Jewelry specializes in custom wire wrapped jewelry made with high quality colorful freshwater pearls and natural gemstones. All items are made to order to fit customers' size, be it a ring, necklace, or bracelet. While Designer Mu-Yin Mollie Chen received professional training in various art areas including literature, fine art and classical music, her wire wrapping skills are completely self-taught. A huge fan of handcrafted jewelry herself, one of Mu-Yin's goals is to provide the general public trendy and well-made handcrafted jewelry without the high price tag. Many designs are limited editions featuring rare colored freshwater pearls and natural gemstones collected by the designer from all over the world.Mu-Yin's Designs are noted for their vibrant colors, often simple yet meticulous construction and the delicate balance between the wire and pearls/gemstones. They are girly, sweet, sexy and easy to wear. Mu-Yin's Designs are never overwhelming -- they are simply addictive as that chocolate which makes you want to have one after another!

Here's an example of her work with pearls.  Mu-Yin does a few gorgeous peas in a pod pieces like the Necklace shown above.  Colourful freshwater pearls and sterling silver -- yum!

And here's another example of her work with tiny faceted gemstones.  I love this fresh, pretty aquamarine ring, which is also available in a number of different stones/colours.  It's pretty but not too sweet -- the rusticity of the hammered sterling silver plays well with the faceted gems and keeps it from being too calculated :)

Mu-Yin's Artfire store is muyinmolly.

Gaelic Forge: Featured Artfire Artisan

Gaelic Forge is a new Artfire shop that I found when I was searching for items for a recent collection.  They are a small family run jewellery business "located up against the foothills of the great Sierra Nevada Mountains" and their work is evocative, textured and stunning!

The piece at the top of this feature is a copper brooch.  I love the sinuous lines and combination of patinas.

There's a wonderful mix of simple and more complex pieces in Gaelic Forge's studio.  These Celtic Copper earrings are very simple, and very beautiful:

GaelicForge says of themselves:

GaelicForge offers Celtic inspired handcrafted jewelry. Unique and artistic copper pendants. Celtic treasures of organic and earthy earrings. Artisan designed brooches and charms. Bits of metal designed to wear to Renaissance faires. Ancient and Bohemian. Tribal style hammered copper and hammered nickel. All jewelry designed, hand forged and created one of a kind originals made in old world style.

Here's a hammered and forged copper pendant that I'm particularly fond of :)  There's something so rustic and romantic about this piece -- it's elegant without being polished.

Do check out GaelicForge's Artfire shop to see the rest of the gorgeous pieces in their studio!

Pookie and Pierre: featured Artfire Artisan!

This is exactly the kind of earring I most love -- operatic, dramatic, blingy and rich-looking.  These earrings are by Artfire Artisan Pookie and Pierre, and I'm just captivated by them.   They're woven and wire wrapped and I think they're divine!

For a cooler look, how about these aquamarine woven earrings?  I think the maker has an amazing eye for colour and form.

Pookie and Pierre also sells beautiful photographs, largely of European scenes.  Again, I love the composition of these.  Here's an atmospheric Parisian view available as an 8 x 12 inch print:

Check out Pookie and Pierre's Artfire Store for more!

Pearly Curated Collection at Artfire

Pearly

Curated By: dangerousmezzo

ArtFire.com

Vintage Fashion

I was working on a warm-toned baroque pearl bracelet yesterday that I was making all for myself, and the colours of the pearls inspired me to curate my first Collection at Artfire  -- I called it Pearly :) 

I want ALL these items!

For those not familiar with Artfire lingo, Curated Collections are somewhat analogous to Etsy's Treasuries.

Florence Wang -- featured Artfire Artisan!

I search ArtFire every now and then for pieces labelled "opera" or "operatic" partly because of my profession and partly because "operatic" also describes my personal style (when I'm not totally slouchy :)

Today this search led me to Brooklyn jewellery artist Florence Wang.

Here's what I found:

This is the Night at the Opera necklace by florencewangdesigns, for sale on Artfire.  I think it's stunning and totally diva-worthy!  If I had to pick a specific diva to wear it, it would be Turandot, of course :)

Florence has other lovely pieces in her shop; I particularly like this cute Orange Koi Necklace:

It's bubbling "Christmas gift" at me -- I know so many people who would love this :)

Do check out her Artfire shop -- florencewangdesigns

Vespertine Gallery -- featured ArtFire artisan

I have some pretty strong Gothic tendencies when it comes to jewellery and fashion.  I don't indulge too much anymore, because I tend to think that it's a young woman's look, (except for evening and performing, when I feel more comfy being in costume) but I adore beautiful, dark objets.


When you want beautiful, dark and detailed, try Vespertine Gallery at ArtFire. The maker, from the UK, says of her work:

Vespertine Gallery specialises in unique hand crafted gothic jewellery made from an array of components including antiqued brass filigree, Czech crystal and glass, vintage German glass and an assortment of delicate chains and vintage charms and findings.

This was the first of her pieces to catch my eye.  this is the Wings of Valour Gryphon Bracelet; strings of rosary beads set off a cameo of a majestic mythical beast.

Here's a dragon pendant that I'd wear in a moment -- for any operatic encounter :)

And this is the Vampira Necklace, combining Renaissance styling and Goth iconography, including a tiny bat and a kitschy cameo of Vampira herself!

Foxaz -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

I'm pretty much addicted to jewellery, I admit it. It's why I started making it, of course, but I still buy a lot of lovely pieces from other makers. Earrings are my favourite little indulgences, and these two pairs from Arizona artisan Foxaz are just my type. The pair above are ocean blue faceted glass beads with copper findings, and I love the combination of colours.

Foxaz says of the studio:

I'm a retired postmaster with time on my hands. Always been crafty, artistic, now I have the time to enjoy myself. My husband and I work together on the shop- he does all the turquoise and antler pieces. We enjoy making beautiful things for others to enjoy.

I love glass flower beads, and the deep red colour of these clusters combined with the warmth of the copper findings are very appealing to me.

Do check out foxaz's shops at ArtFire and Etsy for more delicious pieces!

Fozax's ArtFire Studio
Fozax's Etsy shop
Fozax's Blog

Jewelscapes -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

How gorgeous is this ring? It is currently the avatar of Jewelscapes, and I love it so much I had to track down the seller. Washington artisan Deanna Dierks makes more than just rings, of course, but I've chosen these items because they appeal so much to me, personally. I love her chunky, bold style, with lots of wire and lots of attitude! This ring features a magnesite nugget. Yummy!

She says of herself:

I create from my humble home in the middle of our forested 20 acres. I look out my "studio" window, through a breathtaking patch of Aspen trees, through a peaceful field to some sweeping hills. Our little seasonal creeks miniature waterfalls gurgle and provide fun mini hiking adventures for me and the kids durring the day and then when they are all seemingly angelically asleep at night - I create my and your Jewelscapes handmade jewelry!

The ring above features three faceted lapis lazuli stones. I've always loved lapis lazuli because I was really interested in Ancient Egypt when I was a kid, and I'm still fascinated by this gorgeous, intense stone. This is a GREAT product photograph, too.

Jewelscapes has an Etsy shop, too, but Deanna notes that because ArtFire is a less expensive venue for her, that she's able to pass on the lower overhead costs to her customers when they buy from her via ArtFire. At the time of writing, she also offers free shipping worldwide on many of her smaller items, and free shipping in the States on many of the larger ones.

This is beautiful work, and tremendously good value.

Jewelscapes ArtFire Studio
Jewelscapes Etsy Shop