Up and Hanging

I thought, that since my first exhibition opened last Saturday and it did include jewelry I could bore you spitless with images of my paintings before coming to the jewelry.

 

A couple of pen and ink sketches on paper

Anticipation - acrylic on canvas 

Open Late - acrylic on canvas

 November Cane - acrylic on canvas

Easily Emused - acrylic on canvas

Sticky End - acrylic on canvas

Saltbush and Sand - soft pastel

The Watcher - soft pastel

Under the Mango Tree - water colour

Singers of the Rain - water colour and ink

Yes there was jewelry, my challenge was how to hang the necklaces in a small group that did not cost a fortune.

I found a tutorial by Ginger of The Bluebottle Tree, and it immediately sparked a lightbulb moment. My necklaces were more complex than the pendant Ginger displayed, but the materials certainly did the trick.

 I cut a half circle from the foam core board and glued it to the front. The necklace is attached with black glass head pins. I used nylon fishing line from the back to a slim piece of timber with attachments to take the gallery hanging system. Worked well looks good and didn't require a 2nd morgtage. 

Was going to hang them in a straight row, but ended up hanging at an angle making a much more interesting display.

Oh and I managed a bracelet.

Am quite addicted to the rough piercing enamelled copper domes. They have a slightly sinister air that pleases me.

 

Is That It?

Seriously?
Is that all there is?
Fair dinkum! you mean to tell me that after nearly 3 months all you have you show is 
ONE pair of earrings? 
 

OK I admit that they are interesting and I love the enameled focal and clearly the soldering is beautiful, but really only one pair?
Boy, you better have a good excuse.

Well, I think I have a good excuse. . . 
Way back in November last year, in a moment of madness, I agreed to do a joint exhibition at our local gallery in December this year. Paintings and jewelry.
No worries, I have heaps of time, it's not for a whole year. I'll start in June, July, August, September, Oh my God I've only got 2 and a half months!

Doing a series of paintings in my increasingly crowded studio was a challenge, so I started on the front verandah. Good light, but I was at risk of a nervous breakdown over the worry of spilling paint on the timber deck. Then I had a brilliant idea.
The old caravan and glass annexe that we first lived in, was sitting there, basicaly a junk storage. A few alterations, some tables and storage and da-daaaaaaaaaaaaaa Studio 2.
Here I can sharpen my pencils on the floor and slosh paint with gay abandon and walk out the door at the end of the day.
So to cut a long story short I now have 12 paintings ready to hang. No spoilers will show them next post.

Decided to display 5 necklaces and came up with a nifty way of hanging them. (read cost effective thanks to Ginger of Bluebottle Tree)  Needed to make one more necklace.

Then someone bought one of the necklaces and I had to make another.

  
Then I decided that I needed to upgrade my display in the gallery gift shop, so made 3 new bracelets.

  

  

 
Then I decided that the whole display needed revamping to a more cohesive look including new earring cards and swing tags. Made and stained all the components and they are all now installed at the gallery waiting the Exhibition/Christmas shoppers.

Phew, I'm done. 
Just don't look at my 2 studios! 
Just-don't-look!