THE JEWELRY DESIGNERS’ PALETTE, 8/15/2025
Posted by learntobead on August 11, 2025
 From Warren Feld and Land of Odds TAKING JEWELRY BEYOND CRAFT Join my community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub August 15, 2025 Sign up for a Free or Paid Subscription[Note: Paid Subscribers on Patreon Hub get 25% Off @Land of Odds]www.landofodds.comHi everyone, Some Updates and Things Happening. (Please share this newsletter) In this Issue: 1. Jewelry Designer’s Action Exercise 2. How Do You Know When A Piece Is Complete? 3. Eddie Basha Family Collection of Native American Jewelry 4. Primarily Use Instagram To Build Up Your Email List 5. Masriera Art Nouveau Jewellery, 1839 6. How to Know It’s Time to Nudge Prices Up 7. Wearable Poetry Some articles you may have missed Featured ~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Jewelry Designer’s Action Exercise JEWELRY DESIGNER’S ACTION EXERCISE: 1) Define your 5 jewelry designer friends you would like to most influence you. If you predict your future as a jewelry designer based on the average of those 5, you will find yourself smiling for who you are bound to become. They can also be part of the “eminent dead” (jewelry designers from the past that you admire). 2) Are they the 5 jewelry designers you spend the most time with, or thinking about, or studying their work? If not, decide what are the necessary changes you want to make so that they become so. ~~~~~~~~~~ 2. How Do You Know When A Piece Is Complete?How Do You Know When a Work of Art is Complete?by Ivan Barnett, Klimt02, 7/28/2025 Read the full article here “It happens in most studio practices more times than not. Every conversation between artist and mentor, gallerist and collector ask this question. It’s a question that hovers silently over the table or sometimes echoes in the middle of the night when you’re staring at a work: “How do I know when it’s finished? How do I know when to stop?” That wise old saying “sleep on it” can often be the perfect solution. Studying the work when you are fresher can be one of the best solutions. Yet, at the heart of the matter, I have found that “the knowing” comes from the years of “going too far,” because you think the work or exhibition will be better or stronger “if I do more.” That can be the case at times. However, there’s nothing better than going too far too many times to remind us.” “Completion is not perfection. The quest for perfection is often elusive. The real signal of completion is that final moment when the creative can say with ease that “I wouldn’t move or change one thing.” The piece no longer tugs at your sleeve—it offers us a quiet “yes.”” Read the full article here Basha Sr, the father, moved to the United States via New York City to join his family in 1884. He would move to Arizona in 1910, where he founded a general store in the town of Pima, then called Goodyear. In the 1930s, the Bashas traded extensively with Akimel O’odham (Pima) peoples, who would bring mesquite wood to exchange for groceries. It was a different time, with firewood a valuable and always needed resource for the wood stoves that heated most buildings in those days. Basha Jr gathered most of this collection in the 1980s and 2000s. What makes it special is the personal relationships Eddie shared with many of the artists. More than objects, these pieces represent the friendships and the respect shared between the Basha family and these master artisans. ~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Eddie Basha Family Collection of Native American JewelryRead the full article here Basha Sr moved to the United States via New York City to join his family in 1984. He would move to Arizona in 1910, where he founded a general store in the town of Pima, then called Goodyear. In the 1930s, the Bashas traded extensively with Akimel O’odham (Pima) peoples, who would bring mesquite wood to exchange for groceries. It was a different time, with firewood a valuable and always needed resource for the wood stoves that heated most buildings in those days.   Basha Jr gathered most of this collection in the 1980s and 2000s. What makes it special is the personal relationships Eddie shared with many of the artists. More than objects, these pieces represent the friendships and the respect shared between the Basha family and these master artisans.  Read the full article here ~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Primarily Use Instagram To Build Up Your Email List 💻 To get people to register their emails, bring them to your website & sell high-ticket jewelry through Instagram… Focus on building your mailing list, this is where most conversions will happen.Offer a free incentive (lead magnet) to encourage people to sign up.Create a sense of exclusivity and scarcity: emphasize when pieces are one-of-a-kind or produced in limited quantities.Study successful designers/artists in your niche who consistently sell out and observe how they structure their sales funnel and build anticipation. ~~~~~~~~~~ 5. Masriera Art Nouveau Jewellery, 1839 Visit the website to drool over 100s of his pieces, and a more thorough presentation of the jeweler, his work, video demos of enameling, and much more. Masriera is one of my favorite jewelers. You can still visit his studio and shop in downtown Barcelona. “Handcrafted, delicate and exquisite jewelry that embodies the world of fantasy and colour of this artistic movement. Its origins are boldly revealed in its iconographic features, strongly inspired by the Mediterranean, where winding floral forms and feminine sensuality breathe life into the mystical fusion of “woman and nature”, dreaming up fairies, nymphs and a whole imaginary universe of figurative art.”  “The roots of this brand date back to the 19th century, when LLuís Masriera, born into a family of artists, painters, enamellers and jewellers firmly linked to the cultural and artistic life of Barcelona, decided to open his first workshop in the city to explore new creative channels of expression of the Art Nouveau style in jewelry.”  “After almost two hundred years, MASRIERA continues to perfect the enamelling technique: a careful and meticulous process in which the translucent enamel is applied in such a way that light passes through it. “   Visit the website to drool over 100s of his pieces, and a more thorough presentation of the jeweler, his work, video demos of enameling, and much more. ~~~~~~~~~~ 6. How to Know It’s Time to Nudge Prices Upby Red Dot Blog (a great newsletter to sign up for) https://reddotblog.com/ Read the full article hereHere are a few reliable signs it’s time to raise prices:Your work is selling faster than you can replace it. If pieces are flying off the wall, your prices are likely too low.You’re receiving consistent positive feedback—but from buyers who hesitate to commit. Sometimes a higher price can actually increase perceived value and help buyers take the work more seriously.You’ve built a steady following and repeat buyers. Your collectors believe in you. Gradual increases won’t scare them off—especially if you’re transparent and consistent.Your business is struggling to cover costs despite strong sales. If profit margins are tight and you’re not covering overhead, a pricing adjustment is warranted.He’d also add this: if you find yourself frequently rationalizing your current price structure—“It’s not the right time,” “The economy’s shaky,” “Maybe next year”—those are often signs that a price increase is overdue. A Practical Approach to Raising PricesHere’s how I advise approaching a price increase:Do it gradually. A 10–15% increase annually is usually reasonable and expected. For work that’s in especially high demand, you might consider more, but always weigh consistency and sustainability.Be transparent with returning collectors. Let them know your prices are increasing soon. Some will jump to purchase before the change. Others will appreciate being in the loop.Don’t apologize. Frame your price increase as a natural reflection of your growth and success. Collectors will mirror your confidence.Update everything at once. Be sure your website, portfolio, price lists, and gallery partners are all in sync. Confusion breeds mistrust. Read the full article here ~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Wearable Poetry To Swallow the Self. A Joint Essay Exploring an Interdisciplinary Creative Process by Rosana Lukauskaitė Read the full article here To Swallow the Self (1) “In “Wearable Poetry”, which received the honorary SMCK ON REEL Audience Award (2) in Munich in March 2025, we – contemporary jewelry artist Neringa Poškutė-Jukumienė and poet Rosana Lukauskaitė – came together to investigate transformation through the confluence of wearable art and language. This collaborative project unfolded during a ten-day creative residency in Lisbon, supported by the “Culture Moves Europe” (3) mobility grant and mentored by Portuguese jewelry artist and researcher Cristina Filipe (4). Our central question asked how poetics could be made wearable – not just metaphorically, but materially – through an embodied, spatial, and interdisciplinary practice where the body becomes both a sensing instrument and a site of inscription. Rather than seeking a final product from the outset, we focused on process-based research, engaging the body, object, voice, and landscape in reciprocal gestures of response and resonance.” “Throughout the process, we returned often to the question of wearability – not simply as adornment, but as a way of carrying text and gesture on the body. Neringa’s doctoral research, “Body and Jewellery Spaces” (7), informed this aspect of our method. We treated the body as both a sensing tool and a site of inscription. By thinking through the wearable as a porous boundary between interior and exterior worlds, we explored how language, memory, and material could linger on the skin – be absorbed, carried, or shed. Adorment elements, like the black “Widow” lipstick from “Jeffree Star Cosmetics”, were introduced as ritualistic markers – simple, performative objects that could signal transformation without explanation. The lipstick, a cosmetic and symbolic artifact, stood in for both armour and intimacy, linking adornment to self-invention and narrative.” Read the full article here ~~~~~~~~~~ Upcoming Workshops by Warren Feld Sat, 8/16, 9am-Noon, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 8/16, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVE 2 and SUN PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 8/23, 1-4pm, INTRO TO WIRE WORK and MIX N MATCH BRACELET, Hoamsy, Nashville, LC Goat, Germantown, 1220 2nd Ave N Register: www.hoamsy.com  Sat, 9/20, 9am-Noon, LEARN BEAD WEAVING: RIGHT ANGLE WEAVE and CURVY RAW BRACELET Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 9/20, 1-4pm, INTRO TO EVEN COUNT, FLAT PEYOTE and JUNGLE FLOWER BRACELETMiddle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 10/25/2025, 9am-Noon, PEARL KNOTTING…WARREN’S WAY Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 10/25/2025, 1-4pm, BEAD WEAVING (Fringe): CATERPILLAR ESPIRITU BRACELET Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sun, 10/26/25, 1-4pm, DISCOVER PEARL KNOTTING Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211 Sun, 11/16/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211 Sat, 11/22/25, 9am-Noon, WIRE WEAVING INTRO AND MAYAN PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm  Sat, 11/22/2025, 1-4pm, INTRO TO WIRE WORK and MIX N MATCH BRACELET Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sun, 12/7/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVING AND MAYAN PENDANT Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211 Sat, 12/13/25, 9am-Noon, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sat, 12/13/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVE 2 and SUN PENDANTMiddle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm ~~~~~~~~~~ 9/15/2025 – 10/15/2025 Solo Exhibit, Warren Feld Art JewelryAt Pryor Gallery, Columbia State Community College Humanities Building (Waymon L. Hickman Bldg), 1665 Hampshire Pike, Columbia, TN 38401 Exhibits are free and open to the public Gallery Hours: Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  My pieces will be showcased an this exhibit. In the works is a possible Seminar and a beading workshop.add 11/0 or delicas ad here ~~~~~~~~~~ SOME POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: SELF-ESTEEM: MAKING CHOICES SELLING VS. KEEPING FINDING COMPATRIOTS JEWELRY IS ONLY ART AS IT IS WORN YOU CAN’T PAINT WITH BEADS NAMING YOUR BUSINESS: BRAINSTORMING WITH OTHER PEOPLE ~~~~~~~~~~ Feature your jewelryHere next weekIn This Newsletter, as well as, on our Jewelry Designer’s Hub! Email a post (text and/or image) to warren@warrenfeldjewelry.com. Promote your current projects, promotional copy, News & Views, videos, reels, tutorials, instructions, social media posts online in this newsletter and on our jewelry designers’ Patreon hub. No deadlines! Opportunity available all the time. No fees. But don’t wait to take advantage of this opportunity. This copyrighted material is published here with permission of the author(s) as noted, or with Land of Odds or Warren Feld Jewelry. All rights reserved. ~~~~~~~~~~ Repairs Stumping You? Let Me Take A Look I take in a lot of jewelry repairs. People either bring them to me in Columbia, TN, or, I pick them up and deliver them back in Nashville. I am in Nashville at least once a week. It’s been convenient for most people to meet me at Green Hills Mall. But if not, I can come to your workplace or your home. This is perfectly fine for me. My turnaround time typically is 3-4 weeks. I do most repairs, but I do not do any soldering. I also do not repair watches. These are the kinds of repairs I do: o Beaded jewelry o Pearl knotting, hand knotting o Size/Length adjustment o Re-stringing o Wire work/weave/wrap o Micro macrame o Broken clasp replacfement o Earring repair o Replace lost rhinestones or gemstones o Stone setting o Stretchy bracelet o Metal working which does not involve soldering o Bead woven jewelry and purses o Beaded clothing o Custom jewelry design View my How-To-Repair-Jewelry videos on our Jewelry Designers’ Hub. My most recent how-to: Converting 3-Strand Stretchy Bracelet to Cable Wire W/ Clasp  |
| WARREN FELD JEWELRY (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com) Custom Design, Workshops, Video Tutorials, Webinars, Coaching, Kits, Group Activities, Repairs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join our community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub Be part of a community of jewelry designers who recognize that we have a different way of thinking and doing than other types of crafters or artists. One free downloadable Mini-Lesson of your choice for all new members! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow me on social media: facebook, instagramshop.warrenfeldjewelry.com Where you can buy: Seed Beads and Delicas, Kits, Books, Finished Jewelry school.warrenfeldjewelry.com Take advantage of our video tutorials, mini-lessons, projects and our coaching services: Read articles about jewelry design and about the business of craft: Articles on Medium.com Books (in kindle, ebook or print formats) by Warren Feld, purchase from Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com: Kits by Warren Feld Ask about my COACHING services Arrange a GROUP ACTIVITY Add your email address to my Warren Feld Jewelry emailing list here.  Thanks for being here. I look forward to sharing more resources, tips, sources of inspiration and insights with you.Join A Community Of Jewelry Designers On MyPatreon Hub   |
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