Warren Feld Jewelry

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THE JEWELERS’ PALETTE, 11/15/2024

Posted by learntobead on November 12, 2024

The Jewelers’ Palette, 11/15/2024

Join my community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub
From Warren and
Land of Odds

Use November’s Discount Code For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

November 15, 2024

Hi everyone,

Some Updates and Things Happening.
(Please share this newsletter)

1. I have been participating with the Columbia TN Arts Council over the last several months. Their major tasks are to develop a sense of community among artists (broadly defined), and a sense of place in a several block area off the downtown identified as the Columbia Arts District. I wrote a visioning plan for this District which I want to share, and welcome any feedback and ideas for programs, and community and economic development.

Read the full plan here.

The Columbia ARTS DISTRICT (CAD) was created to provide a haven for artists to live and work. The CAD is located a few blocks from Downtown Columbia in the South Garden/High Street area. The City has established historic zoning overlays to protect historic and cultural assets that include distinct neighborhoods like the ARTS DISTRICT. The area currently comprises several blocks of old warehouses, old houses (some historically significant), mobile homes and manufactured homes, and vacant lots. One warehouse building was turned into a multi-story mix of artist studios, retail spaces, coffee house, some office space. There are some restaurants and specialty shops in the District, but not many. Columbia is a small town of about 45,000 residents, growing 2–3% annually, and is located about 45 miles south of Nashville.

The BIG question for me was whether you can create a community-based Arts District, where the focus and energy emerge from how the community interacts with and finds meaningful experiences within the space, rather than focusing on physical design per se.

My SECONDARY question was whether a District designed to bring artists to live, work and play together can remain competitively viable over time, or will the community either lose interest or will the area become so attractive that gentrification negates its original reason for being. Time will tell, … as will smart thinking, planning, and cooperative partnering.

What makes a space into a place? Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Strengthening the connection between people and the places they share, placemaking refers to a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value. More than just promoting better urban design, placemaking facilitates creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution.

Great public spaces are those places where celebrations are held, social and economic exchanges occur, friends run into each other, and cultures mix. They are the “front porches” of our public institutions — libraries, field houses, schools — where we interact with each other and government. When these spaces work well, they serve as the stage for our public lives.

Read the full plan here.

2. I created several kits using leather cord and larger hole glass beads, and call your attention to these. They make great gifts!

Beads On Leather Kits
@Land of Odds
https://landofodds.com/beads-on-leather/

LATTICEWORKS BRACELET
Criss-crossed leather full of unusual glass belly donut rondelle beads.

STREETSENSE BRACELET
When you walk down the street, everyone knows you’re with it.

WALK-A-BOUTS BRACELET
A hip bracelet for those casual occasions.

Beads On Leather Kits
@Land of Odds
https://landofodds.com/beads-on-leather/

3. I encourage you to take advantage of the very low prices of delica beads on the Land of Odds website.

Compare Our Prices To What You Are Paying:

In this monthly newsletter, occasionally, like in this newsletter, you will find a discount coupon code that you can use on the Land of Odds website.

You can also become a paid subscribing member on our Jewelry Designers’ Patreon Hub, which entitles you to a 25% discount as long as you maintain your subscription.

4. If you have the resources, I strongly suggest you look into furthering your jewelry design education by attending a degree program. Here are the top 30 jewelry design programs in the United States:

Here are some of the leading jewelry design programs in the United States, known for their specialized curriculums, faculty expertise, and facilities. While specific rankings can vary by source, these schools are widely regarded as some of the best for jewelry design.

1. Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) — Providence, RI

  • Offers a strong focus on metalwork, traditional jewelry techniques, and contemporary design principles.

2. Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) — Savannah, GA

  • Provides a comprehensive approach with state-of-the-art facilities and focuses on various facets of jewelry design and business.

3. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) — New York, NY

  • Known for hands-on learning and access to New York City’s fashion and jewelry industry.

4. California College of the Arts (CCA) — San Francisco, CA

  • Emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches and sustainable design practices.

5. Parsons School of Design — New York, NY

  • Offers access to an extensive network in the fashion and luxury sectors, with an emphasis on innovative design.

6. Pratt Institute — Brooklyn, NY

  • Known for a strong arts program and a metal/jewelry design program focused on both technical skills and creativity.

7. Cranbrook Academy of Art — Bloomfield Hills, MI

  • Known for a small student body and intensive, personalized instruction.

8. University of the Arts — Philadelphia, PA

  • Offers a jewelry and metals program that includes contemporary jewelry, metalsmithing, and interdisciplinary work.

9. School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) — Chicago, IL

  • Known for an experimental approach that blends traditional and digital techniques.

10. Temple University’s Tyler School of Art — Philadelphia, PA

  • Focuses on combining creative expression with technical skill development.

11. University of Washington — Seattle, WA

  • Known for a broad curriculum that includes both traditional metalworking and experimental materials.

12. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) — Richmond, VA

  • Offers a BFA in Craft and Material Studies with a focus on metals and jewelry.

13. SUNY New Paltz — New Paltz, NY

  • Known for its Metal/Jewelry Design program that integrates both artistic development and technical skill.

14. Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) — Boston, MA

  • Offers a program with a focus on metalsmithing, jewelry, and art history.

15. University of Oregon — Eugene, OR

  • Known for a jewelry program that encourages both traditional and experimental methods.

16. California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) — Long Beach, CA

  • Offers a BFA in 3D Media focusing on metal and jewelry arts.

17. University of Georgia — Athens, GA

  • Strong focus on craftsmanship and a broad approach to metal and jewelry design.

18. University of Kansas — Lawrence, KS

  • The jewelry and metals program is known for its commitment to traditional techniques and design principles.

19. Texas State University — San Marcos, TX

  • Offers a BFA with a concentration in Metals and Jewelry, focusing on both technique and conceptual development.

20. Indiana University Bloomington — Bloomington, IN

  • Known for its craft-focused metalsmithing program, including traditional and contemporary approaches.

21. North Bennet Street School — Boston, MA

  • Provides a specialized training program in jewelry-making with a focus on bench skills and craftsmanship.

22. College for Creative Studies (CCS) — Detroit, MI

  • Focuses on both jewelry and metalsmithing, providing a solid technical foundation.

23. Kent State University — Kent, OH

  • Offers a jewelry/metals concentration that emphasizes craftsmanship and innovative design.

24. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, IL

  • Known for an interdisciplinary approach, blending jewelry design with broader art and design disciplines.

25. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) — Rochester, NY

  • The School for American Crafts at RIT is highly regarded for its jewelry and metals programs.

26. Appalachian State University — Boone, NC

  • Offers a focused jewelry and metals concentration that emphasizes skill development and conceptual work.

27. University of North Texas (UNT) — Denton, TX

  • Known for a metals and jewelry program that encourages experimentation and craftsmanship.

28. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) — Milwaukee, WI

  • Provides a curriculum that emphasizes both skill and design in jewelry-making.

29. Arizona State University (ASU) — Tempe, AZ

  • Offers a robust jewelry program as part of its larger art program, with access to a variety of tools and techniques.

30. Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC) — Portland, OR

  • Although it closed in 2019, its legacy remains influential, and several of its faculty and alumni continue to contribute to the field.

Each program has unique strengths, from technical skills to conceptual approaches and connections to the industry.

5. I wanted to share this email I received from Miguel Mayher at the Professional Artists Assn. We were beginning to discuss the need to be consistent in using Instagram and Emails to promote our businesses. I had brought up that it was difficult to maintain my motivation, especially given the time it takes to use social media.

Hi warren feld,

Yesterday, we talked about feeling overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed by the amount of energy and time that seems required to stay up to date on Instagram & your Email Newsletters.

And how that can hold you back from getting the consistent art income you desire.

Today, I want to dive deeper into why this feeling is SO COMMON in artists and what’s actually causing it.

📱 There are over *2 billion* monthly active users on Instagram.
🤯 And when you open the feed, it can be overwhelming.
🙅🏻‍♀️ It’s enough to make an established artist yell “nope!”…

…and close the app immediately, never to open it again.

Avoiding Instagram & Email doesn’t just stop you from using the tools, it also affects your entire “sharing your journey” workflow.

Some artists hold their cards close to their chest, but then expect strangers to buy the finished artwork at first glance.

Because when you’re opposed to these tools (and yes, they are just tools), you’re left waiting until you finish every artwork before you share it.

Or even worse — waiting for your next “show” to announce it to the world.

Then your audience doesn’t feel like they were part of that creative process…
…they are not invested in your artist journey…
…because you are not sharing it with them.

And so surprise, surprise… they are not “bought in”.

Maybe you do end up sending that jam-packed newsletter with a smorgasbord of updates about the last 6 months…

….not QUITE what you wanted, but you settle, “good enough I guess…”.

And a whole world of steady monthly direct sales seems out of reach for you.

Here’s the truth though… it’s not your fault:

  • Instagram is a hungry beast and the algorithm does reward consistency.
  • Emails are easy for writers, using WORDS, but not for most visual artists.

So without a good framework to simplify all this, it’s natural to get lost.

The big problem is the time and energy required to keep the Instagram & Email wheels turning…

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Competes with your family time
🎨 Competes with your studio time
🤹‍♀️ Competes with “life’s demands” time

And so how can you justify investing your precious time and energy in them?

You don’t have a simple system to navigate the sea of online art marketing.

If you had a clear system, it’d be hard to get lost, even if you’re an introvert.

I have an amazingly simple framework to share with you at the end of this week, but for now, here’s some encouragement…

❌ You DON’T need to POST EVERY DAY.
❌ You DON’T need to EMAIL EVERY WEEK.

And most importantly… stop thinking of your newsletters as NEWS.

Start thinking of them as Letters, or even better, POSTCARDS.

They are a casual conversation.
Ideally one single topic per email.
And they either share your journey… or give an opportunity to buy from you.

No middle ground.

I know even this is a lot easier said than done, but don’t worry, over the next few days I’ll be holding your hand and helping you out.

In tomorrow’s email, I’ll share a simple framework that will help you look at your online marketing as an enjoyable documenting of your journey.

Even if you are not a writer.

Talk soon,

Miguel

Director of Education
The Professional Artist Association
ProfessionalArtist.com
P.S.
Remember, feeling overwhelmed is normal, but it doesn’t have to stop you.

6. I’ve added additional articles to my collection HOW TO BEAD A ROGUE ELEPHANT. Check these out:

TRANSITIONS
A piece of jewelry is a series of sections, each integral to the piece, which must flow together visually and functionally. For example, transitioning from the strap to the centerpiece. How the jewelry designer manages the transitions between each section will determine to a great degree the success of the piece. 

DOUBT / SELF-DOUBT
For the novice, all that excitement at the beginning, when thinking about making jewelry and making some pieces, sometimes collides with a wall of developing self-doubt. It’s not easy to quiet a doubt. Doubt may hold you back, but it can also be seen as an opportunity.

7. I liked this recent quote from KLIMT02

But the artist appeals to that part of our being which is not dependent on wisdom, to that in us which is a gift and not an acquisition- and, therefore, more permanently enduring. He speaks to our capacity for delight and wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding our lives; to our sense of pity, and beauty, and pain; to the latent feeling of fellowship with all creation- and to the subtle but invincible conviction of solidarity that knits together the loneliness of innumerable hearts, to the solidarity in dreams, in joy, in sorrow, in aspirations, in illusions, in hope, in fear, which binds men to each other, which binds together all humanity- the dead to the living and the living to the unborn. / Joseph Conrad

8. Now is a good time to begin planning for enrichment travel and skills development opportunities you might take advantage of in 2025. Here are some ideas:

Here are 20 jewelry-related travel and learning opportunities in 2025, perfect for designers and enthusiasts who want hands-on experience, cultural immersion, and networking:

  1. Tucson Gem and Mineral Show — This iconic show offers a variety of workshops in jewelry making and design (Feb 8–11, Tucson, AZ). More information: Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.
  2. Colors of the Stone — Held in Tucson alongside the Gem Show, with classes in bead making, metal clay, enameling, and more (Feb 1–8, 2025). Details: Colors of the Stone​
  3. Santa Fe Symposium — An annual jewelry technology conference, ideal for designers interested in advanced techniques and business insights (Santa Fe, NM). Find details at Santa Fe Symposium.
  4. Pasadena Bead & Design Show — Featuring jewelry making and design workshops, Pasadena’s show offers a space for artists and buyers (Jan 17–19, 2025). Learn more: Bead & Design Shows​
  5. Studio di Mare — Sogni d’Oro — In Italy, join immersive jewelry retreats that blend cultural exploration with expert-led classes in enameling and stone setting (Summer 2025, San Mango Piemonte). More info: Studio di Mare​
  6. Great Bead Escape Retreat — A jewelry workshop retreat in Florida offering classes by skilled instructors, suitable for beginners and experienced crafters alike (April 23–27, 2025, Live Oak, FL). Explore more: The Great Bead Escape
  7. Marin Arts & Crafts Show — A blend of jewelry and fine arts workshops in a scenic setting, ideal for creatives (Mar 7–9, 2025, San Rafael, CA). Details at Marin Arts & Crafts Show.
  8. Jewelry Arts Academy — Florence — Offers jewelry design and goldsmithing programs with Italian artisans in Florence. Contact them at Jewelry Arts Academy.
  9. SNAG Conference — Society of North American Goldsmiths hosts its annual conference with workshops and talks on metalsmithing and jewelry (Spring 2025, Location TBA). Info: SNAG Conference.
  10. Ecole des Arts Joailliers — A prestigious Parisian school offering workshops and courses on traditional French jewelry techniques. Check out L’École Van Cleef & Arpels.
  11. Penland School of Craft — Located in North Carolina, Penland offers workshops in metalworking and jewelry design throughout the year. Discover more: Penland School.
  12. Istanbul Jewelry Show — Workshops and networking in a historic jewelry hub, with thousands of international jewelers (March 2025, Istanbul, Turkey). Info at Istanbul Jewelry Show.
  13. John C. Campbell Folk School — This school in North Carolina provides jewelry and metalsmithing workshops year-round in a peaceful, rural setting. See John C. Campbell Folk School.
  14. Munich Jewellery Week — An annual celebration of contemporary jewelry art in Munich, Germany, with exhibitions, talks, and workshops (March 2025). Visit Munich Jewellery Week.
  15. Craft in America Jewelry Residency — A Los Angeles residency offering workshops, talks, and mentorship for emerging jewelers. Find out more at Craft in America.
  16. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts — Tennessee-based school offers multi-day workshops in metals and jewelry design. Learn more: Arrowmont.
  17. American Jewelry Design Council Workshop — A one-day workshop for emerging jewelry artists in the U.S. More details: AJDC.
  18. Jewelry Studies International — Offers annual workshops in Austin, Texas, on topics like CAD jewelry design and hand engraving. See Jewelry Studies International.
  19. Walnut Creek Bead & Design Show — A bead and jewelry show with classes in techniques like chainmaille and wire wrapping (Mar 21–23, 2025). Details: Bead & Design Shows​
  20. Jewelry Design Lab NYC — Based in New York City, this lab offers short-term and seasonal classes in modern jewelry-making techniques. Find out more at Jewelry Design Lab NYC.

These programs provide a diverse range of learning, travel, and cultural experiences to enhance skills and deepen your appreciation of jewelry design worldwide.

Some more ideas:

1. Gemstone Mining Experience in Sri Lanka

  • Travel to Sri Lanka to visit traditional sapphire mines, learn about sourcing gemstones, and attend workshops on stone cutting and polishing.

2. Jewelry Design Retreat in Bali

  • Join a retreat focused on traditional Balinese silversmithing techniques, including hands-on workshops with local artisans.

3. Italian Goldsmithing Tour in Florence, Italy

  • Explore Florence’s historic goldsmithing district, including visits to renowned ateliers and classes on classic Italian jewelry techniques.

4. Diamond District Tour in Antwerp, Belgium

  • Gain exclusive insights into the diamond trade with a behind-the-scenes tour of Antwerp’s Diamond District and attend a masterclass on diamond grading.

5. Native American Jewelry Workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico

  • Discover Native American jewelry traditions with workshops led by expert artisans in silver and turquoise jewelry.

6. Gemstone Safari in Tanzania

  • Participate in a guided tour of Tanzanian tanzanite mines, with sessions on gem selection, sourcing ethics, and jewelry design.

7. Paris Jewelry Week

  • Attend Paris Jewelry Week, featuring exhibitions, workshops, and networking events with prominent European designers and jewelry houses.

8. Jewelry Design Masterclass in Jaipur, India

  • Study Indian jewelry design, from enameling to intricate gemstone settings, with local artisans in the “Pink City,” Jaipur.

9. Silversmithing Workshop in Taxco, Mexico

  • Taxco is famous for silver. Join a workshop to learn silver jewelry crafting techniques from skilled Mexican artisans.

10. Luxury Jewelry Show Tour in Dubai

  • Tour Dubai’s high-end jewelry markets, attend the International Jewellery Show, and visit the Gold Souk for an insider look at the luxury jewelry industry.

11. Art Deco Jewelry Tour in New York City

  • A guided tour through New York’s Art Deco landmarks and workshops focusing on jewelry inspired by this iconic style.

12. Lapidary Arts Course in Idar-Oberstein, Germany

  • Idar-Oberstein is known for its gem-cutting industry. Attend a course on lapidary arts and gem faceting techniques.

13. Pearl Cultivation Workshop in Okinawa, Japan

  • Learn about pearl farming in Okinawa with tours of pearl farms, plus hands-on sessions in pearl grading and jewelry design.

14. Scandinavian Design Tour in Copenhagen, Denmark

  • A guided tour focusing on Scandinavian jewelry design, featuring visits to design museums, workshops, and jewelry houses.

15. Thai Gold and Gemstone Tour in Bangkok, Thailand

  • Explore Bangkok’s gem and gold markets, attend workshops on Thai goldsmithing, and learn about local jewelry design traditions.

16. Russian Enameling and Filigree Workshop in St. Petersburg

  • Learn traditional Russian techniques of enameling and filigree in a workshop setting in historic St. Petersburg.

17. Artisanal Gold Mining Tour in Colombia

  • Visit artisanal gold mines in Colombia and attend workshops focused on sustainable and ethical jewelry sourcing.

18. Swiss Watchmaking and Jewelry Workshop in Geneva, Switzerland

  • Discover Swiss craftsmanship with a combination of jewelry-making and watchmaking workshops and factory tours.

19. African Beadwork and Jewelry Design Tour in Ghana

  • Join a cultural tour and workshop on traditional African beadwork and jewelry-making in Ghana’s artisan villages.

20. Modern Jewelry Design Course in Barcelona, Spain

  • Attend a design-intensive course focusing on modern techniques, including 3D jewelry design, hosted in Barcelona.

These trips offer unique learning experiences, hands-on practice, and exposure to global jewelry design techniques and cultures.

And don’t forget to use this 25% discount code

throughout November at Land of Odds!!
Use November’s Discount Code
For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

That’s it for now! There is a lot of creative expression all around the world right now. Hope you get to experience a lot of it, either first hand, or through social media online.

WSF

SOME POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

(1) HOLD THEIR ATTENTION WITH TEXT HOOKS
One way of keeping and holding someone’s attention is to use what is called a text hook or verbal hook at the beginning — literally within the first 2 seconds. 

(2) How do you make the leap from another career to becoming a full-time jewelry designer?

(3) How To Bead A Rogue Elephant: DOUBT AND SELF-DOUBT
For the novice, all that excitement at the beginning, when thinking about making jewelry and making some pieces, sometimes collides with a wall of developing self-doubt. It’s not easy to quiet a doubt. Doubt may hold you back, but it can also be seen as an opportunity.

(4) How To Bead A Rogue Elephant: TRANSITIONS
A piece of jewelry is a series of sections, each integral to the piece, which must flow together visually and functionally. For example, transitioning from the strap to the centerpiece. How the jewelry designer manages the transitions between each section will determine to a great degree the success of the piece. 

(5) SIGNATURE READY? … You Judge!

(6) COLUMBIA ARTS DISTRICT: CASE STUDIES
There are many approaches various towns and cities have taken when finding that mix of art and planning necessary for revitalization, and community and economic development.

(7) COLUMBIA TENNESSEE ARTS DISTRICT VISIONING PLAN
Establishing an arts identity can take many directions. A vibrant arts scene no longer means a street lined with art galleries. It can include a broader segment of the creative community — theatre, music, writing, crafts, fashion, media arts, applied arts and graphic design, interior design. The specific arts identity for any community is shaped by those arts for which a community has a special affinity for, as well as the types of assets available to support those arts.

Feature your jewelry Here next week In 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.

FREEBIRD FEATHERS by B. Batson-Paculabo

https://www.freebirdfeathers.com

View the featured story in our App

“Our story is rooted in the personal testimony of our founder, B. Batson-Paculabo, which tells of how she overcame a low season of adversity with a God encounter and answered prayers that led to liberation and unlocking gifts from within.”

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, instagram

shop.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 My Patreon Hub

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THE JEWELERS’ PALETTE, 11/1/2024

Posted by learntobead on October 29, 2024

Join my community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub
From Warren and
Land of Odds

Use November’s Discount Code For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

November 1, 2024

Hi everyone,

Some Updates and Things Happening.
(Please share this newsletter)

1. I wanted to share some great resources for packaging and display supplies:

FETPAK
www.fetpak.com

AZAR DISPLAYS
https://azardisplays.com/

ULINES
https://www.uline.com/

VISIPAK
https://www.visipak.com/

CLEAR BAGS
https://www.clearbags.com/

QUILL
https://www.quill.com/

2. A couple of quick links for you that you might want to bookmark

a. RIO GRANDE’s new KNOWLEDGE HUB

Access an ever-expanding library of articles, videos, podcast episodes, charts, and graphs available 24/7. Whether you’re interested in the latest trends in jewelry design and techniques or problem-solving at the bench, we have a wealth of information ready to help you learn, grow, and thrive.

Tons of info about jewelry and every kind of technique of jewelry making.

b. The 2024 Summer Design Challenge Winning Design

Matthew Piorkowski’s winning piece, “Interstellar”, features a stunning fantasy-cut octagon ametrine showcased in a custom yellow-gold pendant setting. Centered on the bail is a brilliant square-shaped diamond with sixteen accenting diamonds along the left side of the pendant mounting, creating visual interest along the path of the diamonds.

Rio Grande runs a seasonal challenge called For the Love of Jewelers Design Challenge. They haven’t announced winter or spring submissions rules yet. Check on their website: www.riogrande.com

c. 7 Steps to Create Photorealistic Images With Stable Diffusion w. Chat AI’s Image Generator

In the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence, the ability to create photorealistic images has become a groundbreaking achievement. ChatAI‘s Image Generator, powered by advanced Stable Diffusion models, offers users the tools to create images that blur the line between reality and AI-generated art. This article will guide you through the 7 steps to create photorealistic images with Stable Diffusion, focusing on the art of prompting. We’ll start by explaining what photorealistic images are, delve into the concept of Stable Diffusion, and then provide a step-by-step guide to crafting effective prompts. At the end, we will share 15 example prompts to inspire your creativity.

Read the article here.

3. I encourage you to take advantage of the very low prices of delica beads on the Land of Odds website.

Compare Our Prices To What You Are Paying:

In this monthly newsletter, occasionally, like in this newsletter, you will find a discount coupon code that you can use on the Land of Odds website.

You can also become a paid subscribing member on our Jewelry Designers’ Patreon Hub, which entitles you to a 25% discount as long as you maintain your subscription.

4. 🎭 As a jewelry designer, it is important to identify your direction, voice, & identity.

Direction is understanding what work you want to make, and why you are making it (your emotional response to your work).

Voice is your unique take on your work’s descriptions and your unique way of portraying messages within your work.

Identity is about what you have experienced: what makes you you, including aspects like your family or where you grew up.

5. I’m always faulting craft show vendors for not having good enough signage for their booths. Recently, I came across this sign, and liked it.

6. What does jewelry sound like, I, for no particular reason, asked myself the other day, so I went to take a look.

To my surprise, there are thousands of jewelry sound effects. There are sounds the jewelry makes when someone wears it. There are sounds the jewelry makes when someone makes it.

22 Royalty Free Jewelry Sound Effects
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/jewelry/
Click sample jewelry sound effect
Click sample jewelry ring spin sound effect
Click sample jewelry chain bounce sound effect

Soundsnap.com

Zapsplat.com

Videvo.net

YouTube and Tik Tok have lots of jewelry sound effects
necklace jingling sound effect

7. Sometimes, as jewelry designers, we feel we don’t have the luxury of great access to resources — support, money, materials. There are opportunities available to you. Read the first of what will be a series of articles about this here.

NOTE: The word “artist” is often used in these opportunities, but in most cases, you should take this to be broadly defined, to include jewelry makers and fine craftspersons,

Building Creative Futures: Residencies, Grants, and Opportunities for Artists

“Often burdened with a bad reputation, an artist’s career is not the easiest path.

It’s true, that unstable income is not particularly reassuring in a world increasingly governed by financial power. After graduation, many young artists leave behind the schools where they had access to resources, mentorship, and time to create, often needing to fully realize how valuable that support was. This transition into the professional world can be daunting as they face the challenge of establishing themselves in a competitive industry.

With this in mind, we have created a series specifically dedicated to programs, grants, residencies and incubators, all aimed at supporting artists in research. This includes selected open calls, formative meetings, articles, and interviews published on Klimt02 to help artists better understand these opportunities and confidently use them as valuable resources to expand and communicate their creative practice.

This series will be continually updated to reflect the latest opportunities, ensuring you, the readers, have access to the most current information and resources published on Klimt02.”

Continue reading here.

8. Are you wondering if working with me as a coach would be a good fit?

Not sure if you’re ready or if you’re at the right place in your jewelry design journey? But you’re thinking that you want to do something powerful to bring more meaning to your art and start to actually make the pieces your soul is craving (maybe silently, maybe4 LOUDLY) to express?

Jewelry Design is not a simple, easy path. It is full of incredible challenges, and those are different for every designer. You will be confronted with struggle, obstacles will be placed at your feet, you’ll be bowled over by tedium, and frustrated by setbacks, befuddled when introducing your work publicly. Most things you will learn come from the art world or craft world, and don’t fit perfectly with what it means to design jewelry. The thing to remember is that those challenges are yours. They belong to you because you stepped into that world we call design. You have that desire to find and explore what all that means.

So often that first step in working deciding to work with a coach is the most difficult. But it is all about having the right guide through all the barriers and dilemmas and vagaries when designing jewelry.

I’m here to talk if you’re feeling stuck and curious about what it would be like to have the support of my mentorship program with you on the journey. Go ahead and schedule a free consultation to talk about your jewelry and problem solve some ways to jump start your creativity. This is a completely no-pressure opportunity to talk about your work and see if we can bring fresh energy, more meaning, and bitter impact to your art.

I’m here to offer guidance and if you think it’s a good fit to work together moving forward, that is great.

But really, this is a free opportunity, no pressure, absolutely no obligation. Let’s talk about where you’re at.

The easiest way to begin the process is to sign up here: COACHING WITH WARREN FELD
You can review what coaching entails. You can submit a form on this web page. When I receive it, I’ll schedule our free initial consultation. Beginning the process does not obligate you to anything.

Warren

And don’t forget to use this 25% discount code

throughout October at Land of Odds!!
Use November’s Discount Code
For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

That’s it for now! There is a lot of creative expression all around the world right now. Hope you get to experience a lot of it, either first hand, or through social media online.

WSF

Feature your jewelry

Here next week

In 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, instagram

shop.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 My Patreon Hub

THE JEWELERS’ PALETTE, 11/1/2024

Join my community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub
From Warren and
Land of Odds

Use November’s Discount Code For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

November 1, 2024

Hi everyone,

Some Updates and Things Happening.
(Please share this newsletter)

1. I wanted to share some great resources for packaging and display supplies:

FETPAK
www.fetpak.com

AZAR DISPLAYS
https://azardisplays.com/

ULINES
https://www.uline.com/

VISIPAK
https://www.visipak.com/

CLEAR BAGS
https://www.clearbags.com/

QUILL
https://www.quill.com/

2. A couple of quick links for you that you might want to bookmark

a. RIO GRANDE’s new KNOWLEDGE HUB

Access an ever-expanding library of articles, videos, podcast episodes, charts, and graphs available 24/7. Whether you’re interested in the latest trends in jewelry design and techniques or problem-solving at the bench, we have a wealth of information ready to help you learn, grow, and thrive.

Tons of info about jewelry and every kind of technique of jewelry making.

b. The 2024 Summer Design Challenge Winning Design

Matthew Piorkowski’s winning piece, “Interstellar”, features a stunning fantasy-cut octagon ametrine showcased in a custom yellow-gold pendant setting. Centered on the bail is a brilliant square-shaped diamond with sixteen accenting diamonds along the left side of the pendant mounting, creating visual interest along the path of the diamonds.

Rio Grande runs a seasonal challenge called For the Love of Jewelers Design Challenge. They haven’t announced winter or spring submissions rules yet. Check on their website: www.riogrande.com

c. 7 Steps to Create Photorealistic Images With Stable Diffusion w. Chat AI’s Image Generator

In the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence, the ability to create photorealistic images has become a groundbreaking achievement. ChatAI‘s Image Generator, powered by advanced Stable Diffusion models, offers users the tools to create images that blur the line between reality and AI-generated art. This article will guide you through the 7 steps to create photorealistic images with Stable Diffusion, focusing on the art of prompting. We’ll start by explaining what photorealistic images are, delve into the concept of Stable Diffusion, and then provide a step-by-step guide to crafting effective prompts. At the end, we will share 15 example prompts to inspire your creativity.

Read the article here.

3. I encourage you to take advantage of the very low prices of delica beads on the Land of Odds website.

Compare Our Prices To What You Are Paying:

In this monthly newsletter, occasionally, like in this newsletter, you will find a discount coupon code that you can use on the Land of Odds website.

You can also become a paid subscribing member on our Jewelry Designers’ Patreon Hub, which entitles you to a 25% discount as long as you maintain your subscription.

4. 🎭 As a jewelry designer, it is important to identify your direction, voice, & identity.

Direction is understanding what work you want to make, and why you are making it (your emotional response to your work).

Voice is your unique take on your work’s descriptions and your unique way of portraying messages within your work.

Identity is about what you have experienced: what makes you you, including aspects like your family or where you grew up.

5. I’m always faulting craft show vendors for not having good enough signage for their booths. Recently, I came across this sign, and liked it.

6. What does jewelry sound like, I, for no particular reason, asked myself the other day, so I went to take a look.

To my surprise, there are thousands of jewelry sound effects. There are sounds the jewelry makes when someone wears it. There are sounds the jewelry makes when someone makes it.

22 Royalty Free Jewelry Sound Effects
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/jewelry/
Click sample jewelry sound effect
Click sample jewelry ring spin sound effect
Click sample jewelry chain bounce sound effect

Soundsnap.com

Zapsplat.com

Videvo.net

YouTube and Tik Tok have lots of jewelry sound effects
necklace jingling sound effect

7. Sometimes, as jewelry designers, we feel we don’t have the luxury of great access to resources — support, money, materials. There are opportunities available to you. Read the first of what will be a series of articles about this here.

NOTE: The word “artist” is often used in these opportunities, but in most cases, you should take this to be broadly defined, to include jewelry makers and fine craftspersons,

Building Creative Futures: Residencies, Grants, and Opportunities for Artists

“Often burdened with a bad reputation, an artist’s career is not the easiest path.

It’s true, that unstable income is not particularly reassuring in a world increasingly governed by financial power. After graduation, many young artists leave behind the schools where they had access to resources, mentorship, and time to create, often needing to fully realize how valuable that support was. This transition into the professional world can be daunting as they face the challenge of establishing themselves in a competitive industry.

With this in mind, we have created a series specifically dedicated to programs, grants, residencies and incubators, all aimed at supporting artists in research. This includes selected open calls, formative meetings, articles, and interviews published on Klimt02 to help artists better understand these opportunities and confidently use them as valuable resources to expand and communicate their creative practice.

This series will be continually updated to reflect the latest opportunities, ensuring you, the readers, have access to the most current information and resources published on Klimt02.”

Continue reading here.

8. Are you wondering if working with me as a coach would be a good fit?

Not sure if you’re ready or if you’re at the right place in your jewelry design journey? But you’re thinking that you want to do something powerful to bring more meaning to your art and start to actually make the pieces your soul is craving (maybe silently, maybe4 LOUDLY) to express?

Jewelry Design is not a simple, easy path. It is full of incredible challenges, and those are different for every designer. You will be confronted with struggle, obstacles will be placed at your feet, you’ll be bowled over by tedium, and frustrated by setbacks, befuddled when introducing your work publicly. Most things you will learn come from the art world or craft world, and don’t fit perfectly with what it means to design jewelry. The thing to remember is that those challenges are yours. They belong to you because you stepped into that world we call design. You have that desire to find and explore what all that means.

So often that first step in working deciding to work with a coach is the most difficult. But it is all about having the right guide through all the barriers and dilemmas and vagaries when designing jewelry.

I’m here to talk if you’re feeling stuck and curious about what it would be like to have the support of my mentorship program with you on the journey. Go ahead and schedule a free consultation to talk about your jewelry and problem solve some ways to jump start your creativity. This is a completely no-pressure opportunity to talk about your work and see if we can bring fresh energy, more meaning, and bitter impact to your art.

I’m here to offer guidance and if you think it’s a good fit to work together moving forward, that is great.

But really, this is a free opportunity, no pressure, absolutely no obligation. Let’s talk about where you’re at.

The easiest way to begin the process is to sign up here: COACHING WITH WARREN FELD
You can review what coaching entails. You can submit a form on this web page. When I receive it, I’ll schedule our free initial consultation. Beginning the process does not obligate you to anything.

Warren

And don’t forget to use this 25% discount code

throughout October at Land of Odds!!
Use November’s Discount Code
For Extra 25% Off @Land of Odds:
NOVEMBER25
www.landofodds.com

That’s it for now! There is a lot of creative expression all around the world right now. Hope you get to experience a lot of it, either first hand, or through social media online.

WSF

Feature your jewelry

Here next week

In 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, instagram

shop.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 My Patreon Hub

Posted in architecture, Art or Craft?, art theory, bead stringing, bead weaving, beads, beadwork, business of craft, color, Contests, craft, craft shows, creativity, cruises, design management, design theory, design thinking, enrichment travel, Entrepreneurship, handmade jewelry, jewelry, jewelry collecting, jewelry design, jewelry making, Learn To Bead, pearl knotting, professional development, Resources, Stitch 'n Bitch, Travel Opportunities, wire and metal, Workshops, Classes, Exhibits | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

SUBSCRIBE TO MY JEWELRY DESIGNERS’ HUB

Posted by learntobead on September 5, 2024

https://www.patreon.com/warrenfeldjewelry

I have set up a space for our community of jewelry designers — Warren Feld Jewelry’s PATREON HUB — to learn, to interact, and to provide and/or get feedback on what they are working on. Please join here.

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.

WHY SUBSCRIBE?

Engage with a community. Benefit from its collective power — insights, reactions, feedback, foresight, and directing you to opportunities.

Never miss an update. You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new article of interest, and announcements about kits, workshops and webinars, chat groups, feedback sessions, and special promotions, goes directly to your inbox.

I bring articles, tutorials, and chat-group discussion sessions to you about…

  • What it means to be fluent and literate in design?
  • What the implications are for defining jewelry as an “object” versus as an “intent”?
  • Why some jewelry draws your attention, and others do not?
  • How jewelry design differs from art or craft?
  • How you judge a piece as finished and successful?

SUBSCRIBE NOW

MEMBERSHIP TIERS:

(1) FREE

· Articles. Stay up-to-date. Access each new article up to 3 months.
· Advanced Notice. Kits, webinars, workshops, tutorials, promotions, discounts
· Free Mini-Lesson Download. One free downloadable Mini-Lesson of your choice

(2) SUBSCRIBER (7-day free trial)

· First view of all articles and kits
· Access to all the articles in the archive
· 25% Discount on beads, supplies and kits on LandOfOdds.com website
· Priority in posting comments
· All member chats
· Once a month online chat with Warren Feld
· + All free-tier member benefits

(3) VIP SUBSCRIBER

· Private Coaching with Warren Feld, for 2 hours/month
· + All benefits from other tiers

SUBSCRIBE NOW

www.warrenfeldjewelry.com

www.patreon.com/warrenfeldjewelry

Posted in architecture, Art or Craft?, art theory, bead stringing, bead weaving, beads, beadwork, business of craft, color, Contests, craft, craft shows, creativity, design management, design theory, design thinking, enrichment travel, Entrepreneurship, handmade jewelry, jewelry, jewelry collecting, jewelry design, jewelry making, Learn To Bead, pearl knotting, professional development, Resources, Stitch 'n Bitch, wire and metal, Workshops, Classes, Exhibits | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER ART AND JEWELRY DESIGN COMPETITIONS

Posted by learntobead on May 17, 2024

Warren Feld

Warren Feld

I was 4th place finalist, Swarovski jewelry competition

I highly recommend entering many art and jewelry design competitions each and every year. This is a good way to

· Raise your visibility

· Practice your self-promotion skills

· Get feedback on your work

· Gain more legitimacy and credibility

· Promote your value

· Keep aware of current trends and expectations in jewelry design

· Further inspire your clients

Competitions can supercharge your jewelry design growth and career.

The First Competition I Entered

In 2004, I submitted an entry (see image above) to the Swarovski Be Naturally Inspired jewelry design competition. I downloaded a copy of the rules and set to work. The project had to be at least 75% Swarovski Austrian crystal beads, stones, or other components. You had to submit an image of your final piece, an image of your inspiration, an artist bio, and an artist statement about your piece and how you translated your inspiration into the finished piece.

This image of the Grand Canyon at sunrise was my inspiration:

Grand Canyon Sunrise

I set out to work. Created the general design, selected the technique I wanted to use, and with determination and a lot of trial and error, created the finished piece. In the process, I discovered that different Austrian crystal colors, when used together, tended to blur boundaries and lose some of that distinct color sense that I wanted. I had to solve that problem, which I did, by using black 1.8mm delica beads between each crystal bead. This helped create sharper boundaries.

Up until that point, I had not written any kind of bio or artist statement. I was uneasy about how to describe the finished piece, such as what to call attention to. I had to do several drafts of each. Was a great exercise.

Submitted the piece. Heard back that I was a finalist. Then I had to send them the original piece. I had trouble letting go and saying goodbye. I found one package to use, then rejected it. Then another package, and rejected that. The fifth packaging idea was finally satisfying. Then I held onto the ready-to-ship package for almost a week before taking it over to the UPS shop. I had to insure it. The value was priceless to me. But I had to pick a number. And I prayed that the package would not get lost or damaging.

Swarovski emailed me that it had arrived safely.

I was invited to the awards ceremony they held in their offices in New York City.

And said goodbye again to my piece which was headed for their museum in Innsbruck Austria.

You Are Always A Winner

Whether you win or lose, you are, in fact, experiencing a rich source of inspiration and learning. There never really is a setback.

At the very least, you most likely will be included in a publicly presented list of submitters. You have already increased your visibility.

If your submission is accepted, you have something to list on your resume or list of achievements. You can use this as talking points when selling to a client, store or gallery. You can add this information to wherever you showcase the submitted work. You can embellish your descriptions with information from the materials you submitted for contest entry.

You can generate press releases, social media posts, special email announcements. You can send out updates as your submission progresses through the competition process, such as should you become a semifinalist.

As you do these kinds of things to increase your visibility, this builds credibility and brand awareness. Many store and gallery owners watch these contests closely, often making note of the better pieces and their designers, often following the designers over their career.

Whether The Feedback Is Positive or Negative —
It Always Gives You A Better Understanding of Yourself As a Designer

Feedback provides clues to why your jewelry has VALUE to them. What do they want to know about it? How does the design help them solve a problem? What key attributes of VALUE should you promote to your clients?

Participating in competitions gives you a great opportunity to practice speaking about yourself and your jewelry, and seeing how others react.

Competitions provide many clues about what is relevant in the moment. They force you to figure out how to relate you and your design sense to a set of competition rules and expectations.

All this public visibility will actually inspire some people to spread the message about you. Generating word-of-mouth is often the most successful type of marketing.

Competitions Are Juried

Periodically do online searches for jewelry and art competitions. If the active link is a newsletter or mailing list of some sort, give them your email address. Some art competitions will allow submissions of jewelry; others will not.

Some sources of interest:

GIA

Saul Bell Award

IGI

JMA INTERNATIONAL

Women’s Jewelry Association

Klimt02

National Jeweler

American Craft

Sculpture

Metalsmith Magazine

Jewelry Design Professionals’ Network

The Jewelers Resource Bureau

Last Note

Be sure to familiarize yourself with all the rules, particularly concerning deadlines, word count limits, image formats and maximum and minimum sizes.

____________________________________________

I hope you found this article useful. Please consider sharing.

I’d welcome any suggestions for topics (warren@warrenfeldjewelry.com)

Also, check out my website (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com).

Enroll in my jewelry design and business of craft Video Tutorials online. Begin with my ORIENTATION TO BEADS & JEWELRY FINDINGS COURSE.
Take my tutorial on THE JEWELRY DESIGNER’S APPROACH TO COLOR .

Follow my articles on Medium.com.

Check out my books on Amazon.com

Subscribe to my Learn To Bead blog (https://blog.landofodds.com).

Follow my series HOW TO BEAD A ROGUE ELEPHANT.

Visit Land of Odds online (https://www.landofodds.com)for all your jewelry making supplies.

Check out my Jewelry Making and Beadwork Kits.

Add your name to my email list.

_________________________________________________________________

CONQUERING THE CREATIVE MARKETPLACE: Between the Fickleness of Business and the Pursuit of Design

Kindle, Print, Epub

___________________________________________

Posted in Art or Craft?, bead stringing, bead weaving, beads, beadwork, business of craft, Contests, craft, craft shows, creativity, design management, design theory, design thinking, Entrepreneurship, handmade jewelry, jewelry, jewelry collecting, jewelry design, jewelry making, Learn To Bead, pearl knotting, professional development, Resources, wire and metal | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

CONQUERING THE CREATIVE MARKETPLACE: Smart Advice When Writing Your Artist Statement

Posted by learntobead on January 19, 2023

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Artist Statement

Guiding Questions?
1. What is an Artist Statement?
2. How do I write one?

Your Artist Statement

Simply, your Artist Statement is a description of you, your work and your design philosophy. It is usually 1–2 pages, with the first 3 sentences able to stand on their own and substitute for the longer version. Note: some applications will set a 200–250 word limit.

Your design philosophy is all about how you think through the designing process. You make choices about materials, techniques, styles, silhouettes, colors, patterns, construction. You anticipate the kinds of customers who will wear and purchase your pieces. What are all these choices? Explain what you think about when making these kinds of choices. How does making these kinds of choices lead to pieces which are appealing, wearable, collectible, situationally appropriate, whatever?

When writing your Artist Statement, you do not want to follow anyone’s template. This won’t serve you well. In reality, too many Artist Statements sound the same.

Make the Statement deeply personal. You want the Statement to feel like you are speaking to a client, but maintaining a professional tone of voice. Visually, you want the look to be comparable in relation to your brand identity.

You share your Artist Statement with venues in which you want to sell your jewelry, such as a boutique or gallery. You share it with sales reps and agencies. You share it with your customers and collectors. You share it with the press. You share it in print. You share it online. It can be written from the first person (that is you) or the third person (referring to you).

Your Artist Statement tells your audience who you are, what is significant about your work, your methods and techniques.

As with most things in business, you will probably want to have more than one version of your Artist Statement — one for galleries, one for stores, one for the press, and one for submissions to juried contests, competitions, shows and other venues.

Topics which might be included and get you thinking:

1. How you got started

2. Your inspiration(s)

3. Your design approach and process and philosophy

4. The challenges you face as a designer

5. Artistic influences

6. How people understand you and your work

7. What about you and your jewelry makes you stand out from the crowd

8. The materials you use

9. The techniques and technologies you use

10.What makes your jewelry a collection?

Start by thinking about these topics, and make a long list of keywords that you free-associate with these topics.

If you have difficulty thinking of keywords, write down 5 questions you would like an interviewer or reporter to ask you about yourself as a designer and about your work.

KEYWORDS (generate at least 25–30)

Next, organize these key words into 2–3 sentences.

2–3 Opening Sentences

Next, elaborate on each thought, perhaps over 1–2 written pages.

Last, edit. Remove cliches, any jargon, repetitions, and tangents which do not fit or flow.

Strengthen weakly sounding adjectives and adverbs. Your words should be descriptive, visual, active, colorful, powerful.

Can anything be re-written or expanded up to help your audience even better understand you and your work?

Keep things focused, consistent and coherent.

You want to avoid using words like unique or best or other superlatives.

If your work is very varied, do not try to encompass everything with one particular Artist Statement.

Expect to have to generate multiple drafts before you settle on a finished Statement.

Periodically, review your Artist Statement and revise it to reflect what is currently happening in your artistic life.

_______________________________

Thank you. I hope you found this article useful.

Also, check out my website (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com).

Enroll in my jewelry design and business of craft Video Tutorials online. Begin with my ORIENTATION TO BEADS & JEWELRY FINDINGS COURSE.

Follow my articles on Medium.com.

Subscribe to my Learn To Bead blog (https://blog.landofodds.com).

Visit Land of Odds online (https://www.landofodds.com)for all your jewelry making supplies.

Check out my Jewelry Making and Beadwork Kits.

Add your name to my email list.

_________________________________

Other Articles of Interest by Warren Feld:

Saying Good-Bye! To Your Jewelry: A Rite Of Passage

The Jewelry Design Philosophy: Not Craft, Not Art, But Design

What Is Jewelry, Really?

The Jewelry Design Philosophy

Creativity: How Do You Get It? How Do You Enhance It?

Disciplinary Literacy and Fluency In Design

Becoming The Bead Artist and Jewelry Designer

5 Essential Questions Every Jewelry Designer Should Have An Answer For

Getting Started / Channeling Your Excitement

Getting Started / Developing Your Passion

Getting Started / Cultivating Your Practice

Becoming One With What Inspires You

Architectural Basics of Jewelry Design

Doubt / Self Doubt: Major Pitfalls For The Jewelry Designer

Techniques and Technologies: Knowing What To Do

Jewelry, Sex and Sexuality

Jewelry Making Materials: Knowing What To Do

Teaching Discplinary Literacy: Strategic Thinking In Jewelry Design

The Jewelry Designer’s Approach To Color

Point, Line, Plane, Shape, Form, Theme: Creating Something Out Of Nothing

The Jewelry Designer’s Path To Resonance

Jewelry Design Principles: Composing, Constructing, Manipulating

Jewelry Design Composition: Playing With Building Blocks Called Design Elements

Contemporary Jewelry Is Not A “Look” — It’s A Way Of Thinking

__________________________________

CONQUERING THE CREATIVE MARKETPLACE: Between the Fickleness of Business and the Pursuit of Design

This guidebook is a must-have for anyone serious about making money selling jewelry. I share with you the kinds of things it takes to start your own jewelry business, run it, anticipate risks and rewards, and lead it to a level of success you feel is right for you, including
Getting Started, Financial Management, Product Development, Marketing, Selling, Resiliency, Professional Responsibilities.

548pp.

Kindle, Print

SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER
Merging Your Voice With Form

So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.

588pp, many images and diagrams Ebook , Kindle or Print formats

The Jewelry Journey Podcast
“Building Jewelry That Works: Why Jewelry Design Is Like Architecture”
Podcast, Part 1
Podcast, Part 2

PEARL KNOTTING…Warren’s Way
Easy. Simple. No tools. Anyone Can Do!

I developed a nontraditional technique which does not use tools because I found tools get in the way of tying good and well-positioned knots. I decided to bring two cords through the bead to minimize any negative effects resulting from the pearl rotating around the cord. I only have you glue one knot in the piece. I use a simple overhand knot which is easily centered. I developed a rule for choosing the thickness of your bead cord. I lay out different steps for starting and ending a piece, based on how you want to attach the piece to your clasp assembly.

184pp, many images and diagrams Ebook, Kindle or Print

SO YOU WANT TO DO CRAFT SHOWS

16 Lessons I Learned Doing Craft Shows

In this book, I discuss 16 lessons I learned, Including How To (1) Find, Evaluate and Select Craft Shows Right for You, (2) Determine a Set of Realistic Goals, (3) Compute a Simple Break-Even Analysis, (4) Develop Your Applications and Apply in the Smartest Ways, (5) Understand How Much Inventory to Bring, (6) Set Up and Present Both Yourself and Your Wares, (7) Best Promote and Operate Your Craft Show Business before, during and after the show.

198pp, many images and diagrams, Ebook, , Kindle or Print

___________________________________________

Posted in architecture, Art or Craft?, art theory, bead weaving, beads, beadwork, business of craft, color, Contests, craft shows, creativity, design management, design theory, design thinking, Entrepreneurship, jewelry collecting, jewelry design, jewelry making, Learn To Bead, pearl knotting, professional development, Stitch 'n Bitch, wire and metal | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

It’s not too late to VOTE! for the UGLIEST NECKLACE of 2014

Posted by learntobead on December 4, 2014

OnLine Voting Ends 12/15/2015!
10th International 2014 The Ugly Necklace Contest
– A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist

Your expert opinion counts!

It ain’t easy doing Ugly!

Five Jewelry Artists from around the world have been selected as Semi-Finalists of The 10th International 2014 The Ugly Necklace Contest –  A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist, by a panel of judges from Be Dazzled Beads, The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts and Land of Odds.

Vote Online for your favorites, and help determine who will win the Grand Prize – a $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (http://www.landofodds.com).  Runner Up Prize:  $399.07 shopping spree.   Voting Ends December 15, 2014

Help the world determine which necklace is the absolutely ugliest necklace in 2014!

More details and images on-line at:
http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugly10contest.htm

 

2014 Semi-Finalists Announced:

Patricia Parker, Quakertown, Pennsylvania

Joan Veress, Norwood New York

Cecilia Wells, Brentwood, Tennessee

Lynn Davy, Wimborne, Dorset, United Kingdom

Pamela Orians, Zanesville, Ohio

 

 

 

Synopsis:

It’s not easy to do Ugly!

So the many jewelry designers from across America and around the Globe who entered our 10th International 2014 The Ugly Necklace Contest — A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist, found this contest especially challenging.   After all, your brain is pre-wired to avoid and reject things which are ugly.   Think of snakes and spiders.   And even if you start your necklace with a bunch of ugly pieces, once you organize them into a circle, the very nature of an ordered round form makes it difficult to achieve Ugly.   Yes, “Ugly” is easier said than done.

Who will win?   We need your help to influence our panel of judges.

Our respected judges evaluated these creatively-designed pieces in terms of hideousness, use of materials and clasp, the number of jewelry design principles violated, and the designer’s artistic control.   Extra points were awarded for artists’ use of smaller beads, because it’s much more difficult to do Ugly with these.

Now it’s time for America and the World to help finalize the decision about which of these 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces to vote for.   The winner will truly be an exceptional jewelry designer.   The losers….well….this isn’t a contest where you really can “lose”.

Come see these and the other semi-finalists’ pieces at www.landofodds.com, and vote your choice for the Ugliest Necklace,  2014.

And if you are in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop by The Open Windows Gallery (fine art jewelry) at Be Dazzled Beads, where the 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces are on display through March 15, 2014.

 

LAND OF ODDS-BE DAZZLED BEADS
Attention: Warren Feld
www.landofodds.com
718 Thompson Lane, Ste 123, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-292-0610; Fax: 615-460-7001
Email: warren@landofodds.com

Posted in Contests, jewelry design | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

The Ugly Necklace Contest – Submission Deadline Approaching

Posted by learntobead on April 28, 2014

 

THE UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST
– A JEWELRY DESIGN COMPETITION WITH A TWIST
Submission Deadline Approaching:  August 31, 2014

uglynecklace1

 

 

QUESTION:  Have you ever designed something truly ugly? Look at some of the previous submitted entries to the Ugly Necklace Contest? In your view, and from a design sense, are there any particularly outstanding  examples of “Ugly”?

Past Contests — View  the Galleries of Entries

2003:  http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2003a.htm
2004:  http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2004a.htm
2005:  http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2005a.htm
2006:  http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2006a.htm
2007:  http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2007a.htm
2008: http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2008a.htm
2010: http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugliest2010a.htm
2012: http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugly9contest.htm

 

 

About The UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST — A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist
Submission Deadline: August 31, 2014
Enter To Win! http://www.landofodds.com/store/uglynecklace.htm

The UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST is a jewelry design contest with a twist. The contest presents a challenge not often tackled — at least intentionally. The contest draws the jewelry designer into an alternative universe where beautiful artists create ugly necklaces. It’s not easy to do.

“Ugly” is more involved than simple surface treatment. It is not just laying out a bunch of ugly parts into a circle. It turns out that “Ugly” is something more than that. “Ugly” is the result of the interplay among Designer, Wearer, and Viewer. “Ugly” is very much a result of how a necklace is designed and constructed. “Ugly” is something the viewer actively tries to avoid and move away from. “Ugly” has deep-rooted psychological, cognitive, perceptual, sociological and anthropological functions and purposes.

As research into color and design has shown, your eye and brain compensate for imbalances in color or in the positioning of pieces and objects – they try to correct and harmonize them. They try to neutralize anything out of place or not quite right. You are pre-wired to subconsciously avoid anything that is disorienting, disturbing or distracting. Your mind and eye won’t let you go here. This is considered part of the fear response, where your brain actively attempts to avoid things like snakes and spiders…. and ugly necklaces.

This means that jewelry designers, if they are to create beautiful, wearable art, have to be more deeply involved with their pieces beyond “surface”. Or their pieces will be less successful, thus less beautiful, thus more disturbing or distracting or disorienting, thus more Ugly.

Luckily, for the jewelry designer, we are pre-wired to avoid these negative things. This makes it easier to end up with pieces that look good. Beauty, in some sense, then, is very intuitive. On the other hand, it makes it more difficult to end up with pieces that look bad. You see, Ugly goes against our nature. It’s hard to do.

To achieve a truly hideous result means making the hard design choices, putting ourselves in situations and forcing us to make the kinds of choices we’re unfamiliar with, and taking us inside ourselves to places that we are somewhat scared about, and where we do not want to go.

– Can I push myself to use more yellow than the purple warrants, and mix in some orange?

– Can I make the piece off-sided or disorienting, or not have a clear beginning, middle or end?

– Can I disrupt my pattern in a way that, rather than “jazz,” results in “discord?”

– Can I work with colors and materials and patterns and textures and placements and proportions I don’t like?

– Can I design something I do not personally like, and perhaps am unwilling, to wear around my neck?

– Can I create a piece of jewelry that represents some awful feeling, emotion or experience I’m uncomfortable with?

– Can I make something I know that others won’t like, and may ridicule me for it?

 

Because answering questions like these is not something people like to do, jewelry designers who attempt to achieve “Ugly,” have to have a lot of control and discipline to override, perhaps overcome, intuitive, internally integrated principles of artistic beauty. The best jewelry designers, therefore, will be those artists who can prove that they can design a truly Ugly Necklace. In our contest, we invite all those jewelry designers out there to give it a try.

The Ugly Necklace Contest is one of the many programs at Be Dazzled Beads and The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, that encourage beadwork and jewelry makers to challenge themselves and to test their design skills, and learn some fundamentals about jewelry design in the process.

 

 

What Is Ugly?

Different participants in The Ugly Necklace Contest have interpreted “Ugly” in different ways.

Some focused on the ugliness of each individual component. Some used materials that they felt conveyed a sense of ugly, such as llama droppings, or felted matted dog hair, or rusty nails, or cigarette butts, or a banana peel. Some focused on mood and consciousness, and how certain configurations of pieces and colors evoked these moods or states of consciousness.

Others focused on combining colors which don’t combine well. Still others focused on how the wearer’s own body would contribute to a sense of ugliness, when wearing the piece, such as the addition of a “Breast Pocket” which would lay just below the woman’s breast, or peacock feathers that covered the wearer’s mouth, or the irritating sounds of rusty cow bells, or the icky feeling of a rotting banana peel on the skin. Still others saw Ugly as a sense of psychological consciousness, such as being homeless, or an uncomfortable transition from adolescence to adulthood. For some Ugly meant politically ugly, like Saddam Hussein of Iraq, or the trans-fats associated with fast foods.

It is not enough just to string a bunch of ugly beads on a wire. Ugly pieces do not necessarily result in an ugly necklace. As one entrant learned, when she strung her ugly beads together, the final project was beautiful, and sold for $225.00, before she could enter it into the contest! Actually, if you look at many of the entries, you see that ugly pieces, once arranged and organized, don’t seem as ugly. Organization and arrangement contribute their own qualities and sense of beauty that transcends the ugly parts.

Adding to the fun, the contestant also has to create a piece of jewelry which is functional and wearable. This is what sets beadwork and jewelry design apart from other design arts. A piece of jewelry as art, (even Ugly art), has to maintain its essence and purpose, even as the wearer moves, bends down, or rubs against things. Jewelry is Art as it is worn. Jewelry is not a subset of painting or a type of sculpture.

Jewelry is something more. Jewelry is art and architecture in motion, often frenetic motion. The pieces that make it up, and the techniques and designs which coherently interrelate these pieces, must also anticipate this dynamic totality. Otherwise, the piece of jewelry becomes a failure not only as a piece of jewelry, but of art, as well.

 

The Ugly Necklace Contest is an arena for budding and established beadwork and jewelry designers to strut their stuff – to show how adept they are at creating ugly-necklace-pieces-of-art. It’s a jewelry design competition with a twist.

The finalists of The Ugly Necklace Contest are those beadwork and jewelry designers who can best elaborate upon rules of design, whether intuitively or strategically. These rules of design are, in effect, an underlying grammar and vocabulary – the theoretical and professional basis of beadwork and jewelry making as art, not just craft.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check out this new book by Margie Deeb, in which she includes a discussion about The Ugly Necklace Contest:

The Beader’s Guide to Jewelry Design: A Beautiful Exploration of Unity, Balance, Color & More Paperback
by Margie Deeb  (Author)

Once beaders have mastered the basics and enjoyed bringing others’ patterns to life, they’re ready and eager to take the next step: creating their own original pieces. Here, finally, is their must-have guidebook to the fundamental principles of visual design. Focusing on jewelry, it helps beaders explore concepts such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, volume, shape, pattern, texture, movement, drape, and color in their work. Exercises, reader challenges, and lavish photos enhance understanding and assure design success.

This book is available for Pre-Order at Amazon.com.

deeb-jewelrydesign

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Beaders-Guide-Jewelry-Design/dp/1454704063/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391443968&sr=8-1&keywords=the+beaders+guide+to+jewelry+design

Posted in Contests, jewelry design | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

OUR 2013 ALL DOLLED UP CONTEST – Two Mermaids – What Do You Think?

Posted by learntobead on December 15, 2013

ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION
Fifth 2013

 

This year, we did not receive many entries. The Judges felt that there were not enough entries which met their criteria to hold a contest.

Two of the entries, however, were awarded Judges Honors with a $200.00 prize.

These two doll artists’ works are presented here.  (http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup2013contest.htm )

It was interesting that both artists – one from California and the other from Texas —  both chose the “mermaid” to illustrate this year’s theme of Transformations.   Both artists, however, created their dolls using different technical methods and artistic goals.

 

QUESTION:
If you were a judge, which one of these entries would you have scored higher?
Visit the webpages and review their images, materials lists, and written stories.

 

CRYSTAL RECTOR
from Lomita, California
“Emergence”

CRYSTAL RECTOR from Lomita, California “Emergence”

CRYSTAL RECTOR
from Lomita, California
“Emergence”

 

Yvette M. Lowry
from Dickinson, Texas
“Meredith”

Yvette M. Lowry from Dickinson, Texas “Meredith”

Yvette M. Lowry
from Dickinson, Texas
“Meredith”

 

 

Our ALL DOLLED UP Competition is structured , not  as a “beauty contest”, but more of a “design competition.”    The artist is asked, not only to design a doll, but to create a story – fictional, non-fictional or a mix of both – which illustrates the kinds of thinking and choices the artist made while creating the doll, its structure, its colors, and its artistic embellishment.

The judges evaluated all the entries in terms of:
1. INSIGHT: The Bead Artist’s inner awareness and powers of self-expression through sculptural beadwork

2. TECHNIQUE(S):Creativity of the artist in using various beading stitches, as well as creating the doll’s form.

3. VISUAL APPEAL: The overall visual appeal of the doll.

4. QUALITY OF WRITTEN STORY: How well the written short story enhances an appreciation of the Beaded Art Doll.

 

This year’s theme was: Transformations.   The written story had to begin with this sentence:

“As she turns towards me, her hands no longer seem familiar; her face, once recognizable, now unexpected; her aura, a palette of changed colors, I want to share, but can’t all at once. She is transforming, before my eyes, as if I wished it to happen, for whatever reason — fun, mundane or sinister — I’m not sure. But as she moves and evolves, a special insight occurs to me,  so I name her… “

 

 

Posted in beads, beadwork, Contests | Leave a Comment »

ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition

Posted by learntobead on January 30, 2013

ALL DOLLED UP:
BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION
deadline: 8/31/2013

Create a BEADED ART DOLL by manipulating beads and forms into an imaginative
tactile and visual 3-dimensional representation. And then write a Short Story
about your Beaded Art Doll, what it represents, and how it was created.

ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is offering a first prize of a $1000.00
shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (www.landofodds.com), and a Runner-Up
prize of a $400.00 shopping spree on the web-site. This is more than a beauty
pageant. It is a design competition. The Competition will take into account
the Artist’s intentions and how well these are incorporated into the design.
Enter to Win!

Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic,
surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary. They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures,
cartoons, impressions or abstractions. A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation
in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through
the creative use and manipulation of beads. Beaded Art Dolls should be between
8” and 36” in size. They must be at least 80% composed of beads.

The Artist is given wide leeway in techniques for how the doll is to be beaded,
and may use one particular technique or several. Techniques, for example, may
include bead weaving stitches, bead embellishment, bead appliqué, bead
knitting, bead crochet, bead embroidery, lampworking.

Review the Official Rules on the website.

Sponsored by Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads, LearnToBead.net, and The Center
for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts

Posted in bead weaving, beadwork, Contests | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Posted by learntobead on August 9, 2012

PRESS RELEASE: 8/9/12

CALL FOR ENTRIES:
ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION
Sponsors: Land of Odds, Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts, Be Dazzled Beads
Deadline: 8/31/13
Contact:
Warren Feld
warren@landofodds.com
615-292-0610

ALL DOLLED UP:
Beaded Art Doll Competition
This Year’s Theme:  Transformations

Call for Entries.

Land of Odds (http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm) announces its fifth 2013 All Dolled Up: Beaded Art Doll Competition.   Entries accepted between September 1, 2012 and August 31st, 2013.

Create a Beaded Art Doll by manipulating beads and forms into an imaginative tactile and visual 3-dimensional representation of this year’s theme:   TRANSFORMATIONS.

And then write a Short Story (between 1000-2000 words) about your Beaded Art Doll, what it represents, and how it was created, starting with the sentence:

“As she turns towards me, her hands no longer seem familiar;
her face, once recognizable, now unexpected;
her aura, a palette of changed colors,
I want to share, but can’t all at once.
She is transforming, before my eyes, as if I wished it to happen,
for whatever reason — fun, mundane or sinister — I’m not sure.
But as she moves and evolves, a special insight occurs to me,
so I name her… “

 

The 2013 ALL DOLLED UP:  BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is offering a first prize of a $1000.00 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (http://www.landofodds.com), and a Runner-Up prize of a $400.00 shopping spree on the web-site.

Entries will be judged by a panel from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts.

A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through the creative use and manipulation of beads.    Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition should be immediately recognizable as a “Doll” as defined above.

That said, Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic, surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary.    They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures, cartoons, impressions or abstractions.   The doll may take many forms, including a figure, purse, box, vessel, puppet, marionette, or pop-up figure.

Beaded Art Dolls should be between 8” and 36” in size.   They must be at least 80% composed of beads.

The doll’s internal form and structure may result from many techniques, materials and strategies.   The bead stitches themselves might be used to create the skeletal structure.   Various forms of cloth dolls might be stitched or embellished with beads.   The underlying structure might be made of polymer clay, wood, ceramic, porcelain, Styrofoam, wire, corn husk, basket weaving, yarns, cardboard, paper, cotton, or some combination of materials.   It might be a found form or object.

The Artist is given wide leeway in techniques for how the doll is to be beaded, and may use one particular technique or several.   Techniques, for example, may include bead weaving stitches, bead embellishment, bead appliqué, bead knitting, bead crochet, bead embroidery, lampworking.  These should NOT include the application of rhinestones, sequins, nailheads or studs.   The beads may be of any size, shape, color and material.

The Artist may include a doll stand or display support with the Art Doll, though this is not a requirement.   This stand or support may be an off-the-shelf piece, or created from scratch by the Artist.   It may be a base, a created setting, a decorative box, or frame.  The stand or display support need not be beaded.

The Artist may interpret and apply the theme “Transformations” any way she or he chooses.    The Beaded Art Doll might be thought of as a plaything; or a visual representation of a person, feeling, spirit or thing; or a tool for teaching; or a method for stimulating emotional development or healing.    As an object of art, the goal of the Doll should be to make a statement, evoking an emotional, cultural or social response, either by the Artist her/himself or by others.    The Doll must be an original work, and may be the work of one Artist or a Collaboration.

ALL DOLLED UP:  BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is more than a beauty pageant.   It is a design competition.  The Competition will take into account the Artist’s intentions and how well these are incorporated into the design.

Enter to Win!

 

 

Land of Odds, home of the annual ALL DOLLED UP:  BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION.  Visit www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm to review the Official Rules.   Land of Odds provides doll, bead and jewelry making artists with virtually all their beads, supplies, books and jewelry findings needs, with over 30,000 products.  Retail/Discounts/Wholesale.

 

Posted in beadwork, Contests | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Posted by learntobead on July 3, 2012

PRESS RELEASE:  7/3/12
Winner and Runner-Up Announced
2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest!
– A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist

 

 

And the Winner is…..

 

 

Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads, The Open Window Gallery, and The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts are proud to announce the Winner and Runner-Up in this year’s The Ugly Necklace Contest, 2012!

 

The Winner of The Ugly Necklace Contest – the Jewelry Designer who demonstrated exceptional jewelry design skills by creating The Ugliest Necklace in the America and the rest of the World in the year 2012, and the winner of a $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site  (www.landofodds.com) is :

 

Joan Veres
Norwood, NY
“From My Garden Of The Sea Rim”

 

The Runner-Up in The Ugly Necklace Contest — the Jewelry Designer who also displayed obvious design talents by creating the 2nd Ugliest Necklace in America and the rest of the World in the year 2012, and the winner of a $399.07 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site  is:

 

Pamela Orians
Zanesville, OH
“From My Garden Of Fun”
 

 

 

 

 

It’s not easy doing Ugly!

 

So our hats are off, and we offer loud applause to Joan Veres and Pamela Orians.   These beadwork and jewelry artists have demonstrated their commendable design skills. They have been judged, from among 17 entrants from across America, Dubai, Great Britain, and South Korea, by a distinguished panel of four judges from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, and voted on by visitors to the Land of Odds web-site.

 

It’s difficult to design an ugly piece of jewelry because your mind and your eye won’t let you go there.    As research into color and design has shown, your eye compensates for imbalances in color or design component relationships – it tries to correct and harmonize them.   You are pre-wired to subconsciously avoid anything that is disorienting, disturbing or distracting.   

 

To view additional images of the necklaces submitted by the winner, runner up and the other semi-finalists of The Ugly Necklace Contest, please visit us here on-line.

 

And if you are in the Nashville area, please stop by Be Dazzled Beads, where the 8 selected Ugly Necklaces are on display through September 15th.

 

Posted in Contests, jewelry design | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Posted by learntobead on May 30, 2012

PRESS RELEASE –5/31/12
TOPIC:

OnLine Voting Begins!
9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest
– A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist

Eight Jewelry Artists from around the world have been selected as Semi-Finalists of The 9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest – A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist, by a panel of four judges from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts and Land of Odds.

Vote Online for your favorites, and help determine who will win the Grand Prize – a $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (http://www.landofodds.com). Runner Up Prize: $399.07 shopping spree. Voting Ends June 30th, 2012

More details and images on-line at:
http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugly9contest.htm

 

Our 2012 Semi-Finalists Announced:

Nivya Raju, Dubai, United Arab Emerates


Juli Brown, Wells, Minnesota
 

Joan Veres, Norwood, New York
 

 


Corrine Zephier, Kyle, South Dakota

Lynn Margaret Davy, Dorset, United Kingdom
 

 

 

 


Pamela Orians, Zanesville, Ohio
 

 

 


Quisha Saunders, Atlanta, Georgia

 


Brenda Donaldson, Mesa, Arizona

 

 

Synopsis:
It’s not easy to do Ugly!

So the many jewelry designers from across America and around the Globe who entered our 9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest — A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist , found this contest especially challenging. After all, your brain is pre-wired to avoid and reject things which are ugly. Think of snakes and spiders. And even if you start your necklace with a bunch of ugly pieces, once you organize them into a circle, the very nature of an ordered round form makes it difficult to achieve Ugly. Yes, “Ugly” is easier said than done.
Who will win? We need the public’s help to influence our panel of judges.

Our respected judges evaluated these creatively-designed pieces in terms of hideousness, use of materials and clasp, the number of jewelry design principles violated, and the designer’s artistic control. Extra points were awarded for artists’ use of smaller beads, because it’s much more difficult to do Ugly with these.

Now it’s time for America and the World to help finalize the decision about which of these 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces to vote for. The winner will truly be an exceptional jewelry designer. The losers….well….this isn’t a contest where you really can “lose”.

Come see these and the other semi-finalists’ pieces at www.landofodds.com, and vote your choice for the Ugliest Necklace, 2012.

And if you are in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop by The Open Windows Gallery (fine art jewelry) at Be Dazzled Beads, where the 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces are on display through September 15, 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
LAND OF ODDS
Attention: Warren Feld
www.landofodds.com
718 Thompson Lane, Ste 123, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-292-0610; Fax: 615-460-7001
Email: warren@landofodds.com

ABOUT UGLY NECKLACES

The UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST (www.landofodds.com/store/uglynecklace.htm) is a jewelry design competition with a twist. The contest presents a challenge not often tackled — at least intentionally. The contest draws the jewelry designer into an alternative universe where beautiful artists create ugly necklaces. It’s not easy to do.

“Ugly” is more involved than simple surface treatment. It is not just laying out a bunch of ugly parts into a circle. It turns out that “Ugly” is something more than that. “Ugly” is the result of the interplay among Designer, Wearer, and Viewer. “Ugly” is very much a result of how a necklace is designed and constructed. “Ugly” is something the viewer actively tries to avoid and move away from. “Ugly” has deep-rooted psychological, cognitive, perceptual, sociological and anthropological functions and purposes.

As research into color and design has shown, your eye and brain compensate for imbalances in color or in the positioning of pieces and objects – they try to correct and harmonize them. They try to neutralize anything out of place or not quite right. You are pre-wired to subconsciously avoid anything that is disorienting, disturbing or distracting. Your mind and eye won’t let you go here. This is considered part of the fear response, where your brain actively attempts to avoid things like snakes and spiders…. and ugly necklaces.

This means that jewelry designers, if they are to create beautiful, wearable art, have to be more deeply involved with their pieces beyond “surface”. Or their pieces will be less successful, thus less beautiful, thus more disturbing or distracting or disorienting, thus more Ugly.  Luckily, for the jewelry designer, we are pre-wired to avoid these negative things. This makes it easier to end up with pieces that look good. Beauty, in some sense, then, is very intuitive. On the other hand, it makes it more difficult to end up with pieces that look bad. You see, Ugly goes against our nature. It’s hard to do.

The Ugly Necklace Contest is one of the many programs at The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, that encourage beadwork and jewelry makers to test their design skills, have fun, and learn some fundamentals about jewelry design in the process.
To add your name to our email list associated with The Ugly Necklace Contest,
send an email to: oddsian@landofodds.com
and Write “Ugly Necklace Email List” in the subject line.
Sponsors:
Land of Odds www.landofodds.com,
Phone: 615-292-0610; Email :warren@landofodds.com
Land of Odds provides bead and jewelry making artists with virtually all their beads, supplies, books and jewelry findings needs, with over 35,000 products. Retail/Discounts/Wholesale.

Be Dazzled Beads www.bedazzledbeads.com
Nashville’s premier bead store.

Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts www.landofodds.com/beadschool/
Educating beaders and jewelry makers in the Design Perspective.

Other Programs at Land of Odds:
ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm

JEWELRY DESIGN CAMP
www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/jewelrydesigncamp/

Learn To Bead Blog
Start your education with our ORIENTATION TO BEADS & JEWELRY FINDINGS
http://blog.landofodds.com

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Beaded Tapestry Contest Winner and RunnerUp Announced

Posted by learntobead on January 16, 2012

THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
Beaded Tapestry Competition

Congratulations to:

WINNER
Dot Lewallen
Westerville, OH

RUNNER-UP
Patty Rockhill
O’Brien, FL

 

FINAL RESULTS posted on the Land of Odds website at:

http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also check out

THE UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST
A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist

ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition

JEWELRY DESIGN CAMP

 

Posted in beadwork, Contests | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

OnLine Voting Ends 1/14/12 – Beaded Tapestry Competition

Posted by learntobead on January 5, 2012

VOTING ENDS 1/14/12: BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION


Beaded Tapestry Competition
GO VOTE OnLine:  Voting ends 1/14/2012
http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm

Visit the web-pages of each of our 4 Beaded Tapestry Competition Semi-Finalists.

#1. KAY FIELDEN, Auckland, New Zealand, “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold
#2. JUNE JACKSON and JAMIE BRUNS, Bryan, Texas, “Lizzie Borden” by Elizabeth Engstrom
#3. DOT LEWALLEN, Westerville, Ohio, “Black Notice” by Patricia Cornwell
#4. PATTY ROCKHILL, O’Brien, Florida, “When Night Falls”, by Jenna Ryan

 

International 2011
THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION
Theme: Mystery Genre Book Covers

Sponsored by:
Land of Odds
The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts
Be Dazzled Beads

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Go VOTE – Beaded Tapestry Competition

Posted by learntobead on November 4, 2011

Semi-Finalists Chosen!
Beaded Tapestry Competition 

GO VOTE OnLine:  Voting ends 1/14/2012

Visit the web-pages of each of our 4 Beaded Tapestry Competition Semi-Finalists.

International 2011
THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION
Theme: Mystery Genre Book Covers

#1. KAY FIELDEN
Auckland, New Zealand
“The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold

#2. JUNE JACKSON and JAMIE BRUNS
Bryan, Texas
“Lizzie Borden” by Elizabeth Engstrom

#3. DOT LEWALLEN
Westerville, Ohio
“Black Notice” by Patricia Cornwell

#4. PATTY ROCKHILL
O’Brien, Florida
“When Night Falls”
by Jenna Ryan

Evaluate their images, their write-ups, and their materials and techniques.
Then use the on-line form you will find at the bottom of each of their web-pages
to Score them in terms of
Visual Appeal,
Artist Insight,
Artist Technique, and
Use of Beads in the Design.

The judges were blown away by the quality of all 4 semifinalists.   It was truly amazing how well each artist captured the essence of their book.  Each artist brought these books to life within their book cover design.  Yet each artist’s approach was different.  These artists should commend themselves on the amount of thought, insight, and coordination of ideas and techniques which went into producing their Beaded Tapestry pieces.    Bravo!

Here we use the concept of “Tapestry” in its broadest sense as a stitched, sewn and/or woven wall hanging. Your tapestry may be woven, loomed, stitched, quilted, cross-stitched, crocheted, knitted, sewn, braided, knotted, embroidered, macrame’d, beaded and the like. Your tapestry will combine fibers/threads/and/or cloth and beads in some way, and the surface area must consist of at least 70% beads. Beads may be used in many ways, such as forming the background canvas of your piece, and/or embellishing your canvas, and/or as fringe, and/or as stitchery covering parts of your piece. Your piece should be mounted or framed in some way, ready for hanging on a wall. Your tapestry may utilize many different techniques.

GO VOTE OnLine:  Voting ends 1/14/2012

http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm

Posted in bead weaving, beads, beadwork, Contests | Leave a Comment »

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