#thisisabrooch

May, June and July were a bit of a whirlwind!  Finishing up at school, moving out of the school's studio and teaching a mini workshop for middle school students were a few of the events happening in that time...whew!  The mini workshop got me thinking about quite a few things, and I hope to share those reflections soon.

Leaving the Star Store and its fantastic metals studio behind has not been easy.  Fortunately, Ms. Émilie Mulcahey has occupied my lack of studio with a bit of fun in #thisisabrooch.

From the project's tumbler: "For those "in the know", brooches are often relegated to grandmother's jewelry boxes and exist mainly as golden plastic elephants and rhinestone pieces of fruit. While art jewelers know and love brooches, they often only put out special occasion pieces that aren't worn regularly and don't make it onto the radar for your average accessory consumer. We are looking to change that. We want to see brooches worn every day in every way.  . . .  #ThisIsABrooch is activist wearing - making the conscious decision to include a brooch in your everyday outfit to inspire others to do the same."

"Activist wearing."  I quite like that.  And I have enjoyed participating as much as I love both making and wearing brooches.  You can participate through September 7 using the hashtag, #thisisabrooch, on Instagram.  #thisisabrooch will be curated into an online exhibition and exhibition in print.

KLE

Welcome to the Sideshow

Fellow graduate student, artist, and friend of mine, Chase Stevens of Raven Tooth Gallery, put together a little show called Welcome to the Sideshow.  I happily accepted the invitation to participate in this show as one of thirty artists.

With the MFA Thesis Show installed, defense of my work...defended, and my thesis finished (except for acknowledgements), I could finally work on my sideshow assignment - The Snake Charmer!  Sepia toned photographs of barely clothed, snake wrapped women had been on my brain for a few days when I sat down at my bench to make this brooch.

There was just enough time for a quick snapshot before packaging it up and handing it off to Mr. Stevens to be installed at Guts'n Glory Ink in Rosendale, NY.  And so, a thank you goes out to Chase for the opportunity to be a part of such a great show!

Now for the rest of those acknowledgements...

KLE

To Look Within

The past few months have been a roller coaster of long days and late nights in the studio, all in preparation for today--the MFA Thesis Exhibition!  I could not be happier to share this day with fellow studio mates, makers and artists, friends and family.

KLE

Image and Meaning, a Symposium

Despite the long car ride to North Carolina from Massachusetts, I am excited to be attending East Carolina University's Metals Symposium this weekend.  The students at ECU have been putting together this event for a few years and I must say, they do a fantastic job!  I especially cannot wait to see the demo of Cappy Counard (whose work I am quite fond of), and say hello to good friends, DJ and Avery Lucas!  See you there!

KLE

Sally Forth, 2014!

Here we are, one week and one day into the new year and I am still left thinking about new year's eve, a night spent (fairly) quietly at home with friends.  Of course, new year's resolutions entered the conversation. There were the classics: Be happy! and, Not making another resolution! Woody Guthrie had some good ones, but honestly, I have never given much thought to resolutions....

In the studio a few days later I was looking through some borrowed books, one of which was Learning to Love You More.  With a website of the same name, Learning to Love You More documents the reports of those who have fulfilled assignments created by artists Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher.  Like new year's eve and my resolution reflections, one particular assignment occupied my brain: #63 Make an encouraging banner.  Little did I know, my answer to this assignment was right in front me, written above my bench on my studio wall.

During a meeting with my professor in November, we began talking about defenses and forging ahead without fear.  Defenses lead to sally port, which lead to sally forth, and that, we agreed, is a statement to get behind.  When I asked if I should write it on my wall as a daily reminder, he said yes.  Thinking of his reaction once he saw it, maybe he was kidding, or maybe he didn't think I would actually scrawl it out in large blocky letters with green chalk.

In the coming months, I think my November resolution and assignment #63 will be an excellent reminder.

KLE

Back to Work!

Studios at the Star Store are quiet as winter break continues, and after a much needed rest at home in Pennsylvania, I am happy to be back at my bench!

I look forward to developing this site as a blog, but also anticipate a website to follow.  Until then, stop by to see what I'm thinking about as well as what I have been up to in the studio!

KLE