My Fused Glass Mosaic Is In A Gallery!

It's been a bit more than two years since I started working with fused glass and I'm eager to make bigger and more complex pieces. I LOVE making jewelry and my microwave kilns were a fantastic investment, but I'd really like to create vases, sculptures and larger art forms. Since I still only have my microwave kiln, I've had to get inventive in what I CAN do -- and have designed several fused glass mosaics. My hard work has paid off, though, because my piece, "Winter Frost" is currently on display at a gallery!

I made this mosaic by using clear dichroic glass, which I layered and fired multiple times. From some angles, the glass appears to be clear, but from other viewpoints, it's very colorful. I was inspired to create the piece when I saw some frost on the ground during a sunrise. I am not usually awake that early, so it captured my attention!

"Winter Frost" is part of an exhibit called "Of Women," which is at the Studio 7 Gallery in Fort Tilden, Rockaway, NY. Fort Tilden, as you may have guessed, was once a military base out in Queens. Many of the buildings are in ruins, but several have been converted into galleries and a theater. The compound is right near the beach and is in the middle of Riis Park. It's isolated, but apparently well known. I've been told the area is packed in the warmer months.

"Of Women" runs through April 8, celebrating Women's History Month. The exhibit isn't so much about women as it is about honoring female artists. True confession: Winter Frost is not my favorite mosaic. It's not the one I would've chosen for this exhibition. But once I saw it hanging on the wall under the large amethyst sculpture, I could see just how it fits in.

As you can see, Of Women features some very talented artists. The gallery itself is stunning and I still can't quite believe that I'm a part of this thing. I went there on Saturday to do my volunteer shift and really enjoyed looking at the other ladies' masterpieces.

Far Rockaway itself is kind of a pain to get to. It's in Queens and is part of NYC... but it's in the middle of nowhere. I didn't think the middle of nowhere exists in NYC, but it does! My neighborhood has a suburban feel, but we're near the subway, LIRR stop and several bus routes. It's easy to get around and takes 15 minutes to get to Manhattan. Rockaway does have an LIRR stop and subway, but you have to switch trains several times and then take a bus to Fort Tilden. The first time we went there, we took three trains and two buses -- remember, we were just traveling in Queens!. We then discovered that you can take a bus almost all the way back to our area, so that cut down on the travel time. Still, it takes about 90 minutes to commute in our own borough!

Rockaway is also super windy and cold. It's beautiful, though, and I'd love to return in the spring when it's warm enough to walk along the boardwalk. While I was doing my gallery sit, my husband spent several hours crawling around the abandoned military ruins. Yes, this is how Jon entertains himself!

If you're in the NYC area, try to check out Of Women. I have one little piece in the exhibit, but there are many memorable and provocative paintings and sculptures. It's the type of exhibit that will stay with you for a long time.

Meantime, please check out my NEW Naomi's Designs website!

Selling handmade jewelry: Naomi's Designs is now at Woodstock Reveries!

As you may have guessed from this post's title, I have some exciting news! Naomi's Designs is now being sold at Woodstock Reveries in Woodstock, NY.

I was approached by the store in February, but we finally sealed the deal last week. They're now selling several of my fused glass necklaces and a pair of dichroic earrings.

Though I haven't yet visited the store in person, I really like and respect the owner, Rhea. She's a vegan and animal activist, and donates a portion of her proceeds to various animal shelters. Aside from making sure that the shop's items are beautiful, she also curates items that don't use animal products. That said, she especially liked my animal pendants, including that tie dyed elephant piece. I'm pleased about this because I designed that in honor of my soon-to-be-10-year-old niece, who's crazy about elephants.

My New Year's resolution for 2017 was to get my work into at least two stores and I'm up to three (four, if you count the fact that Chakra Shop has two locations). I remember how discouraged I felt when I checked into the boutiques near me and no one expressed any interest. So I went smaller and more specialized, and have found some success. I really don't think I'm the best jewelry designer out there -- I've seen some incredible work at fairs and online -- but I am persistent. So if you're looking to sell to a store or any other type of venue, that's my best advice. Keep at it, both in terms of improving your product and gathering a list of contact.

I'm proud to be a part of such a great store, but my work isn't done. I'm never finished! I plan to continue and see where else I can sell my jewelry, and what I can do to make my product even better. So far, I love what I'm doing and have met some wonderful people along the way. I'm not looking for fame, but if I can stay on this path, I'll be very happy.

Check out the rest of my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Weird tales from the craft fair: Wainwright House in Rye, NY

Happy Hanukkah to my readers who celebrate! This weekend, I got into the holiday spirit by participating in the Dickens Festival in Rye, NY -- a town in Westchester, about an hour out of NYC. The event was held in the historic Wainwright House:

How amazing is THAT? My mouth fell open when the cab pulled up to the front door. I love old homes and couldn't believe I'd be selling my jewelry in such a gorgeous place. The home was once owned by a wealthy family, who was very influential in local politics and real estate. In 1951, the house was turned into a holistic learning center.

The inside was just as beautiful:

My table was right below the fireplace. My husband was intrigued by the lady in that painting. No one could tell us who she is, or was. But I enjoyed having a set up in such a cool location. Here's a closer look at my Naomi's Designs booth:

There were 30 vendors set up around the mansion. There were also carolers, crafts for kids, a hand bell choir and a live "elf on the shelf" who'd pose for photos. Oh, and there was a large table set up with free coffee and cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. I had a few too many!

This was a beautiful, well-organized event, but the vendors were disappointed in the number of people who came by. Maybe 50 people stopped by my table all day. I was certainly hoping for more. It was also billed as a "Dickens Festival," but there weren't many Victorian touches. There was one older man who wore a old-fashioned top hat, but other than that, no one was in costume. I'm not sure why they didn't just call it a holiday fair.

Still, I did sell a few items and consider any sale a victory. I was especially pleased because two enamel pieces were purchased. A pair of little boys bought one of my enamel pendants for their mom. The price was right in their budget, so they split the cost and each handed me a bill. They were so cute! I wrapped their present in a bright, red box with a matching bow. They were very excited about that bow. Ah, to be young again... Anyway, I hope Mom likes her necklace.

Another customer bought one of my sugar skull necklaces:

I could tell this woman has interesting tastes, because she was already wearing funky, unique jewelry. Her necklace contained a giant lipstick pendant. How fun! After she bought my skull, we had a long discussion about the significance of decorative skulls in Mexican culture. I'm very attached to certain pieces and this was one of them, so I'm glad my skull has found a good home.

Another customer who made an impression on me was the girl who wore a T-shirt with an elephant on it. I'm guessing that she was maybe 13. I told her that my niece, who is a few years younger, loves African elephant and wants to work with them when she's grown up. This girl shared that she also loves elephants and "adopted" one through her school's environmental club. She explained that they sent funds to a sanctuary that rescues orphaned elephant babies. "Maybe your niece can work there," she said. The girl then tried on a bunch of my items and I helped her choose blue wire wrapped daisy earrings. "All of your stuff is sooooo cuuuuute!" she exclaimed. I think that's the ultimate compliment coming from a young teen, right?

Overall, it was a nice day, even if business was slow. We did get to look out at this view:

Jon watched my booth for a while so I could take a walk around the neighborhood. I'd never been to Rye before, and it's gorgeous! The mansion is right by the water and all of the other old homes in the area are stately. People in Rye ain't poor, that's for sure.

That evening's weather was pleasant, so Jon and I walked the 3 1/2 miles into neighboring Harrison so we could have dinner at a little Peruvian restaurant called Quenas. Jon had beef heart kabobs and I ordered the aji de gallina, which is a chicken stew made with a creamy sauce. The food was delicious and capped off a long, but good day. Jon says that it would've been worth going to Rye even without the sale, but I appreciate him tagging along to help me.

I don't think I'll do this event again, unless it's better advertised and they can get more people. However, I'm glad I got to discover a different neighborhood and will certainly visit Rye again. It'll be even more enjoyable if we can walk around without my bags!

Check out my handmade enamel and wire wrapped jewellery at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

An Interesting Invitation; Upcoming Craft Fair

My jewelry businesses have been rather quiet this summer, but happily, things are picking up. I've been getting a lot more orders -- after a looong lull -- and have gotten several invitations to craft fairs.

One is a repeat of a fair that I did last year, which I really enjoyed; it was held at a temple in Patchogue. I'll be participating in that one again at the end of October. The second was for a large craft fair company. It sounds promising, but the fee is pricey and I've vowed not to participate in fairs that charge more than $100 for registration. The third sounds really interesting: it's for a tiny, local fair that's being held right down the block from me.

The fair organizers actually contacted me on Etsy and are looking for artists from Queens. They only need 20 vendors, though, and because of that, the event is juried. I've never done a juried event before; I usually just sign up and I'm in. But it seems as if they're going to be very selective. They asked for three photos, so this is what I chose:

The first piece is my wire wrapped bib necklace that was a finalist in the 2012 Firemountain Gems And Beads contest. The second is an intricate enamel piece made with silver foil and silver cloisonne wire. The third are fun earrings that have attracted a lot of attention. I figured I'd show the different techniques that I know -- wire work, enameling, metalwork -- and the diversity in my pieces. I hope they like my jewelry and invite me to be in this event. What's more is that it's going to be on September 22, which would've been my late grandmother's 97th birthday. She died last September, right after her 96th birthday, and was an artist herself so she always supported my jewelry making.

I'll keep you posted on this fair. Meantime, check out my jewellery at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.