Artist Spotlight: Part Seventy-Seven

This artist is new to this blog, the force behind Nancy's Wild Wire Art.  Hailing from southern Illinois, she's passionate about copper, sterling silver, and gemstones... and it shows.  This chick's got an enviable style that's all her own, and I'm not surprised that the pieces are conceived in her dreams. What does surprise me is that she makes them in a tiny basement studio with a minimum of equipment.  The heart she throws into every piece is wholly evident.

Oh, and by the way?  She does custom work too!

Artist Spotlight: Part Forty-Five

I have an absolutely phenomenal jewelry artist for you this week, Simbelmyne of Intentional Stones.

She's a stay-at-home mom who runs the business together with her friend, Mina.  Both are into meditation, gemstones, and metalworking.  Man, does it pay off!

Although they're out of Pittsburgh, Simbelmyne is crazy enough to have picked up her family and taken them to Australia for 6 months.  I'm so jealous!

Much as I want to visit Australia, though, I'm not built for her life of exploration and flexibility.  I'd like to think I touch on the creativity she seeks, but the freewheeling lifestyle... that takes a kind of bravery I simply haven't got.

I seriously respect it, though.  Who wouldn't?

As Simbelmyne puts it, when she started using gemstones she knew she'd found her artistic direction, giving her a way to provide wearable art and harness the spiritual effects of the stones.

If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you might get to see some of these wonderful pieces in person.  This past Saturday, Simbelmyne and Mina represented Intentional Stones at their first event of the season, the Spring Heritage Market at the Pump House.

Of course, that means I envy those of you in Pittsburgh about as much as I envy Simbelmyne's time in Australia.  As for me, I'll just have to console myself with perusing her shop and blog.

Artist Spotlight: Part Nine

I've got another multitalented artist for you to check out this week!  I'd like to introduce Jan, of Jewelry by Janelle.  She designs jewelry using exotic woods, gemstones both precious and semi-precious, glass beads, Swarovski crystals, and anything else that happens to strike her fancy.  She's constantly adding new items to both her Etsy shop and her Handmade Artists shop, and she takes custom orders besides!

Her forte, and what makes her most different from the other artists I've featured so far, is that she's wonderful with wood.  What she does is just beautiful.  I thought I loved this necklace, for instance.

But then I saw this one!

That one's not only beautiful, but so different and interesting too.  I'm also a big fan of these earrings.

And while her brown-toned wood items are beautiful, let's not discount her more fun and funky side, shown by this Purple Heart heart-shaped necklace.

As I said, though, it's not all wood all the time.  Sometimes she takes a break to work with other things.  Check out this Swarovski Pacific Opal and White Opal Floral Copper Necklace.

On Etsy, she's got earrings to match it too!  And I love this Snowflake Obsidioan Egyptian Fan necklace.  This one's got both a bracelet and earrings to match!

Ever a fan of crocheted jewelry, I also adore this one that she's made with copper wire and brown glass beads.

She works in other metals too!  There's chainmaille, pretty feminine jewelry, and even a touch of Steampunk.

And to round it all out, here's a tote bag she's made and is selling!

If you want to learn more about Jan, her work, and the artists she also takes the time and effort to feature, be sure to check out her blog.  There, you can read the stories behind her pieces, like this beautiful necklace made of Kingwood found in a now-defunct factory in south Florida from the 1920s and purchased by her woodworker husband on Ebay.

Go read!  There's a lot more, I promise.  You'll  learn about all sorts of wood and how she does what she does with it.