North Coast Metal Arts Guild

     I am very excited to announce that The North Coast Metal Arts Guild (NCMAG) has been formed! Right now we are only three members strong but we hope to have an application process for new members very soon.   The NCMAG hopes to foster a community of local metal artists that will benefit from each others knowledge and support locally and online.  Right now we are meeting in coffee houses and guild member Erin House' s studio but eventually hope to move into a larger studio/gallery space and become an organization that will host classes and guest speakers for the local metals and art community as well as the community at large.  We also hope to support current metal students at HSU, CR and Eureka High through yearly grants/awards.  

     NCMAG members will also be working on several projects each year.  "Reliquary", our first member suggested project, was randomly drawn at our last meeting.  Proposals are due this Monday and the finished pieces will be up for viewing during North Coast Open Studios!

    Upcoming NCMAG events include:

Humboldt Arts Festival

Sat, May 15, 2pm – 10pm

Sun, May 16, 10am – 8pm

I St between 9th and 11th, Arcata, CA  
 

North Coast Open Studios

June 5-6 and June 12-13, 2010

11-5 pm

207 G street room 119

(Buhne Building Artist Studios)

Arts Alive 

July 3rd, 6-9pm

207 G street room #119

(Buhne Building Artist Studios)

Fan Suggestions

Sundays are Facebook fan days!  I've been asking the fans on my Facebook page to let me know what they would like to see me use in a ring.  I never guessed how challenging it would be.

For the first "Fan Day" I incorporated two suggestions: a Celtic design, and seashells. I didn't know a whole lot about Celtic designs so I did a little research and found out that the best designs are comprised of one unending line.  My design used two:

"Celtic Shell" 

Sterling Silver

03/21/2010 

Fan day 2 was Steam punk:

 Mechanical Constraints

Copper, Sterling Silver, Brass

03/28/2010

Fan Day 3 was "Let Freedom Ring". This was by far the most challenging. Not being a very patriotic person myself I thought about it for an entire week before I came up with a solution. Then one day I was reading about Google and China and I realized that for me knowledge is freedom and that freedom might mean something different for everyone. I also realized that believing in and supporting freedom doesn't necessarily mean that one needs to be out waving a flag or singing patriotic songs. That freedom can be quiet. And that even if one is suppressed by their government they can still be free through knowledge. Knowledge gives one the information needed to make choices, and although many choices can only be made in a free society, other choices are personal and need only be known to the person making the choice. And so instead of a tongue that would ring loudly this bell was made with a paper tongue that the wearer may inscribe however they like.

Let Freedom Ring

Copper, Sterling Silver, Paper

4/4/2010

As always RAD continues to challenge and inspire my creative process.  As frustrating as it can be at times when it's been a busy day and I really don't want to make a ring or I don't have enough time to make the ring just right, the payoff in creative exercise is well worth it.  A big thanks goes out to all of the fans who have come up with challenging ideas!  I can't wait to find out what I'll be working on next!

Hippity Hoppity: Still going

Last night I spent time with family for the Easter holiday. They had asked that I bring all my rings along and that everyone also make a ring to present in honor of my firsts months accomplishment with the RAD project.  Not only did they each make a ring, they gave them to me! What a great group of people.  And what a talented bunch at that:

Titanium by Stuart Miller, Copper and Sterling Silver by Judy Miller, Bolt by Alex Miller

Glass by Nick Miller, Wood by Robert LaLonde, Polymer Clay by Carol LaLonde, Found Bubble Ring by Geoff LaLonde, Egg Hunt by Erin Austin

Here are some other holiday inspired rings from the ring a day group on Flickr:


Metal Riot



Leftwingofthecrow



poohnted


So now the question is, how many more holidays will pass with a ring?  We shall see...