I had the recent honor of being interviewed by LoveToKnow, and have just been featured on their website! Have a look, and enjoy!

I just discovered ceramicist Jenni Brant today. I love the whimsical nature of her work, which has a great sense of humor and lovely details. You can find more of her work in her Etsy Shop or on her Website (which has a fantastic color palette!)

I just found this wonderful video of metalsmith Kristin Mitsu Shiga on OPB's Oregon Art Beat. It's absolutely wonderful, please enjoy!

I love scarves, and growing up with a cowboy/lawyer for a father, I have a thing for plaid and workshirts. These upcycled scarves from Foulard Threads, made from strips of polo shirts and oxfords, bring all these elements together and are a great way to add some color and texture to your wardrobe. And, they're easy on the environment! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else these artists have in store for us.

(On a side note, I love the way these are photographed, including the bust they are on, which does not detract from the scarves themselves. Artists take note.)

via modish

Paddy Bedford (Australian, Gija people, ca. 1922–2007)
Queensland Creek (Merrmerrji), 2005
Ocher on composition board; 32 3/4 x 40 1/4 in. (83 x 102.2 cm)
Private Collection
© Paddy Bedford Estate


A few weeks ago, I took part in one of Etsy Metal's Project Runway Jewelry Challenges, from Season 7, Episode 3 of the show. Our challenge was to create a piece of jewelry inspired by an art piece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I chose the above piece for inspiration for a few reasons. With my background history relating to Australia, I have a real love and passion for contemporary Aboriginal artists. There are many issues surrounding being inspired by Aboriginal art, because a lot of the art is derivative of family history and Dreamings.

Bedford's painting depicts the landscape surrounding Queensland Creek, which the Gija people called Merrmerrji. Much of Bedford's paintings are inspired by aerial perspectives of the landscape around the East Kimberley Region of Western Australia, where he lived. In Bedford's painting, "Queensland Creek", I could feel the vastness of the landscape and imagine the landscape as well.

I loved the choice of colors and lines, the composition of "Queensland Creek", and wanted to show a similar aerial view of the two main homes of my childhood--my father's in Portland, and my mother's in the Columbia River Gorge. Painting is a new thing for me, which proved to be challenging in a few ways, but I enjoyed the process and am pleased with the end result.




Credits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for information and images.