About Me

Many years of drawing and painting portraits lead to cramped creativity. The years of producing work "to please the customer" weighed on my desire to design tactile permanent pieces simply for the real pleasure it gives me. My first freeing step was to produce large designs in rough cut steel to be installed on the outside of buildings. I later moved indoors working in sheets of sterling silver to create jewelry. Finding the silver work more gratifying than steel, I am pleased that people enjoy my jewelry. I make my own stamping tools and hammer most surfaces, finishing with steel wool or polishing to a high shine. My husband, Leigh, and I sell my work at the juried shows we are invited to all across the U.S. Email for prices and information please swadeworks@gmail.com

Thursday, November 12, 2009

After many months of shows and new grandchild (!) here is an update. We have been all over the U.S. again this year. Being home has become our vacation time which is a wonderful reality. We are in the middle of major home projects as I write. A new horse barn for my two pasture ornaments is completed, a guest house for growing family coming to visit is under way, and big changes in the house including central air and heat!!! Yes, we have been spartans for years with a wood stove for heat and window units in these hot Texas summers. All the while raising our children we didn't have the window units. Good grief, we're getting establishment.

Even with the economy limping along our shows continue to be strong for us. I am so thankful to our customers for making this a great year for sales and an encouragement that what I make with my hands is meaningful and enjoyable. Personal adornment in many cases gives the wearer a message to communicate about who she/he is. When I create a piece of jewelry I don't know who it is for, only that someone might find in it a connection that makes it their own. It's a very satisfying aspect of engaging in this art form.
The Tulsa International Mayfest in mid May was especially exciting for us as I received the Best of Show award. It was a good kind of gratefulness and humility! It certainly made my day when the director brought the beautiful plaque and the generous check. I also was honored in Rockport, TX with the jewelry award, and I was prejuried into the Boardwalk Art Show in Virginia Beach for 2010 by their standards committee, making this a banner year for recognition.
The shows we participated in since May include:
Artfest 2009 in Dallas
Frederick Festival of Art in Frederick, MD
Virginia Beach Boardwald Art Show in VA
Fountain Square Art show in Evanston, IL
Rockport Art Show in TX
The Morning Glory Art Show in Milwalkee, WI
Woodlands Art Fair and Lexington, KY
Kipona Art Festival in Harrisburg, PA
Art and Apples in Rochester, MI
Red River Revel in Shreveport, LA
Southern Artisan's Market in Dallas, TX
Huffines Art Trails in Richardson, TX
Edom Festival of the Arts in Edom, TX
The Great Gulf Coast Art Show in Pensacola, FL
and coming up, the Scottsdale Art Festival in Scottsdale, AZ

I have a lot of new pieces that I will include asap. Thanks for visiting!!
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