Party Re-Cap and Updates

Me and guests at the Open Studio + 1st Friday

Friday, September 7th was my first night participating in Pacific Grove's First Friday event. The weekend was a fun and busy one for our small, sweet little town: in addition to First Friday, it was also the Art and Wine Walk, and the weekend of the Pacific Grove Triathlon. I had a great turn out, and cannot thank everyone enough for coming out to support me and my fellow artists here in town. What a treat it was to have yummy cookies fresh from the oven from Carolyn's Cookie Company, as well as the delicious party-hit sweet potato and date tea biscuits (yum!) from my dear neighbor, Lydia.

There have been lots of lovely people wandering around town and poking their heads in to the studio the past few weeks. The weather has been warmer (for our 'summer' standards) and I have seen tale-tale signs of the sun for longer and longer hours of the day. As the days advance, I keep looking forward to the great indian summers we have here on the coast.

Things in the studio and in my life outside of jewelry-making have been very busy lately. I have been easily caught in the 'daily grind' as it were, so I've had to remind myself that there is so much beauty and peace all around me--if I'd just hold still a moment, I could see it! I don't know about you, but if I find myself doing nothing, I begin to feel guilty or lazy, so I rarely give myself a break. Perhaps it is the peril of owning and running your own business. There is so much to do, and so many things that could be better than they currently are. Not to mention so many new ideas and things to try out for the first time, which are always exciting and tend to take precedence over the rest, pushing the other stuff onto a longer and longer list of to-do's.

To 'take a moment' I forced myself to a few trips to the shore, wiggling my toes in the freezing cold water, taking in the breeze and the sweet ocean smell, and admiring the tide pools. I'd like to share that with you if only in the hopes that you might find some beauty and marvel, too.

Sea Anemone Rings with sea glass and shells
© Erica Freestone

From these various adventures to the ocean, I couldn't help but be inspired by the fantastic creatures and textures found on the shore. I knew the 'moments' wouldn't last forever so of course I had to make some sea anemones for finger-wearin'. This collection was a joy to create because it helped me see the wonder of the world as it is, and appreciate each difference and idiosyncrasy as perfect as its imperfection is...



I hope this update finds you all well, loved, healthy, and creative.

Sincerely,

Erica

Open Studio 9/7/12 5:00-9:00 Join Me!

Join me for Pacific Grove's double-header 1st Friday and Art Walk 

on Friday, September 7th from 5:00 - 9:00 PM.

Complimentary treats and drinks will be provided for your snacking pleasure. Make your way through P.G.'s fine art establishments and support your local community of creative folk as we pursue our artistic dreams!

Come down and see my newest collection of

completely handcrafted and one of a kind

pretties for those digits,

adornments for that stellar neck of yours,

flashy finery for your sweet little 'lobes,

and perfect treasures for your amazing wrists.

See ya there!

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Open Studio

Please join me this Friday night for a little nibbles, drinks, good music, and to see my newest collection as well as my new space if you haven't stopped in already.

Mother's Day is May 13--buy Mom a gift that's as one of a kind as she is! 

I have marked down many of my pieces to make room for new ones.

OPEN STUDIO

Friday, April 13, 2012

5:00-9:00 PM

157 Grand Ave. Suite 109

Pacific Grove, CA 93950

It is also the PG Art Walk on Friday, 

so many other art studios in town will have their doors open and lots of goodies! 

Come support your local artists!

Buy Local. Buy Handmade. Support the Arts.

Much love,

Erica

Video Time!

Many of you have asked for a video of me working in my studio...

so, without further ado--here it is! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Much love on this cold yet beautiful February day,

Erica

Early September Update

Well, it's been just a little over a month now in my new studio, and it's coming together nicely. Every day that I'm in there, it feels more and more like 'my studio' and not just some weirdly-shaped office/storefront. It is so nice having my own designated creative space, but I definitely miss my artist friend (and his amazing family) at my old work studio. 

I have to admit, though, the best part about my new studio is that it's only two blocks away from this. (Yep, I feel pretty lucky.)

A lot of things have happened since the move, too. I took a collection of pieces to a beautiful art gallery up in historic Folsom City (just east of Sacramento on 50) called Fire and Rain Gallery. They have some really phenomenal artists in there, so I'm feeling pretty flattered that they accepted my work at all! I brought them a few of my big statement rings and some more of my simpler pieces. I am in anticipation to see how they all do up there. Fingers are crossed that every piece finds a new and completely stoked owner!

Also, my fall dance classes have all started, so among all my kazillion jewelry projects I constantly have on my plate, I am teaching 7 different classes a week at various studios here in the area. I've got a pretty diverse group of students to keep me on my feet, too. Choreographing warm up exercises secretly happens while I'm taking a breather from too much sawing or my hands hurt from filing!

I also decided to re-work my website and in fact re-do it almost completely. Before, it was created and hosted on Wix, a flash-based website builder, but I've been totally unimpressed with so many different aspects of it that I decided to try a different route. Low and behold I discovered I had iWeb on my mac this whole time! iWeb is so easy to use, I put it together in less than three days. It's still not completely finished, but it's a constantly evolving project anyway. Make sure to check it out! What do you think? 

http://www.ericafreestone.com

Anyway, since lots of you have been asking for them, I figured I'd share some more pictures of the studio and it all coming together!

Cleaning! Mess equals stress as my old boss used to say.
Started off with a clean slate. Well, okay, mostly clean. The space is a weird double hexagonal shape with windows on almost every wall. Kinda neat, but also kind of like working in a fishbowl.

See? Clean, empty slate!

Front doors to the studio.

My work bench and design table.

Design table with new fancy homemade bead rack.

Signage. (Also homemade. Having little to no money forces one to be creative.)

Well, many more things need to be added, like the perfect jewelry display cases. It's all a work in progress. Just like everything! Hope you liked the pictures. If you're around, come stop by and say hello! 

Erica Freestone 

Handmade Artisan Jewelry

157 Grand Ave. Suite 109

Pacific Grove, CA 93950

www.ericafreestone.com

Much love and many wishes for creativity,

E

News from Pacific Grove

Sterling silver flower and turquoise necklace. Handmade by Erica Freestone. Available on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/listing/80112273/necklace-handmade-turquoise-and-sterling?ref=v1_other_1

Now announcing my new Open Artist Studio

157 Grand Ave. Suite 109

Pacific Grove, CA 93950

(on the corner of Central Ave. and Grand Ave. 

across from the library, next to Back Porch Fabrics)

Open Hours

Mondays 10 - 6

Wednesdays 8 - 4

And by appointment

This is a unique opportunity to visit a working metal artist in her natural habitat. ;-)

Stop in, take a peek at my newest pieces, see works in progress, google at all my neat tools (don't mind the mess!)--be a part of my creative process!

Let me make you something beautiful. 

Something you will treasure forever.

Something from both your heart and mine.

See you soon!

Hot Off The Bench!

This, my friends, is what 12 hours of my time looks like.  :)

Love,

Erica

Homage to the West

Just finished this ring (which reminds me very much of my cowboy Grandpa, so is lovingly titled Homage to the West)

Come see it (and me!) in person at the MPC Mother's Day Jewelry Sale, May 3-5!

Love,

Erica

Etsy Treasury

Good morning everyone!

One of my limited edition turquoise rings was featured in an Etsy Treasury!

Thank you so much Danu Jewelry for including me in this awesome collection!

More about this ring

This ring is handmade from sterling silver round wire (for comfort) that is hammered on the outside to give it a wonderful texture. Two bands are then soldered together, and a hand-picked turquoise stone from my collection is set in a custom made fine silver bezel which is then soldered onto the double bands. I file out one or two small slivers of the bezel to mimic all the lovely matrix in the stone to complete the look and bring out the character of each individual stone. I then dip the ring in liver of sulfur to oxidize just the right parts and then give it a high polish. The last step is to engrave my signature on the back of the stone.

This ring is made to order to size and is a gorgeous addition to any collection!

Much love as always,

Erica