1st Friday at Alaska Heritage House

Spring ~ or break-up, anyway ~ is coming fast to Fairbanks. My studio is fragrant with the scent of green leaves and grasses, as I've been working on new embossed cuffs, pendants and earrings. The oils from the leaves, crushed as they pass through the rolling mill, evoke memories of warm sunshine, wildflowers and leafy branches against a blue sky.

I hope you'll join me this week for 1st Friday at the Alaska Heritage House in Fairbanks. Not only will I have new jewelry to show for the first time, but this is a great opportunity to explore one of Fairbanks' most historic houses. Stop by anytime between 5 and 8 p.m. Friday, April 2. If you need directions, click here for a map.

These are two of the new pieces I'll have at the show. The first, the Uchiwa Pendant, is part of the Forest Floor series. Uchiwa is a non-folding Japanese fan, very similar in shape to this pendant. The copper shows the ribs of baneberry leaves and is accented by sterling silver and malachite.

The second photo shows a chased copper lily brooch accented with sterling silver balls. Click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see the detail. The brooch was first cut freehand from a thin copper sheet and then worked on a sandbag into three-dimensional shape with dapping tools and hammers. It features a tie-tac type pin back rather than a traditional brooch finding; this way it can be worn on the lapel of a winter coat as well as on a sweater or blouse.

These pieces are not in the Artfire shop. After the 1st Friday show, these or similar ones will be, so if you're not in Fairbanks, don't worry. (And feel free to get in touch to let me know you're interested now so I can plan to make them for you.)

Also for 1st Friday, please do stop by The Alaska House art gallery at 1003 Cushman Street. They've got a huge selection of my work in a beautiful display up front. With more than 60 pieces, there's a lot to see.

Next time I take a break from the bench, later today or tomorrow, I'll post the photos illustrating how real leaves are embossed into metal for the Forest Floor jewelry.