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When I see bronze and steel together, I often think of opposites attracting.  

The steel is all dark and strong and stable. 

While the bronze is more flashy; the life of the party. 

Together, they create strength and beauty.  

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When my inner artist comes out to play with my muse, I get really excited.  New ideas take shape by playing around with techniques I have learned.  

Sometimes I draw first and sometimes the idea comes out in the process.  Right now, I am really happy and excited by the way my new steel and bronze pieces are shaping up.  

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Being stuck inside due to poor air quality does have some advantages.  

It means I can work away at my latest "love" - combining bronze and steel into new pieces.  

Using these pieces as inspiration, I am creating for my next release.  

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I am learning to appreciate my own jewelry as "art". You can see, I have laid out all these pieces (mostly learning pieces) as a centre piece on my table.  I get to see them and touch them and play with them daily. 

I didn't take art appreciation or any of the classics in high school or university.  I have  wandered through many of the great museums in Europe, but I definitely gravitate more to the "craft" side of arts and crafts. 

And while I have always been creative with a huge imagination, I had not really embraced the fact that I am an artist!  I viewed my work and the works of people I admired in the craft world as "artisan" work.  Now I understand the nuances of the words - my work, if not art, is seen as less valuable than "real" art (sculpture and painting, mainly).  This is patently untrue!  What I do is create art!  

 It has been interesting for me to see my work in a new light, to make that mind shift and appreciate it.  And now I am ready to declare myself as an Artist!

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Remember when I first came back from the workshop in California and I introduced the bronze and steel combos? 

This large bar was not finished in that it didn't have the blackening patina on it.  I received the patina recently and decided I needed to finish it today. 

I like it with the thicker rolo chain.  I will be working on bronze and steel pieces after my upcoming release.  

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I am applying for shows again this year to be able to get out and see my customers in person.  

That means not only showing what you currently have, but also what you might be planning to add.  

This shows versatility and gives you an idea of what you could see in the future with my work.  

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We were learning to combine bronze and steel in jewelry pieces at the workshop I attended.  The piece on the bottom is not quite finished yet - more on it another day.  

The circular-ish piece (I shall call it a sponge) is made from steel and bronze, with holes carved in the bronze to match my coral reef beads.  The steel is darkened to obtain the beautiful contrast in colours.  

I think it goes fantastically with my beads!  

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There were a couple of focuses to my learning time in California.

First was the sculptural part where we constructed lockets.  These two are all bronze.  

The second part was various methods to combine bronze and steel in one piece to get the black gold contrast.  

Even though these are learning pieces, my creative mind goes right to how I can use the techniques for upcoming collections and to blend with my coral reef hand carved beads.  

And the fortune cookie is very wise! 

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I do it...

YES, I wear black in the summer.  

Black tops and black, steel jewelry.  I just make sure there is a pop of colour - in this case, sea green on my steel ocean current pendant.  

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