jewleycreations: August 2010

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Rainy

It's been a very rainy August in Germany, and floods have been happening in large areas of the country. The night between Thursday and yesterday heavy rains caused floods here in Bayreuth's area too, and people have had flooded gardens and cellars. These are two pictures from flooded spots here in the neighborhood. Fortunately the village where my mom and I are staying didn't have any damages, the little creek flowing through the village and right in front of our Gasthaus seems to be well protected.

In the meanwhile it's still full summer in Italy...

... and in Greece...

Friday, August 27, 2010

Longing for the SUN!!!!!

Landscapes and villages are really beautiful here, but after over 2 weeks of rain and cold weather... I'm really looking forward to some warm and SUNNY days back home in Italy :)!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

ROMANTIC BAVARIAN VILLAGES

Yesterday I was in the Fränkische Schweiz ("Franconian Switzerland"), a lovely area South of Bayreuth where time seems to stand still. The region is really romantic, full of lovely villages, forests and medieval fortresses. Romantic rivers, bizarre rocks, enchanting caves and medieval castles make this region a paradise for romantics at heart! The pictures are of Pottenstein, one of the most beautiful villages in the area.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

German Finds :)

I'm very happy that I finally found a really good course book about the Greek language! I had long been thinking about learning some more Greek beside the very basic things I know, I have a few conversation booklets but I was really looking for a real course book and I couldn't find any in Italy. Being a country of travelers and lovers of Mediterranean countries, Germany offers a huge choice of guide books and language books, so here I found the right book! As a language teacher myself, I'm very picky and I wanted a good and serious book - you know, the traditional good method with dialogs, grammar and exercises. I had seen in the internet that the best comments were about one particular book, Griechisch Aktiv by Dimitrios Mastoras, and also http://www.rhodos-info.de/ (a great website about Rhodes by a German couple who has been traveling to Rhodes for 30 years) recommends this book as the best available. Bayreuth is not Berlin, but I was so lucky to find the book directly at Hugendubel bookstore without even having to order it!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

BAVARIAN DAYS

Here I am... in Germany! After a few cold and rainy days the weather has finally turned to the better and I'm truly enjoying this wonderful area! I'm spending a couple of weeks in the upper East corner of Northern Bayern (Bavaria), not very far from the Czech border. My mom's hometown Bayreuth is a beautiful city that's well-known for being famous composer Richard Wagner's burial place, and for hosting the Wagner Festspiele (Festival) every summer. A great place for opera fans but also for nature lovers, as the area is completely covered by wonderful pine-tree forests! The villages are enchanting too, and I'm enjoying this beautiful environment!
Today I was at a lovely lake surrounded by forests and called Fichtelsee. Here are two pictures!

ANNUK CREATIONS ON ETSY FRONTPAGE!!!!!!

YAY!!!!! My TREASURE OF THE SEA 2 Ring made it to Etsy's FRONT PAGE thanks to this wonderful and happy Treasury!!!!!

"Sunset Boulevard" by SCI2010

And here is the Front Page!!!! Thank you so much SCI2010!!!!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

This Week's Treasuries

Here are the the beautiful and colorful Treasuries by lovely Etsy artists my work has been featured in this week!

"When a Sea Horse Falls in Love..." by Star Of The East

"From Greek Friends" by Vikulya

"Trip Of Thanks" by Diasyflores

"Passion For Details" by Schicki Mickis

"Blue" by Schicki Mickis

"Redheads Can Too!" by White Oak Room

Friday, August 6, 2010

CATS AND ARTISTS!

My new CATS AND ARTISTS collection :)!

"CATS AND ARTISTS"

Refined and delicate natures understand the cat. Women, poets and artists hold it in great esteem, for they recognise the exquisite delicacy of its nervous system.

J. Champfleury

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Artist Interview: AZULADO

Welcome to my August Artist Interview! I'm pleased to share with you one of my favorite artists' amazing work! My new interview takes me to Portugal, where I meet Sandra Rosa, a talented artist who works under her own brand Azulado. She creates wonderful and colorful pottery work that is absolutely unique in both shape and inspiration. Her artwork is both functional and decorative, and I'm in love with the colors and glazes Sandra is able to achieve, and as I am a lover of unique jewelry, her wearable art is real eye-candy to me!
Here she shares her artistic journey and inspiration with us!

Serenity

- How did you choose the lovely name for your Etsy Shop, Azulado?

My work in ceramics began with the restoration of antique Portuguese tiles, more specifically in the area of painting, my time was spent in a lot of blues experiences in order to find the color most identical to the original, then it’s the word that I probably more pronounced in a day's work. Bluish is its translation. When I created the store it was the first name I thought and so it remained.

Spring Garden

- How did you first come to art and creativity? How did your journey in art and creativity begin?

Creating has always been part of my life. As a child I loved creating and building new stuff. I do not know what is being bored not knowing what to do since I always have new ideas and want to do new things, whether at home decorating, with my clothes, etc., etc. Love creating, building, anything that has to do with making by hand, painting, sewing, modeling...
I studied in art school and I specialize in restoration and preservation of old Portuguese tiles and earthenware. It was with the tiles that I embarked for ceramics. Pottery is a world ever since I continue to learn, to explore.
How I wish I had more time to do all the projects I have in the area of ceramics, with time I'll get there.

Precious Garden

- When and how did you realize this was your real life path?

To pay for my studies, my first assignment was in office. At that point I knew I could not take a job where creativity was not present. I guess I was lucky, because my second job was in a museum school, that was when I started working with restoration and since then I never stopped.

Feeling The Sea

- What are your main sources of inspiration?

All my work is based on the observation of simple and beautiful things that surround us, especially in nature. I always look at either the most basic forms or I simplify the most complex, I try to transpose the simple harmony of the flowers for the daily life with images attractive to all senses. Working with clay allows me to somehow paint in three dimensions, that is how I see my work in jewelry.

In My Secret Garden...

- How has life affected your art and art affected your life?

I think that life and art are intertwined, growing together, they adapt to one another. If we do not evolve, this does not provide us with new knowledge and experiences to our life, it stagnates, and the same goes with art. I make my living but life also makes me me, and this is reflected in what I create.

Sunshine

- You also do conservation and restoration work, can you tell us a little about it?

I do mainly restoration of tiles. In Portugal we have a great heritage in this area. Of course, like everything they need to be preserved. The weather (rain and heat), salinity and sometimes vandalism are the main causes of degradation of the tiles. What I do is deal with what can still be treated (clean up, consolidate, desalination, etc.) and rebuild what has been lost so you can return a reading of the drawing and leave it for future generations (requires much study, sometimes even with the help of art historians).
I have done several works in this area in Portugal and Brazil.
It is very interesting!

Ocean Wave

- How does your home country and in particular Portuguese art and your country’s well known ceramic tradition influence your work?

The Portuguese ceramics was my teacher :)
There are many influences, part of me, huh?
Of course I went for a rather different way, but many techniques, are a heritage from my country!

Turquoise Soap

- Art is about light and color! What are your favourite colors?

Blue and orange without any doubt!

The Blue Line

- Did you have a formal training in the arts or attend art courses?

I studied in art school a course that was called at the time of fire arts (ceramics and jewelry), then I majored in conservation and restoration.

The Star Of The New Year

- Do you have a studio or home studio? Where do you create your artwork?

I live on a small farm near Lisbon! I have a little studio at home, where I do all the work in ceramics and restoration. It is very good; I'm in full contact with nature.

My Little Turquoise Bowl

Thank you dear Sandra for this really beautiful and inspiring interview, and for sharing your artistic journey and inspiration! We wish you lots of happiness and success in your life and with your art.

You can find Sandra's wonderful artwork in her Etsy shop Azulado. And you can get to know more about her work and her colorful world in her lovely blog.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Great new tool by Etsy: TREASURY EAST SEARCH! ... and a few undiscovered Treasuries!

I have just discovered a great new tool by Etsy: finally it's possible to find out in which and whose Treasuries you are featured in!!! Not everybody is convoing the artists whose work is included in their Treasuries, so this is truly a great new tool :)! If you hadn't discovered it yet, you just need to paste this into your browser and add your shop's name!
www.etsy.com/treasury/search/
For example, my search is: www.etsy.com/treasury/search/AnnukCreations
Voilà! It's that simple! This way you'll find the complete list of Treasuries East you've been featured in! And you may be surprised... as I was, to discover a few lovely Treasuries whose existence you completely ignored :)!
Here are a few of these "undiscovered" collections I was part of :)! To my greatest surprise and joy, many of them were inspired by... my beloved Greek Islands!!!