Working with Wire

Since I've started making jewelry with my wife, I've been drawn to working with wire.  There is something that makes it a very satisfying pursuit.  I'm not quite sure what it is.  It may be taking something and using my hands to form it into something that looks (or tries to!) beautiful. 

As I was pondering what to write about tonight, I was browsing through Etsy and found this shop:  WireYourWorld

The work there is absolutely beautiful!  I especially love this piece!

It also appears to be a very successful shop.  Which is a good thing!  It means, if we do it right, we can reach that level as well.  We just need to figure out how.

I'm a big Stargate fan and have had an idea for a few weeks now to do some wirework based on the symbols of the different Goa'uld.  I think it would be great fun, but I'm not sure how well the pieces would be received!

One of a Kind

A couple days ago, I was in Michael's browsing for some inspiration, when I started chatting with another woman there. I found out that she was a semi-successful jewelry artist who had just returned from a show in Louisianna where she had pulled in $8k. Cool, but that's neither here, nor there.

We got to talking about materials and techniques and, I don't remember how, but we got into a big discussion about whether it's good to make copies of previous designs, or if one should always make only one of each item. Now, I'm all for making copies. She was quite adamant that each piece should be original, and the only one of it's kind.

I like originality. I like making something that no one else has thought of. But, with jewelry being such an old art, and there being so many people on this planet... can I really come up with a design that no one has thought of yet?

So... I'll keep doing what I'm doing. I make what I like and if someone wants another piece that I've already made, well, why not?