Lyn Foley

Fayetteville Art Walk May 5th & 6th – Sneak Peek

Art Festivals, Goals, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog, art 1 Response »

May 012012

:: So much to do, so little time – well, that is how it seems around the Foley’s studio, anyway.

:: I’m taking two on-line classes, both fabulous. Like I didn’t have enough to do anyway, right? The Girl’s Guide to Web Design is teaching me how to build my own site. Yeah! The class is everything it promised, and more. My only problem is not finding time to finish a lesson everyday, so when I return to the class I’ve forgotten the previous lesson. Oh, you get the picture. I will make it through, especially since I need a new site by June 1st. Why? Because that is the day the second edition of my book, Go Anyway: Sailing Around the World with Parkinson’s will be released. So, new site reflecting the great new book design and contents, coming soon……………

The second class I am taking is Editing with Elements, all about learning Photoshop Elements. I didn’t know how much I needed this class. I have struggled with Photoshop for ages, just editing my jewelry photos, and not really understanding what I was doing. I’m moving forward at a steady clip, thanks to the class teacher, Brandi .

Here is a photo of a new piece for the upcoming Fayetteville Art Walk, May 5th and 6th. I’ve made new beads into some scrumptious designs. Come see them at Art Walk. The weather promises to be good, so visit my beautiful neck of the woods and enjoy the show this weekend. See you there!

Behind the Scenes

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Mar 302012

Lots of work going on over here in Round Top. Antique Week is in full swing, but I haven’t had a chance to leave my studio. I’m working on filling orders I took in Dallas – and making new pieces for my upcoming show in Lubbock (The Lubbock Arts Festival, April 12-15, 2012 a the Civic Center.) Plus, Go Anyway is just about sold out. I’m working on updates for a new edition which will be revealed in abut five or six weeks. Lin Pardey is advising me (Thank you, Lin) and has written an introduction for the new edition. I’m very excited about the updates, and will post the realease date later.

Meanwhile, if you want something good to read, pick up Lin’s new book: Bull Canyon, a Boatbuilder, a Writer and Other Wildlife. Lin and Larry built their beautiful sailboat Taleisin up in the hills of California (of all places) and her memoir of those four years reads like a novel. Lin brings all the quirky people and happenings to life, and I went from being moved to tears to tears of laughter. I know you’ll enjoy Bull Canyon and will understand why I am so happy to have Lin guiding me through some choppy book writing waters.

Juggling all my hats – author, bead maker, jewelry designer, web master- jewelry photographer and PD caregiver- is an act that’s REALLY stretched me now. (Opps, I forgot gardener – my snow peas are in bloom!). I’ll leave you with a new black and white photo from the interior of Go Anyway ( a scan of one of my watercolor sketches) - and a photo of a new jewelry piece. Cheers!

Sneak Peek: Artscape at the Dallas Arboretum This Weekend

Art Festivals, Beads, Jewelry, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog, art 1 Response »

Mar 132012

Artscape in Dallas opens on Friday. I’ve been watching the weather, and even though Texas needs rain, I hope the skies wait to open up until after the show ends on Sunday. We’ll see. I’ll be there, rain or shine with a LOT of new wonderful jewelry (I’m making even more today).

Here’s a collage of four of the new pieces. The Teal Bubble Bead necklace is strung with handmade metal accents.

The glass disks drops on Jim’s sterling bails are a new style. We will have that style in several colors, and single and triple pendants.

I enjoy making fantasy leaves and designed a new red leaf necklace for the Bead Soup Challenge. Afterwards I created similar necklaces in muted neutrals and beautiful blues (not shown) as well.

Multicolored glass graffiti beads sparkle on a triple strand necklace, and are accented with patinaed copper and brass beads. I began using metals other than sterling silver in order to keep my prices affordable. I think the different metals work well with my glass, and the end result is interesting and fun (if I do say so myself!).

Come on over to the Arboretum to see everything I’ve made recently, including lots of new earrings. If you can’t attend the show, and want something, e-mail me and I will send you specific pictures and prices.

Puttin’ on the Ritz Soup is Served

Beads, Jewelry 45 Responses »

Mar 032012

Diane Cook, who makes classy jewelry from a combination of recycled treasures and new-found goodies, is my partner in the latest Bead Soup Party. Wow, did she give me a challenge. She sent some luscious ingredients – old crystals, some beautiful red faceted quartz, and a humdinger of a focal – a large pin with a wallop of crystals. This baby is about three and a half inches from stem to stern. All of these items are special treasures – but they are something I leave to the experts like Diane. I was out of my box and in a patch of Texas nettles – itchy! What was I going to do? Well, I stewed around, and viola – Puttin’ on the Ritz!

I took the pin findings off the back of the “focal” and decided to make a statement piece with five strands. I didn’t have a good looking neck to photograph the result, but maybe you’ll get the idea of the old-style choker I created. I used the crystals she sent me, and instead of leading the five strands into bead caps, I kept them all parallel and tamed them with some handmade spacers. That way when worn the focal is just at the nape of the neck and the choker strands remain aligned ( it took me three tires to get the length of each strand just right.) With the bead caps I didn’t use in the necklace I made fairly simple earrings since the necklace will be such a wow item when worn.

This piece is now itching not from nettles, but itching to go out on the town, worn by a classy lady wearing a red velvet skirt, and a gourgeous cream silk blouse, all topped off by her retro choker with bling! Doncha’ think?

Last but not least, what I did with those red faceted quartz. I couldn’t resist doing something in my zone – my own lampworked glass beads. The gemstones pay a supporting role, but hey, they do a good job with “Leaves in Red.”

Hop on over to Lori Andrson’s Pretty Things and follow all the blogs to see what goodies have been created out of swapped beads. Have fun!

P.S. Several people have told me my comments button is not working( it is up at the top of the post.) I’m sorry if it isn’t – I haven’t got a clue how or why. If it doesn’t work, and you want to comment, follow this link to my facebook page and like it or whatever.

Dallas Arboretum Artscape on March 16,17,18

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Mar 022012

Giving Back with ACT

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Feb 082012

ACT, the brainchild of Karen Vernon, artist and gallery owner, stands for Artists Changing Tomorrow. The upcoming ACT event, a fun reception and silent auction, is one of the main ways I give back to my community. 100 artists have donated their works, and I’m one of them. The money raised by ACT will go to Arts for Rural Texas, a local group providing free after school art programs and more to the Fayette County area children and families.

I’ve worked with ARTS and ACT before. This time I created three mixed media collages that will be included in the auction and I’m excited about them.

The first one is Memories: Kyoto. It’s a collage of torn paper, watercolor, and my glass beads.

The next one is Waiting for Spring – also mixed media collage with my glass beads.

The last one, A Closer Look, may be my favorite. It is made using photographs of one of my beads that was inspired by a moth. I enlarged the photographs, played around with them and made the collage. The auction for it will include the simple pearl and glass bead necklace I made with the bead. ( The necklace is not shown.)

All of the pieces of art are the same size, and I believe the bidding starts at $200. (Contact all the links below to find out more.) There are some amazing pieces of art in this auction, and Karen tells me I already have some bids on my pieces. You still have until February 18th around 8 or 9 pm to bid.

I really enjoyed creating these artworks, and I am excited that money will be raised for a cause so close to my heart – Art for Rural Texas. Our local school systems (and probably yours) are not providing much, if any, art education. Here in Fayette County Texas using ARTS and ACT, we are making a big stab at providing it ourselves. Your bids and purchases will help with the funds we need. You know, art is not just about appreciation of what is fine and beautiful in life, it is about encouraging creativity, learning to problem solve, learning to be expressive, and gaining the ability to communicate on a deep level. As Karen so aptly says, “Art speaks when there are no words.”

Join in, have some fun, buy some great pieces of art, and make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children.

Art Auction and Reception Tickets are $35 each

4 or more tickets: $25 each

February 18, 2012 – 6 pm to 9 pm

Sterling McCall Event Center, Warrenton, Texas

RSVP online: info@artsforruraltexas.org or call 979-378-2113

http://act4art.org/

If you can’t attend, register for a proxy bidder. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Diane Rattles My Bead Cage

Beads, Jewelry, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 8 Responses »

Feb 042012

It is Bead Soup Party Time again, and beads are flying back and forth between the partners. (Click here to learn about Bead Soup.) I received my group from Diane Cook a very creative jewelry artist who uses primarily vintage beads in her beautiful creations. Go check out her site, and learn about some upcoming classes she is teaching. Anyway, look at the beads she sent me. Beautiful – yes. Vintage – yes. Gigantic focal – yes. Outside my box (or cage) – YES! What am I going to do with these? Oh me, oh, my. I am so out of my comfort zone here. Well, that’s the idea with this game, and I must say, Diane has set me up very nicely for a huge jewelry making challenge.

I’ve been playing this Bead Soup Party game with Lori Anderson since she started it – and guess what? Lori has written a book, and I am one of the featured designers.

Learn more about when it will be available, etc. here.

Interview with Myself

Art Festivals, Beads, Goals, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 3 Responses »

Jan 242012

Q:Hi Lyn. I’m so glad to have this opportunity for an interview. We haven’t heard much from you lately. How have you been?

A: Thank you for asking. I’m fine, however the last two months have been challenging. Our dear cat Chica hasn’t been well. And back in mid-December doctors discovered that Jim needed surgery, and for various reasons it couldn’t be scheduled until early January. We kept him at home and away from possible infection for what seemed like some very long weeks, and therefore missed several fun holiday gatherings.

Q: Oh, my! I didn’t know. I hope he and Chica are both okay now.

A: He is steadily recovering from his surgery, although he still cannot drive nor lift anything over 20 pounds. So I am doing all the driving (not my favorite job). Chica is doing much better as well. You know she is 14 years old which is 73 in human years. It makes her aches and pains understandable.

Q: Have you done anything since December other than deal with Jim’s surgery?

A: Well, yes I have. Along with Rick Higginbothams’ help I published Go Anyway as an e-book. It’s now listed on Amazon.com for sale and customers seem to be enjoying it.

Oh, speaking of e-books, here is something else I did in the last few weeks. I wrote a tutorial on how to make headpin leaf beads. The tutorial will be in the March issue of Soda Lime Times, a great e-zine for lampworkers. It is easy to read and use on your pc or tablet reader. I really enjoy my android or Kindle and kept one with me during all the hours I spent with Jim at doctors appointments or in the hospital, or at the vet with Chica. I got a lot of reading done.

Q: Well, I am surprised to hear what you have been doing. You must be anxious to get back to making jewelry and beads though.

A:I am, and fortunately I have torched some wonderful new beads in the last few days in spite of all the caretaking. I also managed to make and send off six new necklaces to a professional photographer. I’ll show you those photos once I receive them. Having good photographs of my work is so important for entering juried shows. I’m lining up my schedule for 2012, and the new images should help me get accepted into new venues.

Q: Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?

A: I resolved to take better care of myself, and with that in mind I have lost 13 pounds since November. I feel so much better. I think I mentioned the Game On Diet in my previous post. It is easy and fun. That’s about it for resolutions.

Q: Well, dear, I’m glad to hear you plan to take better care of yourself. It sounds like you need to, so I encourage you as well. A visit to a spa would be a lovely idea. If you decide to go, do let me know. Until then, ta ta. I’ll catch you later. Oh, I almost forgot. Isn’t your 67th birthday day after tomorrow? Never mind – I know it is. Do have an especially happy day.

A: Thank you – I will.

Whirling through November and December

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Dec 112011

Jim and I have been whirling through November and December, and today I am taking an entire well deserved day off! Our last show of 2011 was two weeks ago, and since then we finished our custom orders, and re-stocked The Gallery at Round Top with 33 pairs of earrings and 9 new necklaces. Thank you to customers old and new who contributed to a successful year of business for us. Without you, we would be nothing.

In the midst of our whirlwind we joined a group of Round Top friends in a fun fitness plan – The Game On Diet. The plan is really challenging, and involves more than dieting – but at the same time is FUN! Jim lost 9 pounds in 4 weeks, and I lost almost 7. The rule of eating 5 “meals’ a day was the most difficult – well, maybe the 3 liters of water per day tied. Anyway, while we were travelling both rules gave me fits. We persevered though, and the “Round Top Rowdies” won the game, and are donating our prize of $165 to the local animal shelter – Pounds lost by the group are gone for a good cause. I am taking a day off from the diet today as well – so there —

Meanwhile, our dear cat Chica (who sailed half-way around the world with us) was losing weight too, for no reason the vet could find. We took her back and forth several times to town to be checked (she hates the cat carrier). After a lot of testing, weighing, etc. a new vet found the cause of her loss of apetite – arthritis! Chica has gained back one of her lost pounds, and is doing well again. So glad she will be with us longer.

What else? I think my brain is on vacation today too. I read a post lately about how to make a blog successful, and one of the tips said to “focus on your audience.” Sometimes it seems like I don’t even have an aucience, and I’m so sporadic about posting that I probably lose readers due to inattention. When I started this blog a few years back I called it “Reflections” and led into it with this thought:

“reflections: the returns of light or sound waves from a surface…….| I am a glass artist… I take this opportunity to look at my life, my journey as an artist, and the road ahead. | reflections”

Journeys include rest stops = I’ll take one today.

Gallery Show this Weekend

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Oct 312011

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