The Art of Giving + Giving to Art
Like a lot of people, I make donations throughout the year to organizations and causes that I love and believe in. I don’t have a lot to spare, but I always try to give some amount each year that feels significant. I have a few favorite organizations that support children in a developing country, adults in need in my own backyard, and abused and abandoned animals across the country. But the giving I like best is the kind that touches people individually in a very direct and concrete way, especially artists. I always feel that if I am lucky enough to make even a little bit of money doing something that I love, I should show my gratitude by giving some of it away so that someone else has a chance to do something they love. Two organizations I love to support are Artist Trust and CERF+.
Artist Trust is a Seattle-based arts organization that supports Washington state artists of all disciplines, and certainly if you are an artist living and working in this area, you are familiar with AT, as it has touched so many of us directly. Over the years, AT has provided financial grants, professional resources and career training to thousands of artists across the state, providing invaluable services, outreach and community to those of us who largely work alone, and helping to launch and sustain successful careers.
Both emerging and established musicians, visual artists, writers, dancers, craft artists, filmmakers and cross-disciplinary artists benefit from the help that Artist Trust provides. Artist Trust‘s motto is “Supporting art at its source,” and that really says it all. The very unique thing about AT is that it is not an umbrella organization that provides financial help to other arts organizations; it’s an arts organization that provides help directly to the artists themselves. As in, a check in their mailbox. As in, hands-on workshops. As in, resources for health care and health insurance. As in, legal, financial and employment opportunities. They really do it all. And do it so well. Their gorgeous website is worth a browse, whether you’re an artist or an arts-lover.
I’m not kidding when I say that almost every artist I know in Seattle has directly benefited from Artist Trust at some time in their careers, including me! A few years ago I received a GAP (Grants for Artist Projects) grant, a project-based grant which allowed me to buy a digital SLR camera, a photo tent and lights to more successfully photograph my own work. Every year AT provides GAP grants to around 60 artists in all disciplines for all kinds of projects which can lead to the development and presentation of new or existing work. The application process is competitive, and I felt lucky at the time to have won a grant, as it truly provided me with critical and timely support for equipment I probably would not have been able to buy otherwise.
Donations to Artist Trust come from individual donors and institutional giving, and also in the form of artwork donations to its annual art auction, its largest fund-raiser of the year. I’ve donated artwork many times over the years, and have volunteered at the auction itself. It’s a great way to support an organization I believe in and see my donations roll forward to support other artists, many of whom happen to be my friends. If you’re interested in giving to Artist Trust and supporting artists like me, you can learn more here.
The second organization I love is CERF+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund), an amazing organization that provides relief and resources for artist emergencies such as illness, injury and natural disasters. I was touched directly by CERF+ in 2001, when I was involved in a terrible auto accident that put me in and out of the intensive care unit at Harborview Hospital here in Seattle for almost two weeks. Among my many broken bones was a pelvis broken front and back, and recovery was long and painful, involving physical therapy that taught me how to walk again. I had also broken my sacrum, and it took about four years before I could sit comfortably for longer than an hour. So jewelry making, which involves a lot of time sitting at the bench, was out for a while. I was not able to work for a long time afterward, and applied for a no-interest emergency loan from CERF+ to help cover expenses while I got back on my feet again. The loan wasn’t huge, but it was significant to me, and it allowed me some room to heal and recover while still paying my bills and buying groceries. Because it was a loan, I paid it back in time under a generous and long repayment plan, and was happy to know that as I repaid my loan, another artist in need could be benefiting from those payments.
In addition to providing emergency relief, CERF+ also works to educate craft artists about emergency preparedness so that we are as ready as we can be if disaster strikes. Providing information on health, safety and insurance, CERF+‘s goal is to build safety nets for craft artists, making sure we are ready for the unthinkable. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ike and many other natural disasters such as flooding and wildfires, CERF+ provided relief to artists who had lost their studios and their livelihoods. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live through a devastating hurricane or fire, let alone what it must be like to have lost everything you owned. What a gift to have an organization like CERF+ to step in when I’m sure it seems like things will never get better.
Like Artist Trust, CERF+ accepts direct donations, but another great way to support CERF+ is to buy an ornament during this holiday season from The Artful Home. Every year The Artful Home generously donates a portion of the sales from its extensive and beautiful handmade ornament collection to CERF+. To see this year’s amazing selection, click here. If you’re not familiar with The Artful Home (formerly Guild.com), they represent talented artists in several disciplines across the country and puts their work in the hands and homes of art lovers through its website, catalogs and direct marketing. I’ve shown work with them for several years. You can see my Artful Home page here.
It seems at this time of year we are always thinking of ways we can give. While it’s definitely important to make sure everyone has what they need at this time of celebration and observance, for me it’s equally important to give in the quieter moments of life, knowing that my donations can stave off hunger, emergencies and crises for folks all throughout the year. If you have a moment in this holiday season, take some time to reflect on a way you can donate to an arts organization you believe in throughout the next year. Help support artists in your area or nationally with a gift that will provide sustaining help in the year to come.
Racine Art Museum Purchases Two of My Pieces!
I’m so excited that the Racine Art Museum recently purchased two of my pieces for their permanent collection!
The two pieces are Underneath It All and Tree Collar #2, and both were included in the Field of Vision exhibition that RAM held between May and October of this year. Thanks go to Bruce Pepich, Executive Director and Curator of Collections at RAM for initiating the purchase and being so gracious throughout.
Underneath It All, 2010
sterling silver, model railroad landscape materials
The Racine Art Museum, in Racine, Wisconsin, houses one of the largest and most significant collections of contemporary crafts in America. Their mission is “the exhibition, education, collection and preservation of contemporary visual arts.” The museum currently has a permanent collection of over 5000 objects, half of which are pieces from internationally recognized artists in several major crafts fields–metal, jewelry, wood, ceramics, fibers, glass. RAM’s focus is beautifully stated on its website:
Presenting work from artists who create meaningful statements in craft media, RAM dispels any differentiation between fine arts and crafts and between the artist and the craftsperson. Exhibitions at RAM emphasize ideas behind the artwork, rather than following strict media categories.
Through gifts of benefactors and under the direction of Bruce Pepich, RAM has been steadily acquiring works of craft for their permanent collection for a couple of decades. Today, RAM has one of the largest collections of art jewelry of any museum in North America. It’s an honor for me to be included in that collection. Thank you, RAM!!
Tree Collar #2, 2011
sterling silver, 14k gold, 18k gold, prehnite and plastic
Winter Wedding photo shoot
My jewelry was featured earlier this month in a lovely Winter Wedding photo shoot by JayLee Photography, (i.e., the talented Ali and Josh). The styled shoot was made up of items from about a dozen different vendors–all were handmade, and all were made locally. All elements from the shoot were borrowed from local makers–the invitations, decorations, tableware, dresses, flowers, and of course, the jewelry! So cool.
The idea was to create a wedding that could actually be reproduced by real people with real budgets–such a refreshing idea when we seem to be constantly surrounded by news of million dollar celebrity weddings and absurdly expensive and tasteless reality tv style parties. This shoot shows that you can throw your dream wedding and incorporate real, affordable, artistic touches throughout. In JayLee Photography‘s words: “Our goal was to make the wedding practical. This is a wedding that could exist in some form or another- for real. Many DIY elements were involved, an array of budget-friendly ideas, and items you could actually have if you wanted them. And all LOCAL!”
This shoot was also picked up by Seattle Bride, and featured on their blog, which you can see here.
From JayLee’s blog:
The Inspiration: Our concept started with the idea of a modern “winter wedding” that featured touches of the holidays in a unique way. This can be seen in gold trim napkins folded and wrapped like presents in twine, clear filled-ornaments, touches of gold leaves and glitter, the illusion of “snow” through doilies and confetti, a beautiful white dessert table, and a special warm treat for the favors (among other details). The colors were primarily white with gold trim, and dashes of red berries. We also used blue/green hues for contrast here and there, to keep things fresh and “cold”. We loved the idea of hanging things from tree branches at outdoor receptions and wanted to recreate that idea indoors. We did so by dangling hand-sewn materials from pieces of wood, including scraps, doilies, ribbon, twine and gold sprayed flowers.
The Vendors: We used more vendors than you may see in a lot of styled shoots and we would personally recommend each one. We are so grateful to all of the vendors…. Every vendor involved was local and available in, and around, the Seattle area. Many of them also travel or ship their items. More importantly, these are talented people who are kind and fun to work with. Though it was a styled shoot, the day felt very festive and was filled with genuine laughter. Also, a special thanks to our beautiful models (seriously… aren’t they stunning?) for making our “wedding” a success.
There are way too many gorgeous photos to post here, but please check out the post on JayLee Photography’s blog to see more. There are some serious stunners.
Here are the photos of my jewelry from the shoot:
All of the above photos are of a wedding set I made recently from 14k yellow gold that was lightly hammered for texture and polished to a shine. The engagement ring featured a stunning and unusual 1/2 carat brilliant cut diamond in the most beautiful shade of grey, set in a tapered 14k tube setting. Here’s my photo of it, from my Etsy shop:
This ring set has sold since the shoot, but I do have some other grey diamonds in my inventory, so get in touch if you would like to design your own wedding set.
The two photos below feature two more rings from the shoot.
The ring on the left (top photo, above), is a sterling silver Man’s Branch Ring. It’s a thick, sturdy, half round band cast from a real twig and shaped and sanded for comfort. The ring on the right (top photo, above), and on the model (bottom photo, above), is a Double White Sapphire Twig Ring, a new addition to my twig line for women, featuring two white sapphires set slightly askew in 14k yellow gold tapered tube settings atop a sterling silver band cast from a real twig, and accented with 24k gold balls. Here’s my own (slightly blurry!) photo of the ring, which gives you a more close up view:
Both the Man’s Branch Ring and the Double White Sapphire Ring are available in my Etsy shop. And you can see more wedding and engagement rings here.
I’m thrilled to have had my jewelry be a small part of this photo shoot, especially since it meant being included in a roster of such talented local makers and shakers. Please check out JayLee’s blog post and scroll down to the end to read more about all the folks that made this shoot special. Thanks, Ali!
Next time you’re in Greece…
…and you’re sitting around the Athens airport waiting for your flight out to Santorini (I wish!!), look for my work in 2board Magazine, the official magazine of the Athens airport.
My Summer Tree Ring is on page 26 in a nice spread. Here’s the blurb on my work, below, and you can view the entire issue (Issue 15, October-December 2011) here.
Precious inspirations
The natural and plant world is the source of inspiration for Sarah Hood’s one-of-a-kind jewellery made from organic materials (leaves, pods, seeds). Her creations, like the Summer Tree Ring, shown in the picture, may not be the functional everyday jewellery you are used to, but they have great artistic value, which is why several of her creations are part of the Tacoma Art Museum collection. (sarahhoodjewelery.com)
Pine Cone Flowers
I often receive the nicest emails from strangers. Sometimes students write to ask if they can interview me for class projects, sometimes editors write asking for images for a story, and sometimes people write just to say they’ve seen my work and like it. Those are my favorite. I usually write back saying that their emails made my day, and I always mean it.
When the article on my work came out recently in Ornament Magazine, I received some wonderful emails from people who had read the article and wanted to reach out. My favorite was from a woman named Sharon who responded directly to something I had said about my necklace called Main Street #1.
The necklace is made from natural forms that I found on Main Street in the small town on the east coast where some of my family lives. I picked the pieces up because I thought they were so beautiful, and immediately envisioned them encircling a neck.
I didn’t know exactly what they were, but thought they must be related to pine cones because of their shape. They are distinctively flower-shaped, and over the years, people who have commented on this necklace have often called them “dried roses.” I knew they were not dried roses, but they definitely resemble them. When Robin Updike asked me about this piece in our Ornament interview, I admitted I still did not know what they were, even after all these years. And then lo and behold, a couple weeks after the magazine hit the stands, I received the most wonderful email!
Dear Ms. Hood:
I bought the current issue of Ornament magazine because of your beautiful jewelry. Your work is fantastic. I’ve seen pictures of your Railroad series before, but I had never seen your Main Street #1 necklace until I opened the magazine.
The article states you haven’t been able to identify the material you used in the necklace. But it made me smile the minute I saw it — I suspect it’s made of what my 5-year-old and I call “pine cone flowers.” We get dozens of them in our yard every year. They come from a huge pine tree we have. When the pine cones fall off the top half of the tree, they shatter apart when they hit the ground after falling from such a great height. What’s usually left intact is the bottom of the pine cone. The damage makes the surviving part look like a rose instead of a pine cone. My 5-year-old loves to collect them, and we always have piles of them in our garage. Never did we imagine they could make an incredible necklace!
Thank you for sharing your work with Ornament. I’m just starting out in metalsmithing, and it’s amazing to see what’s possible.
Sharon
Pine cone flowers! Fantastic! I love the name–it describes exactly what I’ve always thought these forms were–and I love the image of all of those large pine cones falling and shattering when they hit the ground, creating entirely new forms that are unique and complete in their own right. It’s like the original pine cones have this inner, secret form just waiting for the right circumstances to help it emerge. I love it.
I am so happy to know what they are, and so thankful that Sharon felt able to reach out in this way. The next time I am on Main Street, where I found them, I am going to be sure to look up as I am walking along to find the giant pines that must have dropped these down. And call it a mystery solved.
_______________
Edited on 12/7/11 to add: Another kind reader wrote today to tell me that these are actually the cones of Cedrus Deodara, and not those of a pine at all. Thanks, Simona!
Flash Sale in my Etsy shop!
W E E K E N D F L A S H S A L E !!
Now through midnight on Sunday, 25% off all Ready-to-Ship items in my Etsy shop!
Help me clear space in my studio for new work, and get some great deals on all ready to ship items, including gold and diamond engagement rings and many one-of-a-kind pieces!
No discount code needed.
Here are some items that are currently on sale:
One-of-a-kind Double Tree Brooch with Jade
Sterling Dogwood Ring Stacking Set with Rose Cut Diamonds set in 14k Gold
Natural Diamond Strand Necklace with Rose Cut center stone set in 14k gold on sterling lilac casting
Anemone Bud Ring with Hessonite Garnet
Twig Ring with Huge Brazilian Citrine set in 14k white gold
My ring in today’s Etsy Finds
Here’s my Sterling Silver and 18k Gold Lilac Ring with White Diamond in today’s Etsy Finds, which is themed around eco-conscious fashion and finds. Thanks, Etsy!
I’m in Ornament Magazine!
Not only am I in Ornament Magazine, I’m on the cover! Yay!
I was interviewed earlier this year by the lovely Robin Updike, who emailed me in January to tell me that she’d been asked by the magazine to write a profile on me and my jewelry. Robin is an arts and culture writer here in Seattle, and has written many articles on art and artists over the years, including for Ornament Magazine.
She came to my studio in February and we sat down for a couple of hours and talked over tea. I was on Day Two of maybe the worst cold/flu I have ever had, and honestly, I was feeling a little hallucinatory. I sent Robin an email the morning of our interview telling her that I was sick, and apologizing in advance for any coughing fits. She asked if I wanted to reschedule, and I said no because I had spent the last two days cleaning, and didn’t want to have to do that again! Ha! (It’s true).
The interview was so great. Robin did have some specific questions, but mostly we just talked. It was like sitting across the room from a new friend and getting to know each other. We talked about art and jewelry and poetry and landscape, travel and family, the business of being an artist, and the connections between art and language. The exercise of having to talk at length about my work, my motivations, and why I make what I make, was extremely illuminating for me, and really clarified my thoughts on my own artwork in a way I hadn’t expected. Even if the article had never ended up being published, I would have been thankful to have had the experience of being interviewed since it gave me this chance to reflect on my work and my process in a very honest way.
You can read the article on me and my work below (click on arrow buttons to scroll through all the pages of the article, and click on the + button to zoom in so you can read it). For more articles on all kinds of wearable art, visit the Ornament Magazine website.
Building a Ring: Lark Crafts’s Jewelry Design Challenge
Yesterday I picked up my three pieces that were included in the recent Seattle Metals Guild Biennial show, which was up at the WA State Convention Center, and just closed this month. Of course I spaced out the first pick up date, so my awesome friend Molly, who is an amazing metalsmith and teacher at Danaca Design, and who was coordinating this second pickup for forgetful slackers like me, had to text me to remind me not to miss this one!
I’m glad I didn’t, because it gave me the chance to reunite with three pieces I hadn’t seen in a while, including this ring, below.
I made this ring for a book called Jewelry Design Challenge that I was invited to be in last year by Lark Crafts, publisher of all kinds of cool books on art and craft including needle arts, jewelry, woodworking, ceramics, papercraft and all kinds of other disciplines. I’ve been in a few Lark publications over the years including Modern Jewelry From Modular Parts and several of the 500 Series Books– 500 Pendants and Lockets, 500 Earrings, 500 Necklaces and 500 Enameled Objects, but this one was different because participation was by invitation, and not by jury.
The premise was very cool. From the book’s introduction, “What If?”:
Curiosity. That’s where this book started. What would happen if we asked a group of top jewelry designers to trade in their usual jewelry supplies–fine gold and precious gemstones–for basic materials like copper sheet and washers?
Our curiosity led us to action and this simple concept: we’d assemble a box of nine basic jewelry materials, send identical boxes to 30 artists, invite each person to add a wildcard element to the mix, and let the creativity take off.
Each artist was sent a box of materials–18 gauge sterling sheet, 18 gauge copper sheet, sterling tubing, six pearls, 15 copper washers, 20 gauge sterling wire, fine silver mesh, leather cord, and 20 gauge copper wire. We could use all or some of those items, and then add one “wild card” item of our own choosing. We had a set amount of time to create a piece and then write up instructions for the book so that readers can reproduce the piece if they want.
Of course each of the 30 artists created pieces that were remarkably different from the other artists’ pieces, and had their own stamp on them, in spite of the fact that we all started with the same basic parts.
My piece is a huge flower ring that stands on its own. Of the materials given, I used copper sheet, sterling sheet, sterling tubing, sterling wire, and one of the copper washers. My wild card item was a gorgeous 12mm faceted prehnite that I had been saving for some special project. I created a prong setting using the copper washer and some sterling wire. The shank of my ring is made with sterling sheet, and the stand and the petals are made from copper sheet, which I have to admit I have not worked with since I was in art school, having moved on quite faithfully to silver and gold since then. Copper is kind of tricky! It likes to get dirty and stay dirty, and solder doesn’t like to flow on dirty metal. So I find it harder to work with than silver and gold, despite the fact that it is what most of us learned how to solder on.
Before I made my final piece, I made a mock up in copper. Here are some photos I took of that piece along the way (sorry, most of them are pretty blurry, as I was just trying to document, not artfully photograph):
mock up ring shank– soldered together and “stem” soldered in
soldering the prongs into the copper washer
four prongs soldered in and ends balled
upside down — flowing lots of solder to attach the petals to the middle washer
inside view
petals soldered on, ring upright and ready to be soldered to a stand
stone set, ready for clean up and patina
After finishing our pieces, we sent them to Lark, who photographed them beautifully and included them in the gorgeous publication which is chock full of photos, quotes from the artists, and step-by-step instructions on how to create the pieces yourself.
Here’s a preview of my layout in the book, in a screen shot from my website:
The Lark photos look much more beautiful than mine!
You can see more publications I’ve been in here, and learn more about the book here.
Field of Vision
Exhibition Notes from the Field of Vision exhibition at Racine Art Museum:
