Rings & Things Design Gallery

Polymer Clay Category / Grand Prize Winner

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:33:43 GMT

Untitled (Three Tiger Lilies)

Artist: Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg (Ansonia, CT)
Grand Prize / First Place, Polymer Clay

�I'm a polymer clay artist who works with millefiori canes and I mainly create flat tile designs. I am also a proud mom of an 11-year-old girl who is fascinated with flowers, fairies and jewelry. My daughter often remarks that my work is always flat, and that I need to make something dimensional ... Working flat has always come naturally to me; each tile is like a mini painting and I enjoy creating the illusion of depth in 2D. But when I saw this contest opportunity, I thought I would challenge myself, take my daughter's advice and make some "shaped stuff." The first idea I had was to make the pods that cover the ends of the nylon necklace cord. I have purchased many of these cords from R&T and I always like to make something wonderful from clay to cover the cord ends. The pods looked something like tiger lily buds, and so the necklace began to take shape in my head.

�Three gorgeous lilies surrounded by flowing leaves and those little pods to complete it. It was a design fit for a fairy queen ... The leaves and petals are all made from canes. FIMO� is an ideal clay to cane with as it holds details well and is firm enough to sculpt with. This piece was designed to look like a wreath of flowers that a fairy would wear out in the forest.

�The design took me approximately 40 hours to complete from concept to final baking. The obstacles were too numerous to count, but a bit of magic saved me every time I had a problem! The processes used were millefiori caning, antiquing, carving, back filling, sanding, highlight painting, armaturing for strength, sculpting, wire working, etc. The entire piece � exclusive of wires in the stamens, necklace cord and armatures in the leaves (sized card stock) � is polymer clay. It's an amazing medium with endless possibilities.� � Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg

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191 views
May 21, 2008

Alternative Materials Category

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:56:07 GMT

Safe

Artist: Cindy Forrester (Deltona, FL)
First Place, Alternative Materials

"My inspiration came from the drawer pull and keyhole cover. I found these gorgeous pieces at an antique fair. They just spoke to me of being safe behind lock and key. I came across the gorgeous agate and copper trade beads at Rings & Things and knew they would work wonderfully with the design. I separated the two pieces of the drawer pull. On one piece, which is on the side of the necklace, I attached a transferred image of a lady. I soldered the other piece to the round glass pendant and soldered filigree to the top, to portray a door knocker. Behind this piece, in the glass pendant, is a transferred photo of a vintage house. I attached a transferred image of a door into the keyhole of the keyhole cover. The square pendant has another transferred vintage photo of a lady standing inside her home with an open window looking out over the city. I added a piece of vintage lace, a vintage dictionary word (�safe�) and, on the back, I added aged decorative paper and more words (�to return safe and sound, God keep you�). I also used two rusty keys in the design. All of the pieces just seemed to come together to create a very unusual piece.

�The processes I used were soldering the pendants and drawer pull, wire wrapping the beads and using liver of sulfur to age the sterling silver and copper. This piece took a couple of weeks, working on it in the evenings and weekends. The obstacles were to get the drawer pull and filigrees soldered onto the round pendant and making each of the two connected the right lengths, with each side a different length.� - Cindy Forrester

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159 views
Apr 28, 2008

Mostly Metal Category

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:53:38 GMT

Heaven and Earth

Artist: Linda Inhelder (Sammamish, WA)
First Place, Mostly Metal

"I started with a sterling silver bead that I purchased at one of Rings & Things traveling trade shows. This Yin-Yang bead (also called Heaven and Earth) was perfect for a mixed sterling and copper cuff bracelet. I made the frame with 14-gauge copper wire. Then I added coils of both copper and sterling silver for a contrast of light and dark metal. I added texture to the coils for added detail. For sparkle, I used fine sterling silver wire to sew Swarovski� crystals in clusters around the larger coils. For this piece, I used 14-, 18-, 20-, 24- and 26-gauge wire. To finish the piece off, I have lightly oxidized the entire piece and then polished the metals to shine." - Linda Inhelder

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134 views
Apr 22, 2008

Metal Clay Category

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:53:28 GMT

Soul Keeper

Artist: Ping An Brouwers (Den Haag, The Netherlands)
First Place, Metal Clay

This design idea evolved out of closed ash pendants Ping has made in the past. The openwork silver became a symbolic ash pendant because, as Ping observes, �some spirits like to be free.� Construction started with an armature of core cork clay, which burns out when fired. Then, the pendant�s whimsical design was applied on top of the cork clay with syringe-type Art Clay� Silver. Completing the stunning work, is a simple pearl dangle.

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122 views
Apr 22, 2008

Gemstones & Pearls Category

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:53:17 GMT

Black Ice

Artist: Kris Howell (Spokane, WA)
First Place, Gemstones & Pearls

"I have often thought it would be interesting to design large hollow form beads that could be fabricated for my necklaces, but I just didn't know where to start. I was further frustrated when I was unable to take a metal-clay hollow form workshop sponsored by the Spokane Jewellers' Guild, since I had come to believe that metal clay would be the only way that I could form the beads that I envisioned. As I sat in my studio � pouting that I had missed the metal clay class � I suddenly thought "why not?� I started bending and shaping strips of sterling silver sheet and forming free forms that could be fabricated in the much the same way I�d made my geometric beads. With a little trial and error�voila! What better to string with the wonderful, organic roughs and nuggets that I find on my frequent trips to paw through the cash-and-carry trays at Rings & Things! I love designing large necklaces, combining textured silver with the interesting and unusual stone beads that I find.

�The silver beads are cut strips of 24-gauge sterling sheet that is bent, fit, soldered, sanded and filed to the final shape. The location for drilling the stringing hole is carefully placed to assure that the weight of each bead will lie properly. The beads are then finished with surface texturing and polished. I burnish the edges to give a shiny finished outline to the shapes. I also made my own toggle catch to match the texture and compliment the shape of the silver beads. I shaped the toggle and ring catch and soldered on half loops of 18-gauge round wire for the string attachment. It was then textured and finished the same as the silver beads.

�My stringing is always done with a lot of thought regarding balance and weight distribution. It is very important to me that the necklace lays comfortably without flipping and without a feeling of heaviness. I will even restring my necklaces to fit the person who buys them. People are always surprised at how proper weight distribution can make even the heaviest necklaces comfortable to wear." - Kris Howell

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113 views
Apr 22, 2008

Glass Category

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:53:06 GMT

Mermaid's Garden

Artist: Zoya Gutina (Alexandria, VA)
First Place, Glass

"Maybe it was a dream about summer? The bright, golden sun and rich clear-blue sky embraced me with their tender warmth,� Zoya muses on the creation of her lovely seed-bead necklace �Mermaid�s Garden.� By combining a blue color scheme with copper-lined seed beads, Zoya achieved at once the cool touch of the ocean with the warmth of a summer sun! The finishing touches were created with freshwater pearls and aquamarine gemstone chips � perfect for a maritime theme.

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149 views
Apr 22, 2008