Aches and Pains...A sign of summer

Too much yard work this weekend :) I'm used to sitting in a chair all day. Got some shipping to catch up on this morning due to the long weekend.

So...I have had so many folks that want to know where I get my ring shanks and pewter pendant trays that I am considering becoming a retailer. I have to be careful what I add to my work flow, because it is really set up for just shipping art. I would almost have to sell the rings as supplies from johnwgolden.etsy.com, just so I could keep orders in the same pipeline so to speak. I don't know how folks that have orders coming from lots of different sources keep up with it all.

Saw my first firefly of the season about a week ago. Gonna consider switching to a summer schedule that allows taking the kids to the beach a few times a week. We finally realized last year that we live right next door to something that a lot of folks wait all year and pay a lot of money to visit, and that we were wasting that benefit.

It's always really calm in the morning, but not so warm. Great time for taking a kayak out in the surf though, which I vow to do more regularly this summer as well.

The Aftermath of Sharing...

The response to my resin jewelry tutorial has been overwhelmingly positive. One kind viewer tipped me off to a site called MindBites, which is running a contest called Spread the Craft. The video can be viewed as one 23-minute opus there.

The idea behind making such an in-depth video that shares every bit of my resin/jewelry making process is too see what it's like to directly spark creativity in other people. I have made contact with lots of friendly, creative folks and certainly caught the sharing bug.

I am currently in the voice-over stage of a new video called Pixels to Perches – The Digital Fish Art of John W. Golden. It's not so much a tutorial, but a demonstration/documentary video about how I make some of my digital art. The process is a bit too lengthy and complex to be parsed in to a how to, but I hope it will give a little insight into how I create my art.

I want to encourage everyone out there to "spread the craft", so to speak. I realize that we all have techniques that we have learned over years of hard work, and techniques that we have developed on our own that we might be reluctant to just give away. And that is understandable to feel that way. I have techniques that I may never share because I feel they are an integral part of what makes my art my art. But I think it is important to consider while we work our way to success that being successful is much more rewarding when you can encourage success in others.

Resin Jewelry Tutorial Part 1, Rings are Up

At long last, the resin jewelry tutorial that I promised is completed parts 1 and 2 are up. Part 3 is on the way. Also got most of the rings up last night. Pendants should go up for sale today.

Finally done!

I've got bunches of new rings and pendants going up on the Etsy shop tonight! Some of these are already gone, so they are not all available.

Here's a glimpse of some of the new jewelry I have coming out featuring my artwork and designs. This is part of an in depth tutorial that is in development.

Lots more Jewelry...

Worked on more pendants and rings this afternoon after I got the day's orders out. I am videotaping this go-round, so that folks can see how the things are made. Should have about 11 round rings, 12 Square Rings, 17 square pendants and 14 round pendants.

Here's a tiny taste of the round pendants...

Working on a snippet of the video for another post later.

Modofly is live!

It's been in the works for a while, and I am really excited to be able to add my voice to the chorus that today is screaming, "MODOFLY IS LIVE!".

Now, you are probably asking yourself, "What the heck is a Modofly?" Good question. Well...on one level, Modofly is the brainchild of Jordan Pollard and Kevin Scott. These two took an idea of an artists' collaborative and turned it into, of all things, and artists' collaborative. And on that level, Modofly is a group of 25+ artists whose work is currently gracing the covers of the most flippin' sweet Moleskine® sketchbooks I have ever seen. Kevin and Jordan do the heavy lifting of getting the artwork on the Moleskines, and offer them for sale on Modofly.net (the part that is now live), and on the Modofly Etsy store. The other member artists, besides creating the artwork, do their part to spread the Modofly word by acting as a street team of sorts. Blogging, sending press releases, approaching local retailers, all the things that can contribute to the success of the collaborative.

I am really excited to be a part of this wonderful group of artists, who have proven that they are as exceptional as people as they are as artists. It is a globe-spanning group that is combining their individual levels of success to create a greater level of success for all. And I really feel that their hard work is about to pay off. So check them out today!

Another year older, another year wiser?

Well, another birthday has come and gone, and now that I am a year past the new 30, I have learned the secrets to life and the universe.

Not really of course, but it seems that I have become aware of possibly more in this past year of life than in all the years before it.

I received some wonderful gifts, and can't wait to see what becomes of them in the coming year.

On the art front, I've got 24 more rings on the way, as well as pendants. I have been working extra hard to try to create a few extra days this week where I will be able to get through special requests from the Etsy shop. Thanks to all who are being so patient. Also got a May newsletter to get out.