Giving Back with ACT

Inspiration, Jewelry, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog, art No Responses »

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 7 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

Beads, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog No Responses »

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

Beads, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog No Responses »

Oct 312011

Cottonwood Art Festival

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

Sep 272011

I’m STILL Blog Hopping for the Bead Soup Party – it’s taking me awhile to look and read. Thank you to everyone who left comments for me.

Meanwhile, I’ll be off to the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson, Texas this weekend. I’ve made a lot of new pieces, and if I can get to it tomorrow I’ll give you a peek. Otherwise, hope to see you there if you live in the area.

Bead Soup Party

Beads, Inspiration, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 80 Responses »

Sep 062011

I’ve made a necklace and a bracelet using my soup mix from Barrie Edwards – and a few beads I added of my own. Barrie made the focal bead with reticulated silver set with a pink tourmaline (I think that’s what the gemstone is), and I decided to accent it with a triple strand of beads composed of pearls in pink and white, and sterling silver curved tubes and other beads. It seemed a shame to have the matching clasp she made hidden at the back of the neck, so therefore, I made a bracelet so that the clasp could be center stage.

For the bacelet I added some larger lampworked beads I made to compliment the smaller beads Barrie made. I tied it all together again with pearls and sterling silver. I am pleased with how the two pieces came together, and each can shine on its own – or they can be worn together.

There are more than 300 people at this soup party! You’re going to have some fun bouncing around to see what was made. Take some time, break the list up into segments if you need to – but whatever, go enjoy for beady creativity. Visit Barrie here to see what she did with the soup I sent her, and follow this link for all the party-goers.

Soup Ingredients in the Bead Design Kitchen

Art Festivals, Beads, Inspiration, Jewelry, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 5 Responses »

Sep 042011

I finally received my soup beads yesterday! Wow – they took a long time getting to Texas from B.C., Canada, but worth the wait. Barrie made the focal and the clasp herself, as well as those darling pink lampworked beads. A multi-tasker, that’s for sure. She also sent pearls – must be telephathy, since I sent her pearls as well. That one picture on the bottom right – not a bead, but a sticker. Nice inspiration though, got me thinking.

So now I am moving the beads all around on a white plate I pulled out for them, adding and subtracting things from my stash, and generally getting the visuals working on cooking up a new recipe for these fun ingredients. See ‘ya here on September 17th for the reveal.

P.S. Check out “What’s New” on my website. I’m gotten a start uploading the new jewelry I’ve made for my next show in Midland, Texas.

Art Bead Scene August Challenge

Beads, Inspiration, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 1 Response »

Aug 272011

This poster for American Crescent Cycles is the inspiration challenge this month over at Art Bead Scene. I have been so swamped I haven’t participated in the challenges in months. I’m producing jewelry for an upcoming show in Midland, Texas (Septemberfest). So why not combine two projects? With that in mind, I made not one but TWO necklaces inspired by this poster. I’ll have them both for sale in Midland (unless someone snatches them up before then).

Anyway, here is the first one. I used faceted citrines as the necklace base, to pick up the color of the wonderful dress. I ran with the soft yellows, mustards, and ivories for the flowers and made all the glass beads. The glass leaves I made were a mix of not quite green and greys like those in the bottoms left of the poster. I’m not a “literal’ interpreter – I prefer just to use the general color scheme inspire me – and then I play. What do you think?

For my second necklace I was inspired more by the woman’s wonderful flowing hair. I made glass curly q’s and also used these georgous baroque pearls with grey/ brown undertones. I made some ivory glass flowers, and added little hints of the patterns on her dress around the faces of some of my glass flowers. Which one gets your vote? I like them both, and thanks, ABS, for the inspiration. Follow along for a blog hop on August 31st and see who else was inspired.

Bead Soup Bead Tease

Beads, Inspiration, Jewelry, Lampworking, Lyn Foley Jewelry Blog 1 Response »

Aug 172011

The Bead Soup is getting ready to go on the stove. Beads are flying back and forth across the county – and my beads are on their way to Barrie Edwards in Canada. Can’t show you yet what I sent. Dontcha wanna know? Barrie works with silver and gemstones. I’m really looking forward to this challenge. Meanwhile, look at some of her recent creations. Wow!

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