And before it's too late...

... a little more self-promotion here:

There is a jewelry fashion at Fusion Coffee on Main, in Woodstock, NB, tomorrow at 2PM. It is in partnership with Viktor's Blue Rose Salon, Spa and Boutique. Not only is it a great opportunity to see my fabulous work, but to learn about all the new services that are being offered at Viktor's and to see some of his and Christian's hair design expertise.


Next weekend, starting on Thursday July 2nd and running through to Sunday afternoon, is the City of Fredericton's Art Market in Officer's Square. This is a first time event and in celebration of the fact that Fredericton has been named a Cultural Capitol of Canada for 2009. There is going to be both visual art and fine craft at the venue, but only one of a kind and original pieces.

Yesterday, to my delight, I found out that the New Brunswick Craft Council has featured a piece of my jewelry on this year's promotional postcard for the Fine Craft Festival in Rothesay which is quickly coming up on July 11 & 12.


Don't forget that the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council Summer Market is coming up on July 24-26 on the corner of Spring Garden & Queen in Halifax. We miss the tall ships that weekend, but we do get to see the Pride celebrations which is fun too.

And lastly, my schedule for the Fredericton Arts Alliance casemate at the Garrison District Artisan Shops in Fredericton has been confirmed and in co-operation with the other artist participating that week, I am in residence from August 8-11. I will be spending that 3.5 days working on exhibition entries for the rapidly approaching Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia competition and exhibition on "Sea Life". It's a broad subject, so the possibilities are endless so I need to narrow it down just a bit from there.

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Praise Junkie

There are people in our lives that we often receive compliments from or give compliments to... We feel good for both giving and receiving. Sometimes we find ourselves smiling a little brighter or trying a little harder because of the receipt of the compliment. We want another one, we need another one, our mind cries out for another one, we need the hit of the boost of the compliment.

The moment of realization dawns: I am a "Praise Junkie".

Now assume for a bit that you are not a junkie, but someone with confidence in your abilities and an unquestioning faith in yourself. Assume for a moment that you do not regularly seek out praise. Assume that you rarely receive complements and that for just this once, someone you have rarely received a compliment from gives you one. What value do you place on that praise? Is that one comment now worth more because it is rarely given than a similar one that is received daily?

I found myself pondering this recently. Both evaluating my need for a hit for the praise junkie and why one rare and off-hand comment about being "pretty" from a friend seems to have had more power than the daily reminder that I am "beautiful" from my partner.

On the rather cynical side though, praise is like marketing and diamonds: Rarity can lend value and perceived scarcity can up the demand.

I'll draw this conclusion for the moment, I have a daily showering of "diamonds" from my partner, so I guess when I get tossed another colour of gem, it's just unusual enough to be fascinating for awhile, but eventually the novelty wears off as the edges chip and the shine leaves the softer gem.
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Another quick update

I just received word via email that I am on the tentative schedule for a Fredericton Arts Alliance residency at the FAA casemate, Garrison District, Fredericton, for August 8-14. Formalities need to be concluded with the scheduling, but so far so good.

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Updates as promised

News regarding the Casemates or Artisan Shops at the Garrison District in Fredericton:

I joined a casemate on Monday with 2 potters and a surface designer, all students from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design. Open daily through 20 September.

Received notice on Monday night that I will be doing a week of Demonstrations for the New Brunswick Crafts Council casemate, Productive Hands, on August 24,26 & 28 from 11:30 - 1:30.

More Critter action:

A deer was browsing the elder bushes that edge the lawn yesterday, got some shots, but I do need to oil the hinges on the living room door.


And finally a jewelry shot:

Badly photographed as it was taken in haste but this is the Nephrite Jade piece that was chosen nonetheless for the gift given to the "Irish girl" at last Friday's retirement party.

I received another note from "P" on Monday morning to let me know that the recipient "loved the necklace."

And now for something completely random:

I am missing a particular breed of an espresso addicted personality quite sharply today. Oh well...
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Critters

Our critters are out in force these days.

One of the large Grey Squirrels released her brood of 7 foolish little ones from the nest on Sunday. It was wonderful display of bizarre and clumsy acrobatics. One of these days I will get a picture of one of the greys. They are very timid out here in the country, so they don't sit still very long when they hear a noise.

This particular chipmunk though, despite their inate timidity, was willing to let me get out the camera and snap a couple of close-ups. Apparently though, 6' is close enough to suit him. He's been happily stuffing his jowls with some of the bird seed that I threw out for the Junco's and Jays earlier today.


Now this is "Mamma George". All of the red squirrels that frequent the house are called George, regardless. This particular George is one of the ones that will come when you call, and she does expect to get a piece of bread and peanut butter when she comes knocking. Which she does... she'll climb the screen door at the kitchen and ring the brass ships bell that we have by jumping on it.

Mamma posed for several pretty shots, including this one, before she got tired of the beep and whir of the camera. Note the small piece of bread that she eagerly grabbed out of my hand and is now devoid of peanut butter.



Sometime in the next 3 weeks or so we will see her with bringing the little ones out of where ever it is that she has them in the nest.

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My Cinderella Issue

In the original Grimm's Fairy Tale (GFT), I don't think that Cinderella was the helpless waif that the North American (NA) sanitized an beautified versions of the tale makes her out to be. I think that she a lot more spunk and she wasn't constantly sitting around bemoaning her terrible fate, whining at mice and waiting for the rodents and avian life to build her a dress for the ball. I also don't recall that Prince Charming was such a twit either, dancing around and believing that this was the "Princess" that would make his life complete. Grimm's seemed to imply that his life was already complete and well rounded and that the addition of Cinderella would simply enrich it. They weren't really saving each others butts in the original so much as providing opportunity for change and betterment.

My issue with the NA is that multiple generations of youth have grown up on that sucrose laden pablum, as compared to the more austere, violent and truthful GFT. I believe that this has left millions of children, young adults and some of us approaching middle age with a false sense of our own importance and the cultural implication that we need to be rescued. That someone will ride in and if the shoe fits, haul our sorry posteriors out of the ash pile and turn our lives from drudgery and damnation to a full time night club scene minus the pumpkin hour. In turn, the rider's life is going to become rich and whole because they made a rescue. Baloney, all you have are two needy people desperately seeking solace in the other and in turn constantly dragging each other further and further into their own personal morasses of misery.

What if the modern day Cinderella stopped whining and started doing? What if she found a bucket of water and washed her face and hands, combed her hair and mended her dress? What if she went into the village and looked for a job, any job, and just started to get out of the house and away from her negative environment. What if she stopped waiting to be rescued by the Prince and started her own rescue? Would teaching a little self-sufficiency to our youth be such a bad thing?

Let's face it, in the NA story, Prince is riding around with a glass slipper, that's a deadly weapon. What happens to the idea of doing some rescuing if he trips, falls and slits his throat on the broken shards? By the way, why does he need a whinging, whining broad for when he's the heir apparent and supposed to be busy doing a job of helping look after a kingdom. What's he really need with a woman to make his life complete? Enriched maybe, but not complete, because it should already be full and busy. He's a focused dude, not some love-struck puppy wandering around looking for a john so he can toss it off while he's waiting to try the 50's-look glass pump on his one and only.

Come on here people, what are we doing to ourselves when this is the drivel we are prepared to live off of? When this is what we are basing part of our societal structures on? Is it any wonder we are a confused bunch? Liberated, but waiting for him/her to rescue and fulfill us. Corporate climbing successes but still a failure without a full time marriage. Happiness is impossible without a partner. Love is the ultimate prize. Love is the only true success story. Why can't we be a success just because we are a whole person, doing something worthwhile as individuals? Why do we have to make the rescue/relationship the big story of our lives? What happens to our life when the rescue is over and the person is gone? We don't look too good, we don't feel too good, and we have belly-flopped, mega-cannonball splashed, big time failed. This is just a bad construct to have filling the minds of our youth. The media of cartoons and modern stories is not in tune with the rest of messages that we are trying to impart to those who wish to be successful adults.

Rewrite the story: You are a whole person with multiple interests and lots of people and things that you do that you enjoy in your life, all you don't have is full-time love relationship. Do you need one? Not really, it isn't what is going to make you happy because you already are happy. You are already fulfilled and self-reliant, but you give it a try because, well, if it works, your life might be a bit richer for it, if it fails, you still have your happiness and a full life. If the person that you try is already a happy, whole person, you are not rescuing, they are not needy, and they will add to, rather than take away from your life. Much better ending for everyone because now you are not busting your balls to back-fill the pits for another person who is sitting around uselessly gobbling up everything in sight as a way to ease their own psychic pain.

Neediness is a big hole and it takes a lot to fill it, that's why Cinderella needs the big castle and all the trappings to go with the Prince. She might be a nice girl, but she is one huge vacuum of narcissistic self-doubt and is totally devoid of self-confidence. If she hadn't been whining in the cinder pit, waiting for the fairy-godmother, she could have been fashioning together a drop-dead ensemble, bought on sale, paid for with her tips from Starbucks, and because she talks to so many people everyday at her job, she's already got the confidence to take on Princy and all the other fashionistas at the ball. She's not needy, she's one tough cookie with the chutzpah to take over the world. She doesn't need Princy, but if she decides she wants him, she'll try him on for size. If he doesn't fit into her life, she'll just head for the next ball.

As I said, I have a real Cinderella issue, and I personally detest the dichotomy that this type of media message has produced in me, on the one hand, supposed to be a capable self-sufficient woman but on the other, my life is not complete unless I am saved by Princy. I am so upset with the realization that I got gobbled up in the modern myth, like so many other women and men that I know, that I could burn the castle, slit Princy's throat with my own high heel and run mice through with a machete. If fairy-godmother ever shows, I think I will have to tell her to go do another kind of rescuing, start educating people that waiting to be rescued is wrong and useless and that changing your attitude to be bit more "can do" is the best possible remedy to the cinder pit of life.

"To Do" Lists and Coffee

Two things occured to me this morning as I was waking up:

1. How much I enjoyed the simple pampering of a cup of coffee delivered to me in bed.

2. How important it is for me to acknowledge the intangible things that I get done everyday.

The coffee delivery, although an important symbol of attentive caring, is not the point.

I honestly can't say that I know any compulsive "to do" list makers. I certainly am not one, but I do from time to time list things that I know have deadlines attached, mark events and appointments on the calendar and I make shopping lists so I don't forget why I went to town. Here's the rub though, I bet that some of those "to do" people experience an incredible sense of accomplishment at the end of their day or week that the rest of us don't experience. Why, because unlike them, we can't look back at the day or week or month and know how many things we got finished that propel us towards our goals because so many things are intangible (paperwork recorded, filed, mailed, appointments kept, deadlines met... think of anything that gets things done, but does not actually make something). We can't see these things once they are done, they produce no material results, so unless they are check marks on a list, we are apt to forget what we accomplished.

If we ignore or forget all the intangibles that we have accomplished, we can easily feel that we have achieved nothing and that's not a feeling that is going to encourage us. If we keep track of the intangibles we can look back over a time and pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for "getting 'er done". A little self-congratulations can be just what we need to keep ourselves focused and motivated.

As you know, I like to make to jewelery and at the end of the day there is a real thing to show for my efforts, but I think that I am also learning to make lists, the check marks are real too. I enjoy being able to say "look what I got done" even on a day when I didn't actually make jewelry.

Try it, you might just like it.
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Things are happening or shameless self-promotion

This particular post is simply to provide an update of activities that are coming up for me as far as summer shows and other interesting dates and developments:

On June 27th, at 2PM, my jewelry will be featured alongside the spectacular work of Viktor's Blue Rose Salon, Spa & Boutique at Fusions, Main St., Woodstock. Models will be sporting hair and make-up from the salon and wearing my gorgeous jewellery. A great time to enjoy some of Fusions finest coffees, relax and browse.

The City of Fredericton, as an arts capital of Canada, is hosting an Artist's Market from July 2-5 at Officers' Square. This market will be a visual feast, as it is designed specifically for practicing artists and artisans who paint, sculpt, draw and create one of a kind work. This is not a craft show but a real exhibition of one-off art pieces. Not to be missed if you appreciate fine art and handcraft.

The following weekend, I am in Rothesay at the New Brunswick Crafts Council Fine Craft Festival being held July 11 & 12. Crafts Council events are wonderful way to acquire quality handcrafted goods. Council members' work is held to a high standard even for production pieces. Come on out and show your support for artisan work in NB.

A short break and then Halifax.... for the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council Summer Market, July 24 - 26. Again, high quality artisan goods, since you can't be in show if you haven't met the standards of the coucil. The market is held at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Queen Street in Halifax. That will be a busy area on Saturday afternoon as the Halifax Pride Parade passes the show grounds. A great opportunity to show your support for both artisans and our human diversity. I know that I have some great pix from last year's event and look forward to this year's.

That about sums up July which will be busy, and I'll be making new things for the shows.

This month, there is still some custom work to finish up, like this piece that I just completed the weave on last night:
It is ammolite, that flashes orange to green with a strong blue segment at one side of the fossil. The top stone is a 2.7ct fire opal with a smoldering yellow tone with interesting plays of red and green, and the bottom is an emerald cabochon weighing in at nearly 4ct. The three stones are all ones that I cut. It is 14K gold-fill, which I don't work in often, opting for sterling mostly. The beads that are incorporated into the weave are emerald, citrine and carnelian facetted rondelles. It isn't often that I make a custom piece that I wish I could keep, this is one of those rare occasions where I am totally smitten with my work. Fortunaltely though, I do know the lady (Mom of a good friend) that requested this piece, so it is going to a good home.

For those that are interested, Fredericton's Pride Week is June 20-27. BOOM nightclub on Queen will be hosting events and has been busy with fund raising activities.

The New Brunswick Crafts Council is opening Productive Hands, a NBCC initiative, gallery store at the Casemates on the corner of Queen and Carleton. Sometime this summer I will be doing some demo work at the casemate, I'll tell you when I know more.

I have an application in to the Fredericton Arts Alliance for their Artist's in Residence program, also held at the Casemates. I won't know if I have been successful in securing a week long residency until next week sometime. Keeping my fingers crossed for good results though.

Even if the residency doesn't come through, you can't go wrong when you get an email like this one from a long-distance but frequent client:

"WOW
Hello Cynthia - The necklace is here and it is perfect! I love the shapes and the size - it will be just right for our friend ..... I always really appreciate the time you take to write about the stone and how you worked with it. You even made it in March which the Irish girl will like since
that is when St. Patrick's Day is.
And then . . . I found a little something extra! Thanks so much - I'll wear them today and tomorrow for the party. I really like them a lot.
You're the best, Cynthia. Thanks for the speedy response, checking your stash, and the wonderful pieces.
Take care,
P.... "

Completely unsolicited and just in this morning. WOW, a little praise never hurts an artist's feelings. When the party is over, don't want to spoil a surprise, I'll edit this and post a pic.

Yesterday, while I was out running around Freddie, I had an accidental lunch with a gentleman who is a rep for Crocs... you know, I may just have to change my opinion of them, especially after seeing some of the heels that they are designing now.

Hope your week is going well and coming together too.

Off to run more errands and go to an appointment.

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