Etsymetal Blog Carnival

Topic: "Artist's Work That Has Influenced My Own"

 I am inspired by artists who work with respect for traditional techniques and create well-crafted objects. One artist that immediately comes to mind is the sculptor Martin Puryear. I have been in love with his work since I was an undergrad and saw some large pieces at the MFA in Boston.

I like the way he distills forms, but they still have warmth and soul. The markings of the maker and the labor-intensive energy is evident in the work. Reverence for material and process provide much of the meaning. There is a beautiful and tactile quality that is appealing to me as a crafts person and artist.

Here is a picture of Martin Puyear in his studio. Check out all of those tools!

Here is an installation of his work at SF MOMA last year.

Click the links below to see what others in etsymetal have to say about artists that inspire them:

 Theresa - http://tkmetalarts.blogspot.com
 Fluxplay Jewellery (Maria Whetman) - http://www.fluxplay.blogspot.com
  2Roses - http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
  Elizabeth Scott - http://esdesignsjewelry.com/blog
  Andrea Ring- http://www.amuckdesign.blogspot.com
  Nodeform - http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
  Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
  Inbar Bareket http://inbarbareket.net
  Cynthia Del Giudice: http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com
  Evelyn Markasky: http://markasky.blogspot.com/
  AdobeSol - http://www.AdobeSol.com/blog
  Quercus Silver http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/

Etsy Listings

This year, I was accepted to an Etsy team, Etsymetal. It is a group of very skilled metalsmiths and entrepreneurs who have very successful shops on Etsy. It has inspired me to make some real improvements on my shop. I have been on Etsy for a few years, but it has never been a great money maker, and I feel that the few sales I have made were the result of dumb luck...


One of the things I am working on this year is to take my Etsy shop more seriously and try to get noticed in that huge abyss of crafting.I have been working hard photographing and listing some work on Etsy.  



Here are some recent listings to the shop:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68748115/polka-dot-ring-in-sterling-silver

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68820196/zigzag-hoops-in-sterling-silver

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68749050/oxidized-sterling-drop-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68820524/polka-dot-sterling-hoop-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65534135/baby-dot-hoops

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68552275/simple-sterling-curved-earrings

What is the secret to get attention on Etsy? Who knows. I know my photography needs help, and I have been trying to make improvements to it.  I am determined to figure this out!