On occasion, I receive requests for custom-made mosaic art jewelry. Since I love making custom pieces, I delight when someone contacts me for a custom order. Oftentimes, the request comes with a story about why a custom piece is required instead of selecting a piece from existing inventory. This blog post is predominantly visual; a pictorial if you will of requests for custom pieces and their accompanying stories.

The home page of my website is essentially a gallery of some of the mosaic art jewelry pieces I have created over the years. Many of my custom orders emanate from people who see something they like on the home or shop pages of my website but they would like the piece to have a different color scheme or perhaps be set into a different metal. Usually, I am able to accommodate custom requests.  

A mother and daughter participated in one of my mosaic art jewelry workshops. They loved the workshop and the pieces they made. Later, the mother asked me to create these earrings for her daughter as a gift.
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These very large pendants were requested by a customer who saw one of my pendants at a show. She requested two pendants with brighter colors than the original pendant and she wanted the pendants to be similar to one another but not identical. I believe one pendant was for herself and the other for her sister. These particular pendants are challenging to create as some of the circles have to be hand carved using a pumice stone. The black circles are a hand-cut Italian glass called Filati. I really love this pendant, and though challenging, loved making them for the customer.
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The heart pendant on the right is a piece that was on my website but was no longer available as it was sold. The photo below is a custom order based on the original pendant. The client really liked the glass heart and wanted one similar to give to his girlfriend.  A few months later he and his girlfriend came to a show I was participating in. She expressed that she loved the pendant. It was nice to meet them in person.
 

These hearts were custom-made for a customer who wanted heart pendants for herself and her sister. The photo on the left was the photo the customer referenced. She wanted the custom hearts to be a little brighter and wanted them to be the same color scheme and as identical as possible. She also requested sterling silver chain rather than cord. 
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Occasionally I receive requests for sets. This customer wanted a bracelet/earring set that was bright and vibrant. The bracelet is not a bracelet style that I usually make. She wanted a slim bar style bracelet to match the earrings so I was happy that I was able to accommodate her request.
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If you’d like a custom-made mosaic art jewelry piece, you can either go to my website at www.mothandtwig.com to peruse existing designs that you might want modified, or you can visit Artistic Portland and view the pieces on display in the store. You can then contact me directly at june@mothandtwig.com and let me know what you would like to have created. The piece will then be available for purchase at Artistic Portland.

How long have you been a part of Artistic Portland, and what appealed to you about joining the Co-op?    
I joined in January 2015.  I wanted to have a place to showcase my work and didn’t want to do shows any longer. 

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in the Portland area.  I lived in San Jose, CA for about nine years and then moved back to Portland.  I also lived in Seattle for a year.

What’s your background?   
I am a retired RN but I have always had an interest in jewelry. I’ve done a lot of other things too, such as working as a billing clerk and a secretary.  I trained as a nursing assistant at Stanford University Hospital and worked there from 1969 to 1971.  I moved back to Portland after a trip across the country for two months.  I worked at Good Samaritan Hospital for a couple of years, and then I got married. After having two children I went back to school at the age of 40 and became a RN.  I worked in hospitals and at a state prison. I also worked as a trainer in a nursing home and I’ve worked with the developmentally disabled.  After I retired in 2007, I took classes in metalsmithing and jewelry making from 2009 to 2014.

Why do you do what you do?  
I enjoy making unique pieces of jewelry. My copper and brass pieces are one-of-a-kind so no one will have the exact piece of jewelry as anyone else. I also enjoy wirewrapping stones and drusys.

Describe yourself in one word. Why that word?
Unique, because I create things that are different. A good portion of my jewelry is organic and unique.

What types of materials do you like to work with and why?
I work mostly with copper, brass, and bronze.  I like the looks of these metals and they fit my organic style.  I also work with silver and my wire wrapping is mostly done with Argentium silver because of its slow tarnishing to non-tarnishing quality.  I use sterling for the chains on my expensive pendants. For lower priced pendants, I use base metal or stainless steel chains.  I also create roosters out of copper and then paint them with alcohol ink. 

Where do you create?
I have a bedroom in my home that has been transformed into a studio.
 
What motivates your work?
Sometimes, something I see on the Internet or in books. Once inspired, I make it my own so that it is different from the item I have seen.
 
What kind of creative patterns, routines, or rituals do you have?
I don’t have any rituals; I just start working on a piece. Sometimes I make a mistake. These mistakes have become some of my best work because they are really different from what I started to do.

​Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve created?
Yes, I love the pendant below! It was made from what was supposed to be a bracelet until it broke into 3 pieces. I added a carnelian and made a very organic bezel. I also made the earrings from one of the pieces.

If you could wake up tomorrow with a new artistic skill, what would it be?
I would love to be a painter!
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What do you like to do when you aren’t creating?
Read, watch TV, and travel.
 
Stop by Artistic Portland any day of the week 10am-6pm (noon-5 pm on Sundays) to see and purchase Barbara's work in person!
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How long have you been a part of Artistic Portland, and what appealed to you about joining the Co-op?
I've been involved with Artistic Portland from when it was an idea that was brainstormed with a group of artists in somebody's living room to participating as an artisan at the previous location and our current downtown store. I enjoy being with such a terrific variety of talented artists. Everybody is so helpful with providing ideas, critique, support and knowledge --so as a Co-Op and as individual artists -- we are successful.

What jobs have you had other than being an artist?
Prior to becoming a jewelry designer, I was part of creating a private, non-profit corporation in Redmond, Washington that enabled organizations and commuters in Redmond and the greater eastside of Puget Sound to achieve transportation demand management goals. I directly created and managed 19 out of 24 innovative programs that received international/national award recognition and developed and implemented broad-based marketing campaigns which included creating a board game and professional playing cards.

I worked for the City of Redmond, Washington coordinating the Planning Commission and worked directly with the Planning Director and City Planners.

I was a computer programmer at Schnitzer Steel back when there weren’t very many women in the field.

What do you think about when choosing the specific stones and material you create with?
I get excited to see a strand of semi-precious stones and have a vision of what the piece of jewelry will be before I get started. I call myself a “gem nerd”. I love researching stones and their meanings. It’s rewarding to see jewelry designs I envision become a reality – especially a design that leads to a new jewelry collection for my business. It keeps things fresh and helps me grow as a person. I look for gemstones that are unique so clients have one-of-a-kind pieces.

Where do you create?
I work in my office.

What inspires you?
My clients and people who stop by at events and comment on my work makes me want to work even harder to create new designs to keep them coming back for more. It makes me feel good to have a customer purchase something for somebody special and they – or the person on the receiving end – contact me and tell me how perfect the piece was and how much they enjoy it and the compliments they receive. It makes me happy to have people feel good when they wear my jewelry. I always say glamour is an inside job, but I can help make people sparkle on the outside.

What is it like designing jewelry for the Rose Festival Court Princesses and how did that come about?
I was asked to design jewelry for the Princesses ten years ago and have been doing it ever since. I feel these young women are our future business women and entrepreneurs and it’s an honor to design something special for them. They have worn my designs for Queen Coronations, Grand Floral Parades and Knighting Ceremonies. I get excited to see how they grow as individuals from the time they are first selected to represent their school until crowning of the queen.

I understand some of your jewelry sales also go to raise money for specific causes. Tell us about that.
I design bracelets that represent five different cancers where part of the proceeds go back to their foundations. I also design a line of jewelry that the purchase of stones goes back to Nairobi tribal women in Kenya. It’s rewarding to help others, and that’s why I continue my work since I feel that is what life is supposed to be about

If you could wake up tomorrow with a new artistic skill, what would it be?
I used to watch Bob Ross when he had his television show The Joy of Painting. He made painting beautiful landscapes look so easy – especially painting “Happy little trees”. I want to attempt painting in the future. My husband’s grandma started painting when she was in her 80s and painted from memories of their ranch. I have some of her blank canvasses in storage just waiting for me.

What do you like to do when you're not creating?
I like helping colleagues grow their business and giving back in the community.

I enjoy motorcycle rides. My husband and I go for a long ride every year to explore different states. We just got back from Yellowstone and Cody, Wyoming. This included a trip to my husband’s family homestead from the olden days where lots of items his family used on their ranch is in a museum in Thermopolis. The Mayor came out and spent the afternoon with us showing us the history and telling us tales of the families who were there. At Yellowstone, it was amazing to have buffalo walk at arm's distance from us and seeing the beautiful country. I like to also fish, travel and help the elderly.

In my life I have been fortunate enough to either live in or spend time in various biomes including deserts, forests, and grasslands. My artwork is highly influenced by my love for nature. For example, it is easy to see the desert in the mosaic art jewelry pieces below. Hues of fiery orange and mustard depict the warmth of the sun. Turquoise, occurring exclusively in desert and arid environments, is often featured in my work, either in the form of actual turquoise stones and nuggets or turquoise ceramic earthenware tiles.

Though the arid, desert color palette speaks to me, I feel most inspired when I am in the forest, the tropical forest to be exact. As a child, I spent nearly two years living in the Philippines. The time I spend traipsing around in the jungle as a curious nine-year-old shaped who I am today. I cannot help but connect my love of art to my love of nature. I see art in nature, and I see nature in art.  Though I have not been back to the Philippines since my childhood, I do frequent the wilds of Costa Rica, often, and it is there that I feel most inspired!

If you will indulge me for a moment, close your eyes and picture yourself awakening to the guttural sound of the howler monkey. To my ears, even though the first cries of the day may begin at 4 AM, their cries sound like a lullaby to me, letting me know that soon I will be gently awakened by the tropical sun, but for now, all is right in the world as I hear them getting ready for their day.  The sun rises early in Costa Rica, usually around 5:30 AM. By this time the world around you is alive and bustling with activity. A cup of hot tea in hand, swinging in the hammock, I am enthralled by the abundance of hummingbirds and butterflies flitting about with their iridescent wings shimmering in the early morning sun. I ponder creating a pendant using dichroic glass to depict the impossible brilliance of color I see before my eyes.

Next, I see a pair of agoutis scampering about, foraging for their morning meal. Their beautiful caramel color fur stands out as they forage next to the lush green ferns near the banana trees. Another inspirational palette to use in my work. A pair of earrings perhaps?

At this point I hear the sounds of the white-faced capuchin monkey; a troupe making its way to my cottage, perhaps to scrounge the compost pile at the foot of the immense bamboo thicket. I see the first monkey emerge: a new mother with her infant clasped tightly around her. How beautiful they are with their cream hued faces and dark brown bodies. They scamper up and down the bamboo stalks. I contemplate a palette of cream, sienna, and the green of the bamboo leaves. Perhaps I will throw in some mango orange or mammon chino. So many choices!

It is my dream to host workshops in Costa Rica, where I can share with others my love of the art of mosaic as well as my love of Costa Rica:  A seven-day intensive mosaic jewelry workshop to be held in the remote, yet accessible, Southern Nicoya peninsula. My hope is that not only will students come away with gorgeous works of nature-inspired mosaic jewelry, but that they will also come away with a sense of awe and appreciation for the jungles of Costa Rica. Adventure and art awaits! Stay tuned!

This week's blog post is written by June Martin of Moth & Twig.

Brief History
Micro mosaic is a special type of mosaic work that uses small mosaic pieces (tesserae) of varying materials. Micro mosaics actually date back to the 3rd century BC, though the height of their popularity was during mid 19th century to the mid 20th century.  Micro mosaic jewelry became popular between the 17th and 19th century.  The art often depicted famous Italian landmarks. Around 1860, artisans of Murano developed their own style of micro mosaic jewelry using tiny bits of colored glass and glass rods. Alessio Mattioli, 18th century Roman glass kiln owner, experimented on colored glass paste and developed what are called, “small filati.” This technique made it possible for artisans to create small fashion pieces. With the dawn of the Industrial age and expensive hand labor, larger tesserae came into vogue.

My work
The mosaic jewelry I create (Moth & Twig Mosaic Art Jewelry) incorporates techniques and materials found in micro mosaic work. Though I do not consider my jewelry to be true micro mosaic art as I use larger tesserae than what is used in classic micro mosaic, I do consider my work to be miniature mosaic. I love working on such a small scale and have found that my passion lies in miniature mosaics.

Materials
I use a number of different materials for my work, including hand glazed earthenware tiles, various types of glass, filati, millefiori, beads, metals, gemstones, and found objects, to name a few. I’m constantly experimenting with new materials so my list of materials continues to expand. I’ve recently begun to work with a material called mosaic gold. The material consists of 24kt gold leaf that is mounted on glass and covered by a very thin hand-blown piece of crystal, and then fused into one solid, durable piece of glass. The result is spectacular as the gold appears on the surface of the tesserae, reflecting the purity of the gold when the light hits it just so. The material is expensive and difficult to work with so I use it sparingly, incorporating it into ceramic and glass pieces. Mosaic gold is offered in an array of colors; my favorite at the moment is acid green.

If you are intrigued by the art of mosaic jewelry, I am thrilled to announce that I will be teaching a mosaic jewelry class at Artistic Portland this April! The theme for the class is “I Heart Mom,” just in time for Mother’s Day, or perhaps you would like to create a beautiful mosaic piece for yourself! In this four-hour workshop, you will learn how to create beautiful mosaic art jewelry using basic mosaic techniques, methods and applications. Students can choose to make a mosaic heart pendant or choose from a variety of other pendant shapes and/or drop earrings.  You will leave the class with one or two finished pieces, depending on the types and sizes of bases chosen. Students will also receive a comprehensive handout and resource list. See the Artistic Portland class page for more details.

Making jewelry came to me through love.  I met a special person later in my life that re-sparked a creative and curious heart that had been dormant for years.  

Stephen Manteca was driven by art all his life.  Stephen was at one time a painter and gallery owner and collector in his varied career with side jobs that took him away from his first love of art.  After we met we went to galleries and museums and openings.  On one special occasion there was a reception for his friend Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the poet and painter, who was signing a new book at the latter’s studio.  Stephen was a bon vivant on a budget with a wicked and original sense of humor living in a rent-controlled apartment in North Beach.  It was a wonderful time.  We enrolled in community college art classes - he in pottery and me in drawing and design.  And then jewelry.  I was very curious about it and wanted to learn how the fabrication process worked so I signed up for a class.  He was so supportive and insightful in my endeavor.

He patchworked jobs together as best he could but was having more difficulty doing so and his speech started to slur.  His gait was changing as well.  It was apparent that he needed to go to a doctor about this, that something was not right.  It was about that time that we were married.  A month after we were married he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).  He was given two to five years to live.  No cure.

We collapsed into tears.  But Stephen said we had to be strong so we were.  We kept each other upright and brought him as much life as we could in the little time that remained.  I can’t explain how we got through that but somehow we did.  Friends and family rallied together to support both of us.  There were angels who touched our lives and kept us going.  

And then he died.  This was a time in my life I don’t revisit often because it was so painful and I still cry.  But in keeping with Stephen’s artful life and his wish to be remembered I wanted to create something that would honor him.  Our dear friend and jewelry designer Marty Bobroskie showed me how to fashion a piece of jewelry from wax (via the lost wax casting process).  From that experience I made a rather clunky yet sincere piece dedicated to Stephen called Kick ALS.  In 2005 the price of silver was around $11 per troy ounce so I had a mold prepared and was able to have multiples made to use as fund-raisers at the ALS Walks in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It was no Ice Bucket Challenge, but I managed to raise a few dollars. 

I found the process of creating something from the heart to be healing so I continued to make other pieces in wax.  There was a series I called the Trees of Golden Gate Park which were inspired by leaves from various trees that were imported into the sands of what became Golden Gate Park.  Other designs have followed since then, and I enjoy the fabrication process even though it can be a frustrating one.  I’m still practicing, enjoy it all, feel grateful for the opportunity to be able to do it and place those pieces at Artistic Portland.

Several years after Stephen died I was very lucky to meet a kind and perceptive man who was also encouraging and supportive of my artful endeavors.  He is the happy endnote to my story and I just want to share that I married him.

How long have you been a part of Artistic Portland, and what appealed to you about joining the Co-op?    
I joined in January 2015.  I wanted to be able to show my jewelry without having to do shows.  I wasn't able to set up for the shows anymore and thought this would be a good way to showcase my jewelry.

Where are you from?
 I was born and raised in the Portland area.  I lived in San Jose, CA for about nine years and then moved back to Portland.  I also lived in Seattle for a year after I got married.

What jobs have you had other than being an artist?   
I have worked as a billing clerk, also in a one-girl office as a secretary.  I worked for the City of San Jose in the records department in Public Works.  I then decided that I wanted to do something different and trained as a nursing assistant at Stanford University Hospital and worked there from 1969 to 1971.  I moved back to Portland after a trip across the country for two months.  I worked at Good Samaritan Hospital for a couple of years.  I got married and after having two children I went back to school at the age of 40 and became a RN.  As an RN I worked in hospitals, at a state prison in Portland until I had back surgery, then as a trainer in a Nursing Home, and lastly I worked with the developmentally disabled.  My nursing career was varied and very enjoyable.  I retired in 2007.

What led you to making jewelry?   
I have been interested in learning how to make jewelry for many years.  In 2009 I took the plunge and enrolled in Mt. Hood Community College in metalsmithing and jewelry making and the rest is history.

How would you describe your style in three words?  
Organic, unique and wire wrapping

What types of materials do you like to work with and why?
I work mostly with copper and brass or bronze.  I like the looks of these metals and they fit my organic style.  I also work with some silver and my wire wrapping is mostly done with Argentium silver because of its slow tarnishing to non-tarnishing quality.  I use sterling for the chains on my expensive pendants and some pendants that are lower in price are base metal or stainless steel chains.  I also have made roosters out of copper and then painted them with alcohol ink.  Some hang on the wall and some are to put in a house plant.

What do you love about making jewelry?
I love creating something that is unique and that no one else would have.  I love one-of-a-kind pieces.  I also like to create pieces using the torch.

What frustrates you about making jewelry?   
Soldering is my least favorite and most frustrating thing that I do.

What inspires you?
Sometimes other people, things I see in nature or in magazines and sometimes the stones that I see and then see what I can do with them.

What do you like to do when you aren’t creating jewelry?
I love to travel, play dominoes with a group of friends, keep in touch with old friends, target shooting.

If you could wake up tomorrow with a new artistic skill what would it be?
I would love to be able to draw and paint.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.  
I am finally a grandmother to an amazing little boy who is four months old.  I just bought a new Kia Soul and love driving it.

 I remember the first time I toyed with the idea of delving into the world of mosaic arts. I was living in Oakland, California at a live/work studio compound called Ford Street Studios in a neighborhood fondly known as “Jingle Town.” Mosaic Artist, Laurel True was also living at Ford Street Studios. A painter friend of mine who lived in a nearby studio told me about Laurel True’s studio, which was next to her studio. It so happened that Laurel was teaching small classes out of her studio, and after having seen some of her work, I knew I had to take a class. Little did I know, this would be the beginning of a beautiful relationship…with mosaics.

Laurel True went on to start the Institute of Mosaic Art (IMA) right next to the Ford Street Studios and she has since sold it and moved to New Orleans where she continues to teach and make incredibly gorgeous mosaics. I continued my journey in mosaics as well, taking countless classes and workshops at IMA, ranging from tabletops, concrete structures, installations, and portraiture to name a few. Though I love creating larger scale mosaics, I found that my passion lies with creating micro mosaics. I never thought in a million years that this would interest me, and I can’t really explain why it does and why, truthfully, I’m kind of obsessed with micro mosaics; mosaic jewelry in particular. Perhaps it’s the process. The gratification of making something in one sitting? The challenge of working small scale? Being able to wear my art? All of the above? I don’t know. I just know that when I’m making a piece, I’m in total bliss and 200% focused on my work…which, by the way, is not work at all. It’s play! Great play I might add!

In terms of my artistic process these days, now that I live in Portland rather than San Francisco (recent transplant), I’d say I’ve found my process to be more laid back and more in tune with the natural world around me as a source of inspiration. Now that I have an actual studio rather than taking over the living room (special thanks to my partner for putting up with that for a few years!), I’m even more engrossed in the process. I tend to dream about designs (literally) or think about patterns and colors, especially when I’m out in nature. I don’t, however, plan anything out. I take those inspirations and then sit at my space and let the patterns in my head spill out organically. I’ve tried to draw out designs but I find that too restricting and would much rather let things unfold as I go.

Other sources of inspiration include my travels to Costa Rica.  I love the Southern Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica and especially love the phenomenally gorgeous colors and textures found in the jungles. I plan on taking my materials with me on my next trip (another plus of working micro; the materials are compact!) and creating pieces solely inspired by the sea and the jungle. I foresee creations inspired by the iridescent blue morpho butterfly and the brilliant scarlet macaw. I hope to host a week-long Mosaic Art Jewelry Workshop in Costa Rica one day soon. In the meantime, I am planning on hosting a workshop at Artistic Portland so that I can share my passion and techniques with others.

I am thrilled to be part of Artistic Portland, selling my line of mosaic jewelry called Moth & Twig. I am genuinely in awe of the talent of my colleagues and I am proud to be part of such a great group of folks. I feel inspired by the beautiful works I see every time I walk into the shop that has positively contributed to my own process.