If Tim Burton was a lampworker...

As soon as I saw these, I thought they were really unique. My first thought was, if Tim Burton was a lampworker instead of a director, I bet he would make perfume bottles just like these. My assistant and I both agreed that these are very different and very cool. Certainly they are something that I would add to my fine craft collection. They have come to us from Deb DeMarco and in addition to these there are also some beautiful button glass pendants from her which are very well done and easy on the eyes.

If you are looking for a unique and special gift that doesn't take up a lot of room and doesn't break the bank, these are definitely worth a look.

One of the many fun parts of my job...

One of the best parts of my job is the process of finding cool new things that my clients get as excited about as I do. There is a plethora of hand-crafted work out there but not all of it is at a high standard and in many cases, the lack of a professional product is a hindrance. I mean, it is always great to create something and sell it but hand-crafted work still needs to meet a standard and should not look unprofessional, cheap or like it is going to fall apart as soon as it arrives home with you. Sadly, that is often the case and I always feel badly for those artists because sometimes they aren't even told how to improve their work to make it present better. I am never insulting towards someone's creation but I very often will give advice, when solicited, for how to improve an item's presentation or saleable. I certainly don't consider myself an expert but I HAVE been doing what I do for almost eight years so I might have something of value to add, if someone is open to the feedback.

For me, in finding new items for Creative Genius to represent, it can be very challenging to weed through the lower level items to come up with a product that meets my own internal standards for both creativity as well as something that looks professional and is well-made. I have encountered many people who think their creations are of a high level. Yet they have not even explored the industry further to gain a better understanding of what is out there, what the market will bear for their product and the level that others working in a similar medium might be creating at. All of these things are important to know. It is fine to create off your kitchen table if the products you are creating are professional, finished looking and sell at a level that is consistent for that medium.

Especially with the upsurge of upcycling that has become in vogue in recent years in the crafts community, it is even more important to seek a high standard of creativity as well as professionalism when I am adding art to the existing Creative Genius environment. Our latest artist addition has definitely found the right balance between creativity and a professional product that anyone would be proud to wear. There is nothing junky about her jewelry creations and we're excited to have her as a part of Creative Genius...welcome Tracy!

Thinking of spring...

The last few days have really made spring pop into the forefront of my brain. I love when it's sunny and somewhat warm. In fact, I am perfectly fine with weather in the 50s and 60s this time of year--what a gift!

All the new items arriving in the gallery are really bringing spring to mind for me too. In addition to our great finds at the Buyers Market a few weeks ago, we've also got some other new additions coming in. Some new jewelry from Marianna Bellantoni has really, for me, made the warm weather feel closer than ever. She works with all kinds of sea glass along with metal and other gemstones and her latest works are my new favorites.

We've also got some new additions coming from Michele Grady shortly that will really jazz up her showcase. Here's a little preview...

We just scheduled a bunch of mosaic workshops and added them to our workshop calendar and we've also got some great things coming up, including Figure Drawing, tons of jewelry workshops, Stained Glass and more. Our weekly classes are happening as usual including pottery classes, digital photography classes for adults and kids, painting and drawing for teens, adults, and children and much more...

For me, warmer weather all the time couldn't come soon enough...warmer weather means sun, beach, camps and more...can't wait!

(ps. I'm getting one of these ring sets...this is 5 rings in 1 and looks amazing...!)