Cape Ann Designs

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Sea Glass Continues to Inspire – NEW twists on OLD materials!

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Sea Glass Continues to Inspire – NEW twists on OLD materials!

See you in the coming weeks for two exciting Cape Ann Artisan events.

Cape Ann Designs Sea Glass Collection

Every time someone walks into my studio and looks at my sea glass collection, a predictable question arises, “where do I get my sea glass?”  In fact, I now respond by saying that I rarely collect any more.  If I do, it’s generally on the way-off season.    Except for the constant quest for the rarest of colors and sea pottery – an anchor of most of my designs – the inspiration comes from the sea glass itself that is sitting on my shelf.

 

In order to challenge my creative spirit, my goal is to find ways to use the wide variety of shapes and sizes in my collection.   There’s considerable work involved in sorting by size, shape, color, and even texture.  Older glass is actually easier to work with, airier, and a bit easier to drill.   My collections have evolved each year by focusing on “like” pieces.

Trio of Beauties

It took years for me to find a unique way to use the bottlenecks, for example.  Pairing them with Beth Williams beautiful beads, the Bottleneck Beauty collection emerged. 

Large, heavier pieces have always challenged me.  They are heavy, so you just cannot add more weight.  That’s when I decided to use leather with sea glass and create a line around the pieces.  The Line in the Sand Collection was unveiled at the show I created with artist friend Leslie Heffron at the Jane Deering Gallery in 2021.   A huge benefit to this collection is that there is no metal touching skin, so that has an appeal to someone that has a metal allergy.   They are also fun and funky pieces – great for a casual look.

Anchor Collection

Of late, I’ve had a lot of fun using half-bottle necks to create the Anchor Collection of lariats.  I personally love these for their truly nautical them and flexibility.  I wear mine all the time.  Lariats clasp in the front with large clasps.  They are much easier to work with as we begin to feel the challenge of hooking a small finding behind our head – something that happens to all of us eventually!

Wovern Wonders

Years ago, I learned how to create cages around unusual shapes of sea glass at a workshop out in Snow Farm.  I set that aside until quite recently when the shapes started to speak to me again!  A few very long and solid pieces took on the look of lighthouses!   Others just evolved based on their original nature – perfume bottles, bottoms of wine bottles turned upside down look like bells!  Alas, the Woven Wonders collection can be seen as both lariats and necklaces.

Looking ahead toward next summer, the focus will be on my garden.  The very largest of sea glass pieces will just not make the cut as jewelry.  As I prepare to be part of the Generous Gardener’s tour in 2024, it occurred to me that my garden has to reflect my collective creative passions.   From this exciting pursuit, I am now introducing sea glass stepping stones in my garden and if all goes well, I hope to have them available next spring for your garden too!

Please join me at two exciting events in the coming weeks.  This SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 4-7 PM is the opening of our 40th Anniversary exhibition at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.  The current artisans are hosting a show with our past members whose work encompasses a wide variety of styles and media.   Then the following weekend, please join me at the Sea Glass Studio to see all the work in person during our Fall Cape Ann Artisans Tour – October 7-8 10AM to 5PM. 

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Taking in the Pink Craze? Sea Glass Designs Deliver!

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Taking in the Pink Craze? Sea Glass Designs Deliver!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to pull out all the “pink stops!”   From a girlfriend’s trip to see “Barbie” to participating in several wonderful “Play for Pink” breast cancer fundraisers – I’ve nearly exhausted my pink wardrobe!   When I look out at my garden, I am overwhelmed with the sheer beauty of fuchsia pink gladiolas.   So, as I began to prepare for the upcoming Cape Ann Artisans summer mini-tour, I decided to take a pink inventory.

It starts with all my Cape Ann Artisan materials.   Way ahead of the pink craze (in fact, by 40 years), we have branded our tour in pink.   So, if you forget everything else on August 12th pick up a pink brochure and follow the pink flags!

But right here in my sea glass world I took a deep dive into my sea glass jewelry collection and found some wonderful surprises.   For starters, I have a barrette that combines pink sea pottery with a pink striped piece of sea glass – a truly unique find and combination!

 

Using lavender sea glass, one of my newest designs includes many tones that border on pink.   This newest lariat and matching earrings are called “spinning tops” – using bottlenecks and deep pink pearls.

See the gallery of pink and lavender combinations to find your favorite way to celebrate this year’s Pink Frenzy!

The Woven Wonders collection features an exquisite curved, very deep lavender piece of sea glass that is hanging off a multi-colored metal choker. I also found a classic beauty – a necklace that layers a pink patterned piece of pottery on top of a lavender-pinkish piece of sea glass making a statement.  Please stop in to enjoy the full collection this weekend!

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Local Artists Join forces to energize Madfish Wharf’s Madfish Gallery

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Announce Mid Month Reception| Thursday, July 20th during Culture Splash

Madfish Wharf artists have once again collaborated to highlight this incredible gem at the end of Rocky Neck.   One of the cornerstones of this effort is the Madfish Gallery which is being run by artist Sallie Strand for the 3rd year.   For the months of June-September, Sallie has curated a group of artists each month to exhibit and sell their work.  July’s artists include Anne Gilson, Martin Songer, Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, and gallery director Sallie Strand.  The artists invite the public to join them at a reception on Thursday evening, July 20th from 5-7 during Discover Gloucester’s Culture Splash.   Regular gallery hours are 12-5 Friday-Sunday and until 7PM on Thursdays.

This is a lively show that combines abstract work and jewelry inspired by many elements of our surroundings.   Gilson’s paintings and collage are, according to her artist statement, “an ongoing contemplation of place and home.”  In a former life, Gilson was associated with the well-loved publication Good Housekeeping, so it’s fitting that home is at the center of her work.  Strand is known for “activating the blank surface,” through the use of gestures, textures, patterns, scrapes, movements, and colors,” and one cannot help but find a bit of the former pastry chef in her work.

Sorger brings a design background to his works of “paint and dry pigment on paper to create gesture and brush stroke – even where they don’t exist.” Martin’s paintings challenge the viewer to find a delicate balance of “structure and imperfection.”

Ganim-DeFalco complements the painters with a diverse collection of functional jewelry – hair accessories, and elegant jewelry made from her indigenous collection of sea glass.  She is celebrating twenty years of making one-of-a-kind sea glass wearable art with the goal of sharing a piece of Cape Ann with everyone that owns her creations.   Ganim-DeFalco and Strand are also both part of the Cape Ann Artisans Open Studios Tour.

Visitors will find July 20th to be an exciting night on Rocky Neck and Madfish Wharf with events being hosted all along the route.  For additional information, please visit DiscoverGloucester.com and RockyNeckArtColony.org.

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Ready. Set. Go. 10/20/40/400!

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Ready. Set. Go. 10/20/40/400!

When I look out at the sign on my studio, it says Cape Ann Designs EST. 2002, but that’s just because my mother had the sign made for me and her lucky number was “22.”   Cape Ann Designs was actually founded in 2003 under the original name “Beach Glass Barrettes.”  Not long after that, the founders of the first Sea Glass Festival knocked on my door and participating in that show in 2004 was the first time I showed my work and met Carole Lambert, author of the Sea Glass Chronicles.   What Carole didn’t realize at the time is that she started a movement.  Since the publication of her book and Rockport’s tiny, but well attended “shard fest” – sea glass has had its own momentum and brought people together all around the world.

For me as well, it’s been a wild ride.   In 2023, I am embracing many significant milestones – two personal ones – 10 years on the Cape Ann Artisans Tour and 20 as a maker while being part of the larger communities – that of the Artisans which is celebrating its 40th and the City of Gloucester which is celebrating its 400th!  Wow, that’s a lot of bubbly!

As I pause and reflect, it’s good to revisit my goals for beginning this venture.  First and foremost, I need

Carole Lambert Book Signing

ed to recharge the creative side of my brain. My years of working in the corporate field had forced me to rely on others for that…. but I had many roots to nurture.  Secondly, I did, in fact, want to make this a separate business, all on its own.  I truly didn’t need any more hobbies (which I define as things no one would ever pay me to do, e.g. golf, tennis, kayaking, and simply collecting sea glass.)  I also knew I wanted to make something functional, beautiful, indigenous to Cape Ann, and in a niche that would have its own following.  All in all, I do believe I have achieved these things.

Before I ever started selling, I also spoke with retailers and galleries and learned a few things that concerned me.  One is that there were many makers who had “come and gone” leaving them in a precarious position.  This was especially true for hair accessories, a long-forgotten niche of jewelry.  My other goal was to stay with it and not disappoint people.  Furthermore, I wanted to be sure people thought of sea glass designs regardless of geography or time of year.  That’s an ongoing goal as I continue to evolve the designs and move the work beyond the north shore.  But now for the fun part.  The numbers tell a story of their own.  Since I started tracking items sold in 2003 (to the extent that I could – wholesale being a bit tricky) – here are some (not all) fun proof points of what’s sold:

  • 667 Barrettes (across 3 sizes)
  • 555 Alligator Clips
  • 208 Hair Combs
  • 132 Hair Forks
  • 303 Bracelets
  • 269 Pairs of Earrings

Now that’s a lot of sea glass! More importantly, however, have been the hundreds of amazing people that have endorsed my work, are wearing it, provide endless feedback and encouragement, and keep coming back for more.  This part of the journey is the most exciting, unexpected, and appreciated.  It’s all I need to be inspired to bring you the next wave of designs and find new ways to use my collection.  Thank you for being part of my journey!  Here’s to 2023.

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Studio is bursting with color and creativity!

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This year has seen amazing traffic to the studio and the incredible visitors have inspired me to create more!  I introduced the Anchor Collection  of Lariats in the Spring and they caught on immediately!  My “SeaDrop” earrings seem to be quite popular right now, so I have just made many more of these.   I have also seen many people who found me outside the formal open studios during visits to Cape Ann and they have become regular visitors when they are in town.  It’s so much fun to have intimate time with visitors.  The studio is open by appointment, so just call 978-283-8333.   I was also privileged to be interviewed by Kristine Fisher for our Cape Ann ARTWaves show as I am heading into my 20th year.  I hope you enjoy this video.

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What’s in store for 2022? Cape Ann Designs update

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Despite a the wacky year of the Pandemic, all-in-all, I enjoyed a new “high” for my sea glass business in 2021.  Inadvertently, my studio became a retreat for those who needed to solve “Covid” hair challenges.  Hair accessories received a new lease on life! The bigger picture is that the LOVE of sea glass is alive and well and as supplies of the “real thing” dwindle, my collection becomes more of an attraction.  This past year my challenge was to find new ways to work with the really large pieces and it was fabulous to introduce the leather and sea glass combos that took the form of “Line in the Sand.”  Now the challenge is to find more sea glass lovers with whom to share the work.  Right now, I am grateful for a series of new locations that are hosting the collection.   Anispotera Mercantile in Lexington has a lovely display.  The owner, Rosemary Austin is pioneering a new concept of all around well-being featuring non-THC CBD products alongside organic coffees and teas and artwork.  You have to agree, these are the things that make our lives more pleasant! The Fuller Craft Museum has added works to their shop and it’s well worth a visit there to see the incredible glass display called “Glass Life Forms”.  Down in St. Augustine, FLA. I am very pleased to be part of W.B. Tatter Gallery on Anastasia Island – just cross this bridge and you are there!  Wendy is a talented silk painting/batik artist who I was lucky enough to meet during my recent travels!

 

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