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Potsdam Summer Festival
It was a miracle that it didn't rain, since that is all it has done here in the last 2 weeks, it seems. But traditionally, this wonderful, joyous festival held downtown at Ives Park in the college town of Potsdam, New York, does have sunny weather. Here is my booth which I shared with my friend Isis Melhado. She is a wonderful weaver and a North Country Living Treasure.
This is my third year in a row of selling at the Potsdam Festival and I am always so validated by the very receptive and appreciative visitors to my booth. Potsdam is a very special place with so many people who love the arts. I thank one and all who stopped at my booth this year and enjoyed and appreciated my artwork. I make ceramic and fused glass pendants and free form peyote stitch necklaces using my handmade ceramic beads. The strung necklaces I make are also mostly made from my handmade beads. I love it that there are so many people in this area who like my chunky unusual jewelry.
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Inside My Studio
Lots of New Pendants
  
I have been busy around my studio making a lot of ceramic pendants from new plants I found this Spring. Some were at my booth at the Potsdam Festival and they went quickly. I was very lucky to find a lovely display of young birch leaves,as seen in the picture above, that I have put into several pendants already. You can see more of my new pendants on my website at maryhardingjewelry.com
I have also made a three part video series on Raku Beads. You can see these videos on my blog at maryhardingjewelrybeadblog They are also on YouTube and have been quite popular. I have a large selection of my raku beads on my website in the Beads section. I have also been using my raku beads in my new Freeform Peyote necklaces. |
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Photo of some recently fired Raku Beads
Ceramic Beads
During the month of August, I will be offering 20% off on some ceramic beads. If you haven't already gotten my booklet, LowFire Ceramic Beads, Buttons and Pendants, it is available from my website as a free download. Hopefully you will want to explore this great medium. My Ceramic Bead Making Kit is also at a reduced price for August: $45.00. This kit gives you the opportunity to try out ceramic bead making without buying a kiln since I offer you the opportunity to send your beads to me for both the bisque and glaze firings.
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I hope you are having a great summer. Thank you for checking out my website, visiting me at the Potsdam Festival and supporting my jewelry art.
Warm wishes
Mary Harding
maryhardingjewelry.com | |
Open Studio on North Country Public Radio
Passing the Torch
I was interviewed by Hilary Oak, Executive Director of the St,. Lawrence County Arts Council for the regional art program, Open studio. It aired on North Country Public Radio on Thursday, July 26,2007. If you missed hearing it, like I did, you can go to the North Country Public Radio website and hear it by clicking on programs and you will see it listed. Hilary and Todd did a wonderful job and were very complimentary to me which I so appreciate. My torch passing has been to school age children through the BOCES Artists in the School Program and at the Community Arts Program run by Andrea Quinnel at NYSARC. |
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I recently attended the Garlic Festival at BirdsFoot Farm. It was my first time. I found the mounds and later bundles of tied garlic to be a wonderful feast of visual images and hope that I will be able to translate these ideas into some very unusual but beautiful pendants. While we were working and talking one young woman told of a restaurant in San Francisco where they make garlic flavored ice cream. I am sure I can meet the challenge and come up with some garlic flavored jewelry.
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Upcoming Events
Classes and Shows
I am looking forward to my annual class at the Handweaving Museum in Clayton, New York. This year I will be teaching freeform peyote stitch to make either a cuff bracelet or an amulet necklace. This will be my fourth year teaching there. I have ordered a wonderful selection of beads from Shipwreck Beads to put into the kits this year. And I plan to bring some of my own handmade ceramic beads for sale to add to the mix. They make wonderful additions to peyote stitch. The Class is Saturday, October 20, 2007 from 9AM to 4PM. I am looking forward to it. Please contact The Handweaving Museum and Art Center to register. The cost is $25.00 plus a $20.00 fee for the bead kit.
I am joining Isis Melhado at the annual Wellesley Island Craft Fair in October as well.
I plan to teach a a Jewlery Making Class at the St. Lawrence County Arts Council in Potsdam, this Fall.
Coming up on Nov. 2, 3, and 4 is the annual St. Lawrence County Artists' Studio Tour sponsored by the St. Lawrence County Arts Council. More about that next time.
FIRED CLAY ARTISTS
I have recently become a participant in a new web presence called Fired Clay Artists. It is a grouping of ceramic bead artists all in one place. You can visit this site by going to Fired Clay Artists More about this next month. | |
