Hiding

So its Black Friday and its the first one I haven't had to work at the gallery in years. I will go in tonight for the reception. But I slept late and wouldn't have gotten up at all if I didn't feel guilty for being a slug. Robert says its hiding. Maybe he's right though,I am not sure what I am hiding from. This week has been heaven in the studio. Sad but all I want to do is be in my studio by myeslf making things. Or if I had a yard of my own I'd be there. Raking, weeding planning beds. Somehow I desperately need solitude these days. So unlike the younger me. Thought I'd share photos from earlier. Last week I spent as much time as possible getting ready for Art for the Masses. Meredith was with her dad so ever spare minute was spent in the studio.
These are copper pieces that were then enameled and made into jewelry:

44

funny, the number on the door of the video below is 44, my age. This, and each progressive year, I feel I am moving out of dark, painful and turbulent times in my past making lots of karma, into a glowing, soft time of peace and healing and teaching. What a nice coincidence.

Healing

I went to church today... as a present. Not something I normally do. I am a spiritual person and once was religious. I was filled with the spirit in my 36th year and publically accepted Christ as my savior. It was a profound year for me. But now... I have been on an amazing journey through life thus far, and while I find truth in the teachings of Christ I am no longer a Christian. I have moved past that onto other deeper truths. But my former sister in law and I are still close, and her request for her 60th birthday was for her family to join her in church today. While I don't adhere to most Christian ritual and belief it is beautiful to watch the sincerity of others in worship. I have realized that I must build a spiritual foundation for my daughter, to not leave her floundering... So she and I discussed what I personally believe.
I believe earth is a boarding school for the soul. We all are here to do, and go through it all with each other. We must, like the Bonnie Raitt song, "get on into it, down where its tangled and dark". I enjoy reflection and discussion as much as I enjoy action. So in that sense its been a fruitful Sunday.
Once home, I went to my buddy Bee Shay's blog for a quick look and discovered a luscious morsel! Lior!!!!
You must go check out the video either on Bee's site or Youtube of Lior's
"I'll Forget You".
I leave you with Heal Me:

Oh HAPPY Day!

OH YES WE CAN! There are few days I can remember feeling this good about my fellow countrymen. It is evidence that not all people are swayed by ugly fear tactics and underhanded lies. What a beautiful morning for America.

Opinions of Others

Okay, so normally I avoid political conversation. I am terrible at remembering important political information to buttress my views. But I every now and then develop an opinion and get riled up. And I spend my life now with a vocal man with a poli/sci degree. Robert, the poli/sci dude, says its because I am actually from "Faeire" and they don't have a need for politics there, they have wands. And well... I am Queen there so....
However, here in the real world, it appears that alot of others have become more vocal this election as well, people who possibly are as non-confrontational as I!
Here's a blog I visit often and really enjoy. I thought I would share:

Cabinet of Wonders
The name alone is fab... and you may enjoy plundering the treasures of other posts there, but the Oct 16th post is of interest. Go check it out!

Wow!

Wow, do I ever want one of these?!! This company is amazing!
Fletcher and Myburgh
My absolute favorite is this one, the Lily. Perfect for a faerie....
I had better get started then....

New Obsession

I helped a student make and anticlastic bracelet and it was so much fun I can't stop!

We BAILED these guys out???

Check out MSN's Money report on the CEO's who cashed in
yeah, somebody needs to go to jail.....

2Day

So here's a quote for today

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." -Joseph Campbell


And I would like to introduce you to a mysterious and amazing young woman that I have had the privilege of sharing many a hour with. Mysterious because she's one of those people that doesn't need to talk. Exactly what's going on in her head is sometimes up to speculation. Which intrigues me as I am an open book, and leave nothing to chance. Which isn't always a good thing....
There is beauty in an unopened book, possibility.... and amazing because well, she is! I have never seen anyone hammer metal like she does. She is a marvel. Check out her website.
Marion Sak

Gleanings

So the weather here is finally bearable. I have grown to hate the heat. If you are at the beach no problem, but if you are sitting in your non airconditioned, sweltering 90 degree metal box of a studio is SUCKS! I lose all inspiration. I end up staring at my bench, melting...dripping.
Staying inspired and productive is hard enough without just dissolving into the chair.... in October no less!

I envy those in the mountains or in cooler climes.
Even today I had to turn on the fan to work after 2pm, then at 4 I just plain left. Screw it, I'll find something to do at home.

On a side note Robert and I went to Masonoboro island a couple of weeks ago and there were SCADS of large scallop shells. I went mad trying to carry them back to the kayaks.
Also a bracelet I made from a spoon.



I have worked with tableware for years, but got inspired by Stephanie Lee's new book. Luscious book BTW!



The bracelet is now at the Woods Gallery on Bald Head Island.
It seemed too perfect with the image of Bald Head at the mouth of the Cape Fear.
I was in a pirate mood earlier this summer.....

Little Reminders

Sometimes your gut instincts are off.
Take Wolfgang for instance.

When his mother called me to ask if I’d give her 10 yr old son private lessons, I could feel the cringe in my gut. I heard “10 yr old” and thought of past, less than desirable situations. Kids- they get bored, I get irritated….
I was going to have to disappoint this mother and say no. Somehow I didn’t. I said sure. I’d give it a try, one hour with Wolfgang. “But,” I said, “Remember, very few kids that age have the patience to really make any jewelry.”
She said, much to my relief, “OH! I don’t care if he makes anything! Just show him your studio, your tools. Talk to him about what you do. That’d be great! He just loves working with wire and little things he finds.” Sounded like me at a young age.

So in walked Wolfgang.
It has been a revelation.
Because of him, I now have permission for an hour every other week, to melt stuff, squish stuff, hammer it back out, melt it again, pour it into water, and discover all over again the magic of the words “what if”.

Wolfgang each time says, “I don’t want to leave.”
He makes me laugh and knows so much geeky cool stuff. He tells me about TV shows I have never seen like Myth Busters and how to make a “Bagdad Battery” out of an oil jar, lemon juice, metal and such. One day he was sifting through my box of old coins. He suddenly exclaimed, “This is a guinea!” I thought, it is?! What’s a guinea look like and what’s it doing in there? As I was coming over to see he said, “Oh its just a copy.” I thought how’d he know that?! I picked it up. It was stamped COPY… duh!

The other day Wolfgang told me with complete sincerity, “You have the greatest job, ever!”
You know that is a very good thing to hear. In this time when money is so tight, the gas pump is painful, galleries aren't selling anything, I may have to give up my studio and downsize…
I spend too many precious moments in a day just trying to hang on to hope and not fear the future.
I almost got tears in my eyes.
I do Wolfgang. I have the coolest job ever. And I forget it way too much.
I get to melt stuff and squish stuff and hammer stuff and melt it again…
I just gotta remember that. Wolfgang came just in the nick of time to remind me.

Qualifications?

The presidential candidates educational records:

McCain:
McCain graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1958; he was fifth from the bottom in class rank, 894th out of 899.

Palin:
from the Associated Press
Published: September 4th, 2008 01:20 PM
Last Modified: September 4th, 2008 01:20 PM
SPOKANE, Wash. - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attended five colleges in six years before graduating from the University of Idaho in 1987.
Federal privacy laws prohibit the schools from disclosing her grades, and none of the schools contacted by The Associated Press could say why she transferred. There was no indication any of them were contacted as part of the background investigation of Palin by presidential candidate John McCain's campaign."
Her degree was in journalism.

Obama:
He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988 and at the end of his first year was selected as an editor of the law review based on his grades and a writing competition. He graduated with a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991 and returned to Chicago


Joe Biden:
Biden attended the University of Delaware in Newark,[10] where by his own later description he was a lazy student.[11] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in history and political science in 1965,[2] ranked 506th of 688 in his class. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968.

So who's qualified to run our country????

Women multiply things

My uncle sent me this I thought it was wonderful!

Quote of the day:

'Whatever you give a woman, she's going to multiply it. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So - if you give her any crap, you will receive a ton of......

Jamie's journal

Jamie Sells and I have been emailing. She liked the Camp Creed I wrote and used it on her first page in her visual journal. I thought it was wonderful!

A Great Loss?

Will we, the national art community, suffer a devastating loss?
From their site:
"The Latest News:
Statement of the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Board of Governors
September 7, 2008

For Immediate Release:
Members of the Board of Governors were unaware of the plan for Pi Beta Phi Fraternity to sell the property on which Arrowmont is located until late July 2008. In mid-August, the Board of Governors engaged an attorney to investigate every possibility related to the sale of the land, which is currently leased to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts through 2011.

The Arrowmont Board of Governors is fully committed to the ongoing success of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. However, the sale of the land on which the school is located represents a major threat to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. While Arrowmont could be relocated and rebuilt elsewhere, the cost of doing so would greatly exceed the amount of money that Pi Beta Phi Fraternity has suggested it might offer. The Arrowmont Board of Governors believes that losing the historic campus and the professional craft studio facilities and dormitories would be devastating to the school, not only in the short term, but also because it would sever its long-lasting ties to the early heritage of Pi Beta Phi in Gatlinburg. Of additional concern is the fact that the immediate loss of revenue and constituents (both local and national students and conference attendees) while the new facilities are being built could prove catastrophic. "

My grandmother arrived in 1932 (?) to Arrowmont as a teacher. She was called by the Pi Beta Phi's from the dustbowls of Oklahoma to come to the mountains of Tennessee and teach children. She and my mother took me to Arrowmont after it had become an art school when I was in 3rd grade. My other grandparents lived around the corner and my grandfathers church where he officiated for 35 years was across the street from the Arrowcraft Gallery. To me Arrowmont became a symbol of what artists do. It was an icon for me my entire life. My life's dream was to eventually teach workshops there. I have taken two workshops and a conference there. Recieved a scholarship for one, attended auctions and assisted two workshops there, and underwent one of the most transformative experiences of my art career there. I have sat on the patio until 3am with Keith LoBue there, talking and sharing and watching the stars. Arrowmont is my artistic womb manifested as a place.
When I heard this news I cried so hard my eyes swelled for the next day. Robert didn't speak. He didn't know what to say.
My only hope is that somehow someway Arrowmont can morph and change and be reborn just a special in another place.
Maybe even a better place. Were I a millionaire....

The porch of Teacher's Cottage.













metals studio














The picnic tables outside the cafeteria.
















The fountain outside metals. I have soaked my tired feet in this many times!

Elation

I was searching for just the right thing this summer for my daughter to do. You know, she's at that weird age... old enough for some things, too young for others. Back when I was in middle school the world was a different place. There was less worry about leaving us home all day in the summer. We'd explore the woods, ride bikes clear across town, spend the day at the beach or in the pool, just us kids! Now people are spreadout in urban sprawl. She might be killed on a bike on our roads! There are child molesters and creepazoids everywhere... so anyway, kids camps seemed to young for her but I work and she gets bored at my studio space... sigh, what to do. I asked one of my students, a cool, smart, well adjusted but delightfully eccentric girl,"what would you say if you had to pick something that made a huge, positive difference in your life at 13? Was it a activity, a hobby, a person?" She said, "Horses! hands down" She went to a barn near her house and it changed her life. Then I asked a friend whose raised three fantastic girls what she thought really gave them self confidence and joy. She said,"horseback riding!" Odd they both, in the same week, said the same thing. So I signed her up at a barn for horseback riding camp. She went everyday from 8:30 to 2 for weeks this sumer. We all got hooked. She goes for lessons on Wednesday evenings. Her very first competitive show was yesterday.



Here she is with her trainer. She entered one division. And in the very first class of that division they called her name for first place. I missed seeing her jaw drop in shock as I was on the opposite side of the ring. The trainer and other mothers said it was priceless! She went on to get division champion. I could not be happier for her.
I bet she'll not take that medal off for days.

Teaching, Learning, John Cage and LEAF!

Wow a new friend sent me this:

John Cage's "Rules for Students and Teachers." Here they are:

1 Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.
2 General duties of a student--pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.
3 General duties of a teacher--pull everything out of your students.
4 Consider everything an experiment.
5 Be self-disciplined--this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
6 Nothing is a mistake. There's no win and no fail, there's only make.
7 The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.
8 Don't try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes.
9 Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think.
10 Break rules. Even your own rules. Leave plenty of room for X quantities.

John Cage (1912-1992) was a composer, print maker, performance artist, writer, philosopher, editor, teacher, mushroom expert, collaborator and poet. Fact is, John Cage had a lot of fun in his factory. Considered one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century, he produced works with one note, no notes, notes by chance, and a noted organ composition that takes 639 years to play.
"Life," he said, "is a workshop."

So wonderful! Thank you Dan! This is especially great as LEAF is soon upon us! Lake Eden Arts Festival in October is on the former grounds of Black Mountain College where John Cage spent alot of time as faculty beginning in 1948. He staged his first happening there. And oddly I am listening to Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour on NPR on which Michael Franti is playing live, and Robert and I saw him at LEAF last year! weird circles.....
(oh and sorry for the typos in the previous post. I can't seem to edit them!)

I know what you're thinking...

Yeah, at first I thought who cares what Matt Damon thinks, but wait! I mean I loke Matt Damon and all, but honestly he says what I am thinking about Sarah Palin!

Oh you Arfesters! Get a load o this!

It's on Etsy!! I love it!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15156025 The user name is Postdesigner.

Horsey Talk

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” -Marianne Williamson

So I haven't posted in bit, thought I'd start anew. In fact, since Artfest packets are hatching in people's mailboxes I would endeavor to make the blog more "arty"! Thought this quote was lovely, and exactly what Artfest is all about.
I have three new activities that have been hugely stimulating to me. One is a collaborative I am in with 12 other women, the next is a little collage class I am doing on wednesday nights at my studio with four local women. I call it "Collage Camp for Grown Up Girls". We began with a "Camp Creed" that I wrote:

"Tonight, I will give my inner critic the night off!
I will let go, play, maybe even dance.
I will open a window to let in Possibility.
I will be kind to myself, using only nurturing, encouraging
mental words.
I will allow Imperfection to visit and have tea, maybe I will learn
from her.
I will allow Uniqueness in as well.
Finally, I will fill with gratitude for whatever happens tonight!"

And thirdly, I started Cape Fear Metalsmiths, a local club for people who've caught the metal bug. I had three of them in my studio last night for a lesson on rivets. Thursday is my LONG day. It starts at 5:45. I teach metals at 8am for three hours at CFCC. Then I hang in my little shared office, chat with coworkers, grade, answer emails, tweek the school/class website, do paperwork, eat soup, fix broken equipment and then teach metals again until 5pm. Then I chase students out (there's always some who don't want to leave) lock up and drive to my studio and eat soup while I tidy up for the night metals class there. I finish up around 9:30 and drive home...gasp, gasp. Last night I laid in the floor,nay I collapsed!

Meredith rides in her first competitive equestrian show on Saturday. I am so excited! She is nervous! She will ride one of the stable's horses, Tobey. I told her we would all consider a horse when she is 16. Then she can drive to wherever it's boarded, herself! And she can have a job to pay for it! I confess I would love having a horse and small farm but alas, for now its our little brick ranch on a little suburban lot. Robert and I do dream of a bit of land, a house with a porch and rocking chairs, a garden, herbs, brick paths, angora goats, making soap, I would set up my loom and weave, I would have a pottery shed and he a boat and kayak building shed, and of course the metals/collage studio!
We love little outbuildings and point them out to each other on roadtrips. Oh well, someday....

Meredith making the horsey talk...

Pretty in Pink

You know for me its good to have a lunatic in my life.
Robert found this little girl's Roxy rash gaurd at the dock at work. Being the silly man he is, he squeezed into in and drove home to show us!!! He could barely breathe and was turning purple when I arrived! Of course he required help getting out of it. Silly silly....

STOP TITAN

If you live in southeastern NC I hope you are aware (you may have been in a cave I don't know, I spend alot of time in one) that negotiations have been made behind closed doors with county government officials to entice Titan Cement company to build a factory to make cement right in my back yard. I am pissed. I really don't want to breathe arsenic and lord knows what else. I really don't want mercury leaching into our waters and fish. the bad thing I use portland cement. I use it quite a bit right now. So here I sit in a hypocritical position. It is hard to not take a "not in my back yard" stance. I guess I just wish industry could conduct its business in an honest, open and caring way. But the truth is they will hide, lie and pollute just as much as they can get away with. And if wishes were horses beggars would ride. Still until there are better ways to police industries like Titan, I will be sporting my very stylish Stoptitan tote bag...or maybe I shall get the T-shirt.

It's rollin'!

...my new etsy shop!
ladysmithsupply.etsy.com

Mariko Kusumoto

I may have mentioned before my love of the work of Mariko Kusumoto? I thought I'd share again.
She says this in Metalsmith's Exhibition in Print 2004:
"Growing up in a 4OO year old temple, I was always surrounded by ancient things like tansu (Japanese chests of drawers), faded paint on wood, Buddhas and their ornaments, etc.

I was especially fascinated by the tansu. When I opened the drawers, I could never anticipate what would appear from the darkness. I had mixed feelings of excitement and fear whenever I opened it. It was a great wonder box to me. The darkness inside the tansu stirred up my imagination.

Inside the darkness of the temple, the gleam of the Buddhas and the golden ornaments would emerge. I could sense the spiritual world and its eternal silence. In my work, I am striving to create a world of Shadows, light, silence, spirituality, and my personal memories."
I just can't get enough and now you can view works of hers at Mobilia Gallery.
I highly recommend checking this link. Her works are sumptuous!

Oktapodi -- Funny Animation

I 'm soooo all about sea creatures these days...
Sweeeeet!

AOT Artisans on Taylor

In Port Townsend, WA (one of my favorite places) is one of my favorite galleries, Artisans on Taylor
They will be carrying some of my work! Check them out!
Teresa is fantastic, has an amazing eye and fabulous style. LOVE IT!

The Dunes Offerings

At the north end of our beach there are steps that drifted up after a hurricane. Years ago. Someone decided to rebuild them where they stood as a resting place to reflect. They added this little copper mailbox and residents keep it stocked with pencils, pens and a small notebook. This year people started leaving these bundled offerings. I adore them! They are like ocean talismans little energy filled trinkets. Like the shorelines jewelry. I am so inspired by them and have visited them numerous times. I have yet to add my own to the mix. They seem so precious as they are.

Lovely Days on the Channel

Whenever we can, we've been spending stolen hours at the north end of Wrightsville Bch.
When I was in high school it was where we trudged to build bonfires as there were no structures there. The huge dunes hid our teenage gatherings. I have watched storms in the distance off the coast there, huge lightshows that I later painted on large canvases. But that was years ago. Now there are people and the Shell Island resort complex. Still, it remains relatively sparsely populated with tourists so we love the bird sanctuary and quietly loll about in the water watching the black skimmers, oyster catchers, terns, plovers, osprey and gulls. I love this wee water nymph bubble bath and the little geysers created by the incoming tide. And I had to snap this shot of the writing the wind makes with the sea oats.

The Shift

The Shift is happening are you involved? If things are going to change won't you decide how?

Terns

A friend asked me if I had done anything special this summer. I had to think... no, no trips, no vacations, no big events. I felt depressed, somehow underprivileged, as if I was missing out on summertime while everyone else tubed down mountain streams, ate melons at family reunions, and traveled abroad. So I asked Robert and Meredith to go with me Wednesday evening to the beach around 5pm. That way we'd only have to pay for an hour on the meter. We went to the last beach access before Shell Island resort and walked to the end of the beach. There are old wooden steps there and a little copper mailbox with a notebook inside for people to leave their musings. Also right now, there is a cordoned off area for nesting birds. We had the most magical evening. I kept noticing the sweetest, wee little webbed bird prints. I've never seen any like them. I asked Robert what they were and he wasn't sure, and then DUH! we realized they were made by wandering baby Least terns! They ran out from under the white ropes and huddled in deep human footprints waiting for their parents who must have been off fishing. Some perched on sand hillocks peeping for food, their fluffy down glowed gold with the sun set behind them. We walked around to the sound side and lazed in the crystal clear shallows like manatees watching the tides rush in. We splashed and rough housed, tossing Meredith and chasing each other. When we settled down and laid in the water on our stomachs with only our noses out, we were still enough that birds all hanging out on the sand, forgot about us and came very close. We had oyster catchers mere feet away from us feeding their young. I had hoped to go tonight and take my own photos but the rain interrupted. The above photograph came from here.
So did I do anything special this summer? well, now that you mention it.....

Offshore Drilling Nightmare

The following was an email forwarded to me by a friend of Kitty Mitchell of the band Molasses Creek who live on Ocracoke Island part of our NC outer banks. It is a beautiful, quaint island that strives to maintain its sleepy, small fishing village lifestyle:

"My newest painting is a post card to Senators Dole & Burr, and also to Congressman Walter Jones, and to Mr. McCrory. Three cheers to Bev Perdue who is the ONLY candidate so far that has refused to endorse off shore drilling.

This will not be good for our economy. We have a thriving tourist and
fishing industry that does not need to invest our resources in old polluting
technologies when we are so capable of doing better for ourselves, our
children and our planet. We have more wind than oil, it's ours and it can't
be shipped to China.

Feel free to use this image to save our coast, I only ask for artistic
credit."

Dancing Matt

Okay so maybe I am slow....we don't have TV.
Robert and I just saw this and I adore it! I even like the music. i want to watch it all day! How happy! I think its great. Wish I had done it!

Alexander Calder Le Cirque

I adore Calder! He definately was from "Faerie"... just visitng this realm.

Art+Words=COLLAGE!

SUMMER CAMP!
yep, that's right, a week long day camp for 7th and 8th grade girls
July 7-11 from 9am to 4pm, my daughter Meredith and I will host:

Art+Words=COLLAGE!
Join us as we make art journals, alter books with paint and collage,
make artist books and write poetry. We'll work with markers, inks, paint, glue and words to create our own little worlds on the page.
If your middle schooler loves doodling, writing, dreaming... this is the week for her!

$100 includes materials
pack a bag lunch, drinks and a snack provided. Wear your paintin' duds!
for more info email: melissa@melissamanleystudios.com

Jason de Caires Taylor Underwater Sculptures

Isn't this just gorgeous!!!!!! THIS makes me want to scuba dive!!!!

Golden Elixir

print by John W Golden



Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt a marvelous error;
That I had a beehive here inside my heart.
And the golden bees were making white combs
And sweet honey from my past mistakes.


-Antonio Machado

Found this while searching for more on Simon Buxton's book "Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters."

Melissae

In researching "wild woman" as the latest art entry for "The 12" (my Women's Archetype collage art group) I found out more about my own name!!!I always nknew my name meant honeybee in Greek and was the begininng of the latin name for Bee balm, but that was all.

From The Blue Roebuck:"Bees are prevalent in the myths of many cultures worldwide. As pollinators they are essential to all life, and seen spiritually as faithful servants of the Goddess, and exemplified in individual colonies by dedication to their queen. They are virtually icons of androgyny, and along with their delicious, healing, and preserving honey are symbolic of eroticism and sensuality, love, death, and lastly, immortality.

At the temple of Aphrodite, priestesses were called "Melissae", which means "bees," and Aphrodite herself was called Melissa, the queen bee. At the Ephesian temple of Artemis, the melissae were accompanied by transgendered priests called "Essenes", which means drones.

Scientifically, bees are classified as members of the hymenopteran order, meaning "veil-winged," recalling the hymen or veil that covered the inner shrine of the Goddess's temple, and the high priestess who bore the title of Hymen, presiding over marriage rituals and the Honey Moon."

And then from the Greek Myth Index:

MELISSA
That is, the soother or propitiator (from melissô or meilissô), occurs,

1. As the name of a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey, and from whom bees were believed to have received their name, melissai (Schol. ad Pind. Pyth. iv. 104.) Bees seem to have been the symbol of nymphs, whence they themselves are sometimes called Melissae, and are sometimes said to have been metamorphosed into bees. (Schol. ad Pind. 1. c. ; Hesych. s. v. Orodemniades; Columell. ix. 2; Schol. (ad Theocrit. iii. 13.) Hence also nymphs in the form of bees are said to have guided the colonists that went to Ephesus (Philostr. Icon. ii. 8) ; and the nymphs who nursed the infant Zeus are called Melissae, or Meliae. (Anton. Lib. 19; Callim. Hymn. in Jov. 47; Apollod. i. 1. § 3.)

2. From the nymphs the name Melissae was transferred to priestesses in general, but more especially to those of Demeter (Schol. ad Pind. l.c.; Callim. Hymn. in Apoll. 110; Hesych. s. v. Melissai), Persephone (Schol. ad Theocrit. xv. 94), and to the priestess of the Delphian Apollo. (Pind. Pyth. iv. 106; Schol. ad Eurip. Hippol. 72.) According to the scholiasts of Pindar and Euripides, priestesses received the name Melissae from the purity of the bee. Comp. a story about the origin of bees in Serv. ad Aen. i. 434.

3. Melissa is also a surname of Artemis as the goddess of the moon, in which capacity she alleviates the suffering of women in childbed. (Porphyr. De Antr. Nymp,. p. 261.)

4. A daughter of Epidamnus, became by Poseidon the mother of Dyrrhachius, from whom the town of Dyrrhachium derived its name. (Steph. Byz. s. v. Durhrhachion."

So, the soother??? I have been that for that for more than one friend. And I have always had quite an affinity for honeybees. I have wanted to tend bees for a ong time but never owning my own property long enough to warrant keeping hives.... well it just hasn't happened. My brother Joe has tended bees for a bee keeper friend when he went out of town. He said it was very relaxing, almost zenlike work. My mother named me. My father wanted a different name but she won I guess. I am glad. I have always loved my name.

Suncreen is killing coral?!

Well, I guess I should change the title of this blog to Melissa freaking out about the environment! I promise I do make art... and I am not always freaking out. But I guess its interesting to me and my main concern other than my daughter how I am going to survive as an artist. But this morning I read that chemicals in suncreen are contributing to the bleaching of coral reefs. Man should really consider how many synthetic chemicals he uses and their impact.

From National Geographic News:
"Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species.

The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities.

Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies."

The Vanishing of the Bees

interesting documentary about Colony Collapse Disorder in honeybees.

Why Handmake?

Break the Shackles of Robotic Slavery: Crankbunny's (of Etsy.com) Handmade Video

Resin Jewelry Tutorial with John W. Golden Part 1

My prolific artist buddy John's instructional video

Prevent Coral Extinction!

This image is of lophelia wanna know more? www.lophelia.org



Speak up to Urge Swift Action
to Prevent Extinction!
A student and I were talking today about her summer plans. She is becoming a scuba diving instructor and is interested in coral reef preservation and hopes to end up in the Phillipines working with coral reef preservation groups there. I told her about how I adore red coral, but have made a personal vow to not use it in my jewelry anymore. She and I talked more and she mentioned the upcoming South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s public hearing the 15th in New Bern. Evidently a proposal is being voted on to protect thousands of square miles of coral reef from the Keys to Cape Hatteras. This is reef area already ravaged by trawling and pollution.

The following is from information sent out by Oceana

Thousands of square miles of deep sea coral habitat in
the South Atlantic is threatened with damage and
extinction, unless the South Atlantic Fisheries
Management Council (SAFMC) votes to protect them.
At the upcoming June meeting in Orlando, the SAFMC
has the opportunity to make a final decision to set aside
24,000 square miles of deep sea coral “habitat of particular
concern” (HAPC). Before the June meeting, the Council
has set dates for public hearings at satellite locations
throughout the southeast so citizen voices can be heard.

“Deep sea coral beds are cradles of marine life,” said
Oceana Campaign Director Dave Allison. “We now
have the choice to either protect these areas as a part
of our natural legacy or to leave these unique habitats
vulnerable to destruction. In just a few minutes, a
destructive bottom trawler can sweep through and
destroy a coral reef hundreds of years old.”

North Carolina
CAPE LOOKOUT LOPHELIA BANKS
AND CAPE FEAR LOPHELIA BANKS
These distinctive reefs are the
northernmost deep reefs in the
eastern US. Over 54 species of fish
have been observed on the Cape
Lookout Banks.

South Carolina
STETSON REEF
Covering the peaks of Stetson Reef
are live bushes of Lophelia coral,
sponges, sea fans, and black coral.
Fish and an abundance of brittle
stars, sea urchins, hydroids, sea
anemones and soft corals have
been identified in this area.

Georgia
SAVANNAH EAST FLORIDA
The Savannah Lithotherms rise 100
- 200 feet tall at 1800 feet deep
just 90 nautical miles east of
Savannah along the Blake Plateau.
This reef system supports large
populations of massive sponges and
over ten different fish species
including swordfish and sharks.

Florida
SAVANNAH EAST FLORIDA
MIAMI TERRACE
POURTALES TERRACE
With the longest coastline, Florida
enjoys three main deep coral reef
sites that provide habitat for an
array of marine life, from commercially
valuable groupers to intricate
sponges.

Dates and places:
Comments may be made between 3:00-7:00pm

May 7, 2008
Key Largo Grande
97000 South Overseas
Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
Phone: 866-597-5397

May 9, 2008
Radisson Resort at the Port
8701 Astronaut Boulevard
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Phone: 321-784-0000

May 12, 2008
Mighty Eighth
Air Force Museum
175 Bourne Avenue
Pooler, GA 31322
Phone: 912-748-8888

May 13, 2008
Town and Country Inn
2008 Savannah Highway
Charleston, SC 29407
Phone: 843-571-1000

May 15, 2008
Sheraton New Bern
100 Middle Street
New Bern, NC 28560
Phone: 252-638-3585

Must Brag!

I must brag about one of my "students". I put that in quotations because I learn sometimes more I teach.... Mr. Hickman is one of my private students. He is retired and has an eclectic background, spent many years perfecting calligraphy in his spare time. Well his attention to craftsmanship pays off as this is his first sawing and piercing exercise. The pierced copper is riveted to a patina'd piece of copper. Very nice....

Gutsy Ladies

Here are some photos from my Artfest '08 Gut Instincts class. The fantastic gut cicada was made by Jim Sorenson. Jim and his bug have inspired me to design a class where we work on insects! Should be cool...stay tuned!

Post Artfest Blues

Well, we are home luggage-less of course, as are 150,000 other bumped American Airline passengers. In fact it is kind of a miracle luggage ever gets on the right flight! So we are hopeful. Odd the things you begin to realize are in your bags, like my favorite Swanstrom ergonomic, expensive pliers, Robert's silver repousse belt buckle, etc. Post Artfest blues have set in. Robert keeps saying,"We're not in Port Townsend anymore, Toto!" If your reading this and attended one of my classes thank you! I had three fantastic groups this year. I think all went home recharged and revved up. I too learned so much from my students and feel renewed creative energy. I have a sketchbook full of ideas! I made these cairns Monday after Artfest on the beach at Deception Pass on Whidbey.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

So here I still sit in Chi-town. I said to Robert last night, "I am SO glad you aren't John Candy". Looks like we're sleeping the airport tonight. We even talked to the airline about renting us a car.... we should have done that last night I guess. But then again there'd have been no Malibu rums served by an older gentleman with an eastern European accent in a cheesy Holiday Inn bar, while bad 70's ballads played. We pretended we didn't know each other. Maybe we'll find out how much to go downtown today to the Art Institute.... Robert's never been...

Composting Good and Evil: Redesign for Sanctimonious Sinner

Well Artfest is over and I sit in a slightly shabby, lonely Holiday Inn in Itasca Illinois. Our flight home was cancelled.... so in an effort to entertain myself I give you the virtual exhibit by Ethical Metalsmiths "Composting Good and Evil: Redesign for Sanctimonious Sinner"
This image is great! It's A men's suit made from recycled potting soil bags
"A totally 60s, totally groovy suit made from organic potting soil bags. Dr. Earth's colorful bags leant themselves so naturally to trash fashion! An orange striped fitted coat, over a frilly white shirt made from vanilla-scented kitchen trash bags. The straight-leg pants give the ensemble some real flower power!"
Designed by Prima Debris (Kathi Griffis).