Artist's Sunday Special Edition: Revitalize!

As (hopefully) many of our various and sundry followers know, Twinflame Studios has somewhat withdrawn from Etsy due to personal disagreement with some of their recent changes in policy. We still have a presence on their site, to support other artists, but we no longer sell through their company. This has gone on for some months, with no internet shop presence for the Studio, but our dry spell is (also hopefully) over.

Fox has discovered another online marketplace, set up much the way Etsy used to be. Their listing fees are percentage per sale - as in we artists only pay if we sell! Over the next few days, I'll be posting listings at Foxfire Musings, as a sort of test run to see how well the website works. It's all active and ready, just in time for the holidays, so have at! If there's a piece you've been eyeing in our FB or deviantART gallery, feel free to request it be listed for sale.

Support (real!) local, handmade, etc, this holiday season. Try out scottsmarketplace.com instead, and let me know what your experiences are like!

Foxfire Daily: Who are you supporting over the Holidays?

For me it's an easy choice... but mostly because of my budget. I'm supporting my family and kids. And I'd like to ask you to do the same. Support your own family and kids first, and then your friends, and then locals you don't know. Or, y'know, my family and kids... *grins and winks*

Don't support the big names. Don't support the corporations.

Christmas Dragon by lyntonlevengood on deviantART

Do support the little guy. Do support your local (or not-so-local) small businesses and artisan crafters. Your purchases have much more immediate and important impact on these people. Your purchase affects an individual, a husband and wife (or varied permutations thereof), their (possible) kids, et cetera. Your purchase directly impacts how good their kids' Christmas will be. Your purchase will directly affect that business's tax season coming up in a few months, their rent this month, whether they can give their employees Christmas bonuses... you get the idea.

Make a difference. Buy local/small business/artisan craft. For example... yeah, maybe a necklace from me will cost you a bit more than that $5 shiny from Claire's... but your purchase of my handmade necklace might just buy a Christmas tree for my family, or a couple tanks of gas to get Dragon to work and back so he can buy presents for the kids, or it can go towards a couple of tables and displays so we can start doing local craft shows, or... 

Christmas Dragon by dashase on deviantART

To this end, our friend Mr. Marsten has put together a holiday catalog of links to artisan crafters, including us, for your perusal.  So go peruse The Narrator's Study Holiday Catalog for great gift ideas that support individuals and families directly. Or, if you happen to be an artisan crafter who hasn't been in touch with Mr. Marsten, send him the link to your wares so he can add it to his catalog.


Love, Light, and Blessings to you and yours this holiday season!
Merry Christmas, Blessed Yule, Happy Hogmany...
-your Artful White Fox

Cosfest Christmas by sandara on deviantART

Foxfire Daily: Onward and Upward...

Also known as: a step in the (hopefully) right direction.

Dragon has gotten a job... 45 minutes away. Prohibitive on gas, but at least he's working. Potential for great things, but also potential for this to be hugely wasted time. We're tired of the knife's edge... we're ready for something stable to stand on. We are both hopeful and discouraged. The oldest child is being overly teenager-ish, and the youngest is potty training. The middle child is wholly and uniquely herself in the midst of all the chaos, bless her. And in the meantime...

Dragon's creativity is being given an unexpected outlet at his work, which he's discovering he is both good at and enjoys - event organizing. Who knew? Parleying that into something greater... looking into it.

I have gotten my first official art commission in years... from a local church member, of all things. (insert absurd giggles here) It's giving me fits, but what does one expect? Church art. Creative brain does not want to even...

One step. Find gratitude. Another step. Synchronicity. Keep walking. Intention. Never stop moving.

This has been just a quick update; this blog and Twinflame Studios in general has suffered over the past few (very) busy months, and I'm feeling the call again, so... one small step. Etsy is no longer a viable option for us due to disagreements with their policies on certain things; Amazon's marketplace is untenable for the same reason. So we're looking for alternate options. Artfire requires a subscription of sorts, which is also unworkable right now. Fox's jewelry is up in several art galleries, including our FB gallery, but it's awkward to arrange purchases. Local craft shows cost money we don't have. It feels like there's too much take and not enough give, but I'm not sure where to prod to get it to come back into balance.

One day at a time. Breathe. Center. Believe. Intend. Small mercies. One step.

Blessings...
-your Artful White Fox.

Gratitude by kattything on deviantART

Business update

Unless and until such time as matters change, Twinflame Studios will no longer be selling through Etsy. We are displeased with some of their recent enacted policies and will be withdrawing our business from their site. This includes buying from or advertising sellers' items on Etsy. If you are an Etsy artist but have personal galleries/websites, we will be happy to advertise your work from your personal galleries instead.

Our account on Etsy will not immediately shut down, but you will be seeing much diminished activity. 

We will keep you updated on where and how you may peruse our creations. Currently this is on our Facebook and our deviantART.  You can also find us on Twitter, although we're not currently very active. Thank you, and please bear with us as we transition to something that is hopefully more palatable for everyone.

regretfully,
-your Artful White Fox.

Artist's Sunday #10: Thanksgiving, or "and now, for Something Completely Different."

I'm going to change it up a bit this Sunday, and instead of featuring other artists' works (yes, I know, that was the entire point of Artist's Sunday and all that), I'm going to present a story, and call for you  artists, crafters, writers, and all you other creative people out there to do the same. I'm going to tell you the story that best demonstrates why I continue to create and share my art.

I'm going to tell you the story that shows most perfectly why I am thankful for the talent and skill and opportunity to make art and share it with the world. (See what I did there, I worked in Thanksgiving. Hee hee.)

In truth, the point to Artist's Sunday was, is, and will always be communion between like-minded individuals. Whatever our internal disagreements - over mediums, materials, techniques, pricing, advertising, etc., etc., etc. - we are still artists, still of like mind, still creating beauty to share with the world.

So here's my story:

It was the Stone Mountain Highland Games of... oh, several years ago, back when I was first learning some of my now-favorite techniques and mediums, back when I was still affiliated with the Wild Highlanders, selling my jewelry under their aegis. I had just finished some classes at a local jeweler's, on Precious Metal Clay(PMC) and chainmaille jewelry. The PMC pieces I'd made went on the table next to my beadwork, my purposely primitive ogham pieces and equally (but not as purposely) primitive wirework... and what do you know, the PMC got the most attention that year. Part of the class had been on how to create a PMC box and include gems in the piece. Mine was an (I thought) ugly little abstract trapezoidal thing with three little gems embedded in the random, pointless swirls on its face. 

Someone didn't agree with my assessment of the underestimated little box, however. A woman stopped by the tent, browsed over my now-ex-husband's handmade knives (the Wild Highlanders tend to celebrate the more ancient and primitive Celtic ways over the more modern Bonnie Prince Charlie stuff), and then gave my jewelry a quick, brushing glance. Now, I'd seen this woman stop at several other tents, give their merchandise that same brushing glance, and move on. I noticed she was wearing jewelry from a couple of the other artists at that Games, namely Marc of Kent and the Crafty Celts, and with an idiotic, delusional certainty, I just knew she'd pass by my work, same as I'd watched her do at the other tents. 

I was dead wrong. It took her less than five minutes to decide she wanted that ugly little box. I was thrilled, because her eyes sparkled with a delight that lit up my life. Now, un-remembered to me, this dear lady was the same customer who had, the year before, purchased an antler pendant inscribed with a harp and the ogham for Taliesin the Bard. I told her a little of Taliesin's story, and as things will go, I'd forgotten the incident. If you've ever been a vendor at a craft fair, you know how it goes; so many people stop and chat, some purchase and some don't, but it ends up being hard to remember faces after a while. So, anyway, I told her how excited I was that this particular little piece was going to a good home, and she looked at me in this piercing sort of way, and told me that the Taliesin piece had been a blessing. It took me only moments to put it together - the Taliesin piece had been one of my favorites, after all - and as soon as she saw the recognition in my face, she went on to explain it. She was a harpist (harper?), specifically playing the Celtic lap harp, and she'd fallen out of practice for a few years before purchasing my Taliesin piece - health, life, etc getting in the way. The pendant had been like a talisman for her, inspiring her to get back into playing, and she wore it every time she sat down to practice.  Due to my work, my art, this dear lady had gotten back into doing something she loved, that warmed her heart and blessed her spirit. 

Come to find out, she was the wife of one of the Games commissioners, and her purchase of the ugly little box came just as some inner commission politics were trying to edge the Wild Highlanders out of the Games. She and her husband (who was proudly wearing one of my ex-husband's knives in his sock), argued our case to the Games Commission, and ultimately won.

Not only was my art instrumental for this lovely lady's own artistic life, but it aided in avoiding an unpleasant situation and the loss of the biggest Games the Wild Highlanders attended. And this is why I continue to make my art... because it touches lives, in ways I can never predict, and I can't wait to see how the ripples spread. 

Now, it's your turn! My call out to all you other artists this Sunday, is to dig deep (or maybe not so deep?) and find the story that best displays why you continue to make art in spite of all the mud that life flings in your face.

Live, Love, and Make Art
-your Artful White Fox.

Artist's Sunday #9: Delicious, Rich, Creamy, Sensual...

...Amber. 

I bet you were expecting something like "lotion" or something foodie-related... but instead today is about Amber.

Amber is a fossil; tree resin (sap) that hardened and fossilized to form the delightful gemstone that ranges in shade from an almost-white cream to a deep brown that is nearly black. There is also Green Amber and Blue Amber, which is the most rare, and found almost exclusively in the Dominican Republic. In fact, blue amber only looks blue in certain light, because of its inclusions. Some of the most desirable pieces have preserved insects or small lizards captured within. Its colors are perfect for harvesttime, blend seamlessly with silver, and go with nearly any other color imaginable. It's the perfect statement accessory, and can be found in so many varieties of color and shape that the possibilities are endless. It is easily carved, polishes beautifully, and even looks gorgeous in the raw! When in the raw, it exudes an oil that is mildly anesthetic, hence its popular usage as a teething remedy, effective for both moms and babies. Essential oils and perfumes can be made from it.

This is, in my opinion, *the* gemstone for autumn. If you've ever seen it or touched it you know what I mean. The colors mirror the changing leaves. The texture is smooth when polished, like a misty autumn day... and it's one of my favorites, if you couldn't tell.

Now, on to the arts!

I have featured this artist before, but these wearable sculptures were too perfect for this edition of Artist's Sunday, so I had to feature another piece:

Hand Carved Wooden Bracelet with Natural Amber by AmberSculpture on deviantART

Amber Phoenix Egg Pendant by fairyfrog on deviantART

Kat French's Amber Spindle by Yonaka-Yamako on deviantART

Amber and Amethyst by kitten-of-woe on deviantART

Amber and Copper Acorn Necklace by AmberLeaves on Etsy

Natural Baltic Amber Bracelet by BalticAmberGiftShop on Etsy

Premium AMBER RESIN 5 Grams Natural Perfume Incense by DewberrysHerbal on Etsy

Genuine Baltic Amber Teething Necklace by AmazingAmberLove on Etsy

Blue Amber Pendant by LarimarAndSilver on Etsy

Until next time...
-your Artful White Fox

Artist's Sunday #8: October, an Introduction

For those of you who haven't been with us, I am the Artful White Fox of this place, Twinflame Studios. I craft a post on Sundays (I would say every Sunday, but I am a chaotic creature and it doesn't always work out the way I'd prefer) paying it forward to other artisan crafters out there whose art speaks for itself. If you want more details, find them here. Yes, I know it's not Sunday. Bear with me, as yesterday was the first Sunday in October, and it has been a very long week for your Artful White Fox and her Dragon. I won't bore you with details; that can be for another post. Instead, I'll get right to the fun parts, the artistic inspirations and creations:

Imagine...

October. Warm, spicy apple cider (and/or mulled wine!). Trees shedding their suits of green in favor of gowns in gold and crimson. A chill settling into the wind, in some places already bringing snow. In more southerly climes, it merely heralds a change in what blooms, and what will grow. Animals make a final push toward hibernation, scrounging for the last bits of calories to pile on. Giant, noisy machines begin to harvest fields ripe and ready. Pumpkins and gourds are ripe on the vine (and in our supermarkets!), ready for harvest, for carving, for pies and muffins and anything else you can imagine flavored with pumpkin spice... like the caramel apple cider and pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. I know, I know, they're made with terrible ingredients and not always fair trade... but even your Artful White Fox has her guilty pleasures. Don't hate me.

Fused Glass Autumn Wall Decor by JudiHartmanGLASSART on Etsy 

Falling Leaves Autumn Harvest Earrings by whimsydaisydesigns on Etsy 

 

 Green Pumpkin Necklace by ForTheCrossJewelry on Etsy

Autumn Fairy Plush Doll PDF Pattern by Noialand on Etsy 

Early Harvest 5 Silk Ribbons Hand Dyed and Sewn by Jamnglass on Etsy 

Autumn Bangle by kerinewton on deviantART

Autumn Tunes by Samidare-Jin on deviantART

The Start of Autumn by e-Sidera on deviantART

Autumn by Yagoryo on deviantART

Autumn, the time of year when the warmest colors herald the coldest days. What does your autumn look like, feel like, smell like?

Foxfire Daily: Art as a Business

A friend and I were recently having a (slightly) heated discussion about to sell or not to sell art. It got me thinking...

He made a simply stunning butterfly-wing rose trellis, which I spotted pictures of on his Facebook, and then he made a comment that he has a problem with charging people for his art. "It's a moral dilemma," he said. "...the Greek word for art is tekne. The Greeks never separated art from technology, so as I see it, whether I'm machining, welding, wood working, fitting pipe or otherwise, as long as I put love in it, it is art. The things that I make at home, I make out of love and share with love. If you want me to post pictures fine. But I don't like selling art."

I love his perspective. I love his attitude about it. He's right! We shouldn't (have to) charge money for our art... but this is the world we live in. It is unfortunate. It's a hateful thing. If I could, I'd give away every piece I make. But I can't afford that. I have to buy materials. I have my family to think of. I'm slowly building a reputation as an artist, both in the artistic community and with those who enjoy our art from the other side, customers and fans. And I respect other artists, who *need* the money their art brings them, enough to support the idea that artists should be paid for their art.

We deserve it.

Now, I have to say this... I do *not* disagree with his viewpoint, nor is this an attempt to rant or argue in response to his opinion, but as I said, it got me thinking.  And we all know, when something gets me thinking, I have to write it down. And I love finding out what other people think. I think there are a lot of things we don't think about when deciding whether or not to sell our art.

Namely, that there are other things to consider as an artist besides having a fundamental personal issue with selling art, or even whether our art is only supporting ourselves. I make gifts for Christmas or birthdays, or because I think someone needed a pick-me-up; I have donated to giveaways. I even donated to a friend's church's charity silent auction. However, on a day-to-day basis, there's also the artist/artisan/crafter community at large to think of. Gifting to friends and family is one thing. If you give away art as a rule, then someone who might have given money to another artist will come to you instead, and that other artist may have needed that purchase to pay rent, or buy food, or... well, you get the idea.

And, there are certain fundamental rules to follow as an artist. Some are more important than others.

My #1: Always document your work. The reason? It's *your* work.
::Use the pictures to mark your progress, improve on old mistakes, and discover how to make new mistakes work for you. I have kept every sketchbook I've ever doodled in. I go back and look through them sometimes, just to see how far I've gotten. It's one way I encourage myself to keep improving.
::If you ever get commissioned, you're going to want examples of your work to show your customer.
::If you ever get employment as an artist, you need a portfolio.
::And God forbid anyone should ever steal your work. But someone else claiming your work as their own and/or making money off your work, (whether you do or not) without your permission, is illegal, immoral, and just plain hurtful to us artists. Always, always, always have dated & signed/logo-ed/watermarked pictures of your work. Always.

If you do or don't sell your art, remember that you are a representative of thousands and thousands of other artists across the globe. Many of them make a living off their art. Many of them have a day job and use the money from selling to put back into their art - materials, tools, etc. Some few are successful enough to be able to quit that day job and pour every waking minute into what they do. Many of them trade on a well-earned reputation as much as, if not more than, how attractive their art is to their customer base.

A lot of people don't think art should be a paid occupation. There is this societal stigma that we're lazy, that we're superfluous and even shallow for thinking we deserve payment for making someone's life prettier. A lot of people see artists as stuck-up hippie/hipster/high-society pricks. (Let's be honest; some of us are. Many of us are not) A lot of people don't understand how much work it is, being an artist. We put blood, sweat, and tears into our work. We put love and sorrow, grief and joy into our work. Heart and soul are etched and soaked and carved and painted and melted into every line of our work. Our works are like our children... beloved, worried over, sometimes wayward, but always make us proud when they go out into the world.

We deserve it, as much as the power line worker or forester or construction worker or farmer or any one of a thousand other professions that keep our lives liveable. Yeah, so we're not necessary for survival or even for you, as a customer, to be successful at your life... but we make things prettier, brighter, and what is so wrong with knowing what our hearts and souls are worth when plastered on your wall, or worn around your neck, or adorning your yard?

Live, Love, and Make Art
-your Artful White Fox.

Artist's Sunday #7: Nerd Love, Episode 4 - To Boldly Go

Foreword: I am not even going to address missing last Sunday. If you haven't figured out by now that our lives are nuts and I don't always get the opportunity to sit down and focus on this long enough to hash out a decent post, then you haven't been with us for very long. If you have figured it out, then I hope you won't get annoyed and leave us. That being said, welcome to Episode IV.

Wow, I realized after typing that, that it sounds like one side of a couple's spat. Ha. Anyway...

STAR TREK by JoeJusko on deviantART

*ahem* That's right, this week is on Star Trek. If you're a Star Wars fan and hate Trekdom, then this is your chance to skip over to the next one. Yes, don't worry, I'm going to do Star Wars too. Trek gets its day first because I am a Trekkie, and because Dragon and I have been playing Star Trek Online in our spare time (it's free to play and gaming is quite possibly our favorite thing to do together, besides... well. *ahem*) so it's been on my mind.

Star Trek has touched the hearts and imaginations of many generations of geeks, turning them into writers, actors, scientists, engineers, technicians... well, you get the idea. There's even a documentary on "How Star Trek Changed the World" that is pretty awesome. Seriously, even if you don't like Star Trek, but you are a tech geek, you should check it out. I didn't even know how much influence my childhood fandom has had on the world we know...

star trek by MichelAchard on deviantART 

From an artistic/creative perspective, Star Trek triggers the inspirational hope for a better, brighter (and, let's face it, more interesting!) future. The Original Series (and The Next Generation, too. After that it was more about adventures in space...) was all about humans getting over their differences and overcoming obstacles and threats and problems, and discovery and exploration of uncharted frontiers, by working together in a society of mutual respect. There was no currency (one of the evils of our time if you ask us, but that's another post for another day), disease had been dramatically reduced, lives were longer, and technology actually made our lives better instead of turning us into screen zombies. Not quite a Utopia, because there was still a galaxy full of messed up goings-on to deal with, and people are still people, but the idea presented, that one day we as humans will get over ourselves enough to present a united face to the rest of Creation, and tackle whatever comes our way with cooperation... that is what inspires.

And, granted, when diplomacy didn't work, they got to blow sh*t up. Can't get better than that. :D

Now! On to the arts:

 Star Trek Stained Glass by bigblued on deviantART

 Star Trek egg ornaments by kryz-flavored on deviantART

Star Trek TOS-Vulcan princess by love-squad on deviantART

Star Trek Data Plushie by duyeqing on deviantART

Star Trek Fan Gifts...Upcycled Vintage FoRkS..Spock... by SilverBellesCrafts on Etsy

Star Trek TNG "Inner Light" Ressikan Flute by Spazbros on Etsy

Starship Enterprise in Spacedock Model by RaysScraps on Etsy

Choose One - Kirk to my Spock & Spock to my Kirk by chasingatstarlight on Etsy

Red Matter Glass Pendant by GeekOUTlet on Etsy

Star Trek Deep Space Nine clock by YOUgNeek on Etsy

 Full Size Klingon Bat'leth and Mek'leth by FoggyMountainForge on Etsy

 Klingon Bird of Prey with wheels by MountainViewToys on Etsy

 Star Trek Quote Hand Illustrated Art Teacup by Farizula on Etsy

Here's raising a glass of Earl Grey, bloodwine, Romulan Ale, or tranya
to generations past, present, and future,

who have been inspired by the voyages of the starship Enterprise.

 Star trek by nemesisenforcer on deviantART

"These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, her five year mission, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."

Artist's Sunday #6: Nerd Love, Episode 3 - the Baby Geek

This week's edition of Artist's Sunday is going to have a slightly broader spectrum, being the midway point: The Baby Geek.

Nerdy parents dress their poor hapless spawn in the paraphernalia of the nerddoms of their choice, and it's us geeky artists' jobs to make sure they have the torture devices to do it with. From Doctor Who cosplayed by a 4-yr-old to an adorable character hat, or wall art, the geeky artists' community has plenty of work cut out for them (us).

Disclaimer: Twinflame Studios is not responsible for COS (Cuteness Overload Syndrome) resulting from reading this issue of Artist's Sunday.  ;)

L for Link ABC Block Bamboo Wall Art by TofufuStudio on Etsy

Star Wars Baby Shoes by jengalaxy on Etsy

Periodic Table Baby Onsie by ShopGibberish

Oxytocin Molecule Key Chain by BLINGYourNameHere on Etsy

Polyhedral Soft Dice Set by onhooksandneedles on Etsy

Crochet Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Hat by ChucksForChancho on Etsy

Lil Geek Mario Crib Quilt Classic Colors by GeekUnique on Etsy

Dammit Jim I'm A Baby Not A Doctor Onesie by GopherKidz on Etsy

11th Doctor Baby Photoshoot Outfit by NerdgasmKnits on Etsy

Artist's Sunday #5: Nerd Love, Episode 2 - The Last Airbender

Yes, I know, it's not Sunday. My apologies for that. 

Your erstwhile Fox and Dragon had surprise company show up for the weekend, so the opportunity never arose for Fox to sit down and do the weekly Pay It Forward. I may be a day late, but never a dollar short when it comes to my writing.

This week's (belated) Nerd Love Episode is...

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Avatar: the Last Airbender gif by Nekorra on deviantART

An awesome animated series put on by Nickelodeon some years ago, Avatar: the Last Airbender has spawned numerous fanfiction, art, artisan crafts, cosplays, a movie (don't get me started on that, however), and a sequel series. An "airbender" is a person with a pseudomagical control over the elemental force of Air. In the series, there are also firebenders, waterbenders, and earthbenders. It centered around the character of Aang, who is the "Avatar" - a person who is reincarnated every generation or so, who can learn to bend all the elements instead of just one. It is his or her job to maintain and police the balance of power among the four nations. Aang disappears from the world, and it is a hundred years later when he reappears... into a world torn by war, where his own people, the airbending monks, have been wiped out; the Fire Nation is trying to conquer the rest of the world, and doing a pretty good job of it so far. 

A montage of the major characters:

Avatar: the Last Airbender by finni on deviantART

A very nice rendition of Aang in the "Avatar State":

The Last Airbender by SanalaChan on deviantART

And now down to the nitty-gritty, the lovely Avatar: the Last Airbender-inspired artisan crafts I've found:

Shot Glasses by PuppyBaoCreations on Etsy

Crochet Patterns by LevelUpNerdApparel on Etsy

 

Blue Spirit Mask by TheAngryMaskSalesman on Etsy 

The Cold-Blooded Fire Earrings by jewelrybending on Etsy

Pai Sho is a game similar to Go, played in the Avatar world. It mostly figures in the character of General Iroh, uncle to the Fire Nation prince, Zuko.

Pai Sho Game Board by blazerdesigns on deviantART

The Avatar: the Last Airbender world is home to many hybrid creatures, such as Tiger Seals, Badger Moles, Buffalo Yaks, Catfish Alligators, Elephant Rats, Giant Eel Hounds, Platypus Bears...

Baby Platypus Bear Sculpture by LeilaK on deviantART

...the Pentapus...

Avatar Purple Pentapus Set by junosama on deviantART

...Momo, the Lemur Bat...

Life-Size Momo by pahein on deviantART

...and of course, Aang's loyal companion, the last Sky Bison...

Clay Appa Charm by minnichi on deviantART

Hope you enjoyed Episode 2! 

Live, Love, and Make Art

-your Artful White Fox.