Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Do What You Love

Copper Fiddlehead Earrings


"Do what you love. 
 Know your own bone.
Gnaw at it.
Bury it.
Unearth it.

 And gnaw it still." 

Henry David Thoreau  ...1817 - 1862....  American Libertarian Writer



I like that... it has a digging deeper feel to it...  taking your ideas as far as they will go.... explore...





At the workbench... measuring...  snipping silver wire ... cutting copper sheet... eyeballing the twist... heating up the torch... fusing...  filing... antiquing... polishing... finishing...

...then...  ta-da...... the  FIDDLEHEAD earrings...


...inspired by the Fiddlehead Fern  also known as the Ostrich Fern ...  a local delicacy (that tastes delicious adorned with butter and a squeeze of lemon) found by the edges of brooks,  where the water overflows each year....  people who know where they grow usually keep it a secret as they only appear in particular spots, for a very limited time, before they unfurl into beautiful fronds............ Fiddleheads only grow in the spring...

...But they grow in our studio all year long...


....approximately 1" x  3/8"  plus  earwire ... silver and copper.. $18.00 pr.
...if interested in ordering the "Fiddleheads", please Contact Me here

They are also on my Picasa Web Album in the Whimsical Collection


DESIDERATUM Art Jewelry, St. Martins, New Brunswick, Canada

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29 comments:

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

What beautiful earrings! For a moment I thought it was a piece of metal art and I was thinking how fabulous that would look on a wall! Very artistic! Incredible work...
Tina xo

VioletSky said...

These are lovely. I've alkways liked thelook of fiddlehead, though not so much the taste.

I can't believe it has been almost 6 weeks since I put off your very long post of July to read later...
what a gorgeous studio you have created. And I love that you have included so many historical features from the village. Will you be putting up an 'historical' plaque for documentation for interested passersby? (one day, I promise...)

word verification is 'minuet'
how apt for you and John?!

Jasmine said...

Wonderful quote. Your workbench looks good. I love spirals, there is something very raw and pleasing about them.

George said...

I love the Thoreau quote, Gwen, and you have clearly taken his advice to heart. I love the work you are doing and it occurs to me that you might be interested in reading about Richard Diebenkorn's approach to creativity if you are unfamiliar with it. My posting today is about Diebenkorn's approach, and I would be interested in your comments because I have great admiration for the creativity that seems to pervade every aspect of your life.

Guillaume said...

Lovely. Reading your blog and watching your works, I wish I was an artist.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Tina, I do believe the days are coming now that will allow us more time for experimenting!!

Sorry VioletSky, that was a long one, wasn't it?
...awe, minuet, how cute is that??

Jasmine, I love spirals too.. they go on and on.. like life...

George, thanks for the recommendation.. I enjoyed reading about Diebenkorn's approach very much.. I love to hear and think about how others get their inspirational...

Thank you, Guillaume... I believe everyone is the artist of their life..

Gail said...

Beautiful!

Deborah Carr said...

Gwen, your life is a testament to Thoreau's words and following what you love...to pursuing the Gwen you are inside, and sharing her with the world. Your lovely home, the work you've done on your studio, the care you take with your designs...all very authentically real and true you. :-)

PS: love the coppery fiddleheads

Debbi said...

I am SO GLAD you are back blogging and I can see what you're up to. I love the quote and earrings.
I also grapple with how much to push an idea/medium. .. trying to step more lightly and make it more of a dance.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you Gail...

Hi Deborah, I am so glad to read about your newly published book on Mary Majka.. the anticipation you must have felt.. I would have had my fingernails bitten clean away (bad habit I know).. I am so pleased for you!!!

Oh Ruth, you don't know what you are missing.. you will have to "have a feed" of them (fiddleheads) next spring... yes the folks round here say "have a feed of them" ...sounds funny but true... I'm not sure if they are an acquired taste, as I have had them since I was a small child... the symbolize Spring to me.

Hi Debbi, I like that you call the push and pull of exploring an idea, a "Dance".. that is exactly it.. a flow.. a movement. Lovely!

Owen said...

Looks lovely from here... I like the "snipping silver wire, cutting copper sheet, eyeballing the twist, heating up the torch..." part... It must be a pleasure to watch you at work... magical I'm thinking...

ArtPropelled said...

I've yet to taste fiddlehead ferns ..... with butter. Your workbench is a sight to behold.

simply blue said...

Love your latest post...the earrings are so much fun! I bet there are a lot of people who don't know or have never eaten fiddleheads! They are good!
I am never disappointed by a visit to your blog....I just always want...MORE!

Shayla said...

They're perfect and I love the way they look as a group.

Anonymous said...

Lovely Gwen-

Acornmoon said...

What a great quote, we are blessed indeed to make what we love our work. I can only marvel and ponder at the meaning of "eyeballing the twist"!

rivergardenstudio said...

Dear Gwen, I have missed you! These earings are beautiful, alone and all together, and your story of the Fiddlehead Fern is completely lovely... roxanne

Seth said...

Love that quite. And very cool earrings too!!

mycuriousteaparty said...

Your work bench looks amazing you should frame it.

~ Julie

Gwen Buchanan said...

Shayla, Sheri and Simply Blue.. You are all too sweet! Thank you...

Owen, you are a man of rhythm!!!

Robyn and Julie.. I wish the workbench would clean itself after a day of messing about, but alas..

Valerie.. oh that is just my way of guess-timating the amount of twirl to wind into each little fiddlehead so they fit on the little rectangle..

Thanks Seth and Roxanne, have you ever tasted Fiddleheads?

Lord Wellbourne said...

Beautiful and delicious. Both the original and the artistic interpretation. There is a happy little brook that hugs the edges of my grounds and it yields a bounty of fiddle heads each spring. Butter, a wee bit of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Green summer bliss!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Love this.
I suppose edits and rewrites are akin to gnawing.

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

Oh, same here...I thought it was a panel for a wall or a door maybe, and then to see earrings...nature and musical at the same time!

My therapist says my career and my cats are my calling...the do what you like...but I would like to retire and miss out on some of the parts of it that frustrate me...like working with 20 something texters etc...

Gwen Buchanan said...

Lord W, Your words are music! and absolutely "a bit of Garlic" would be perfect!!!

Pamela, for sure.. you must gnaw the perfect amount because your writing always flows..

Teri, I am in agreement with you on the never-ending texting... seems people these days are uncomfortable to be out of touch for any short period of time .. or is it that the whole thing is so much more visible and in our faces... same goes for people talking loud in public places on their cells... annoying...

alaine@éclectique said...

The second time I've read about the Fiddlehead Fern this week; a style blog was recommending them as an indoor plant.

Love the earrings and, as I play the piano, especially love the treble and bass clef earrings in your side bar! Do you ship to Australia?

Deb said...

Everything about this entry is wonderful and meaningful. Thank you for so generously sharing your art.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Alaine, What a great idea to try the Fiddlehead fern as a house plane.. I never thought of that..

You're so welcome Deborah, Please drop by anytime.

Anonymous said...

I have not been to visit your blog in much too long, and now this post pops up! It is my motto in life. Do What You Love! It is a beautiful thought to live by each and every day! Keep following your dreams and Love What You Do!

Gwen Buchanan said...

dowhatyoulove, I know you do what you love.. you show it beautifully on your blog.. I thought of you when I named this post!!