The WireWorkers Guild

ARTIST PROFILE


K E L L E Y
P O U N D S




Introducing ... (drum roll)
Wonderful wire creations, all the way from
New Mexico, designed and
created by the artistic imagination of:

**KELLEY POUNDS**

A multi-talented, mixed media artist who
designs and creates jewellery with a variety
of materials, including, silver, gold and copper
wire, metal and polymer clay, gemstones and
beads.

Kelley not only creates stunning, bespoke jewellery
pieces, but her designs also grace clothing and
gifts. She is also an author and gifted painter of
fantasy artworks.

Read on, to hear my recent interview with
Kelley ...




















(Above: SECRET GARDEN ring)

HOW DID YOU GET INTO JEWELLERY MAKING?

Completely by accident! I have never worn much jewelry
and I still don't wear much, but there is one type of jewelry
that I have always liked and that is, wire jewelry! I've always
been creative, with multiple interests, so here's the backstory
of how I stumbled into making my wire creations...

For years I wrote fiction and after years of rejection, I had one
novel published. I decided to make a genre switch, but the
spark for fiction writing was gone, so I chose to take the
correspondence course offered by Art Instruction Schools,
based in Minneapolis, something I had wanted to do since
high school. After graduating from Arts Instruction Schools,
I was taking some classes in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and
'digital prepress' with the intention of selling prints of my work
and pursuing the possibility of licensing my art, when I discovered
a course on basic wire jewelry while thumbing through the catalog
for University of New Mexico's continuing education division. The price
was reasonable, so I followed my whim and enrolled. Despite spending
the first fifteen or twenty minutes of my first class in the restroom
trying to stop the bleeding after an accident with the wire ... I was
hooked! ... no pun intended!!

DO YOU HAVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE FROM
A PREVIOUS BACKGROUND?

I worked for several years in a flower shop and I loved to do weddings
and proms, which included wired bouquets, headpieces and corsages.
So I think that has translated a great deal into my wire work. Unlike
when I was writing, or when I am sketching or painting, my wire
creations often emerge with little planning. I do draw the occasional
jewelry design, but for the most part, the design just evolves as I work.


















(Above: Jade Hoop Earrings)


WHAT FUELS OR INSPIRES YOUR DESIGNING?

I think I find nature most inspirational. I'm inspired by
artists of the Art Nouveau period: so that stylised nature
often finds its way into my work. I rarely use perfect
looking stones because I love interesting textures and
colors: there's a certain beauty in natural imperfection.
I like the texture and contrast of mixing the 'bling' of crystals
and cubic zirconia with the earthiness of copper or simple
stones.


















(Above: Art Nouveau inspired earrings)

YOU ARE A MULTI-MEDIA ARTIST - TELL US
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEDIUM TO WORK IN?

All of my jewelry has some element of wire wrapping, whether
I am working with polymer clay, natural stones, or some kind
of metal clay. Therefore, in jewelry, I would say my favorite
medium is WIRE. In other artwork, I love watercolor painting,
and drawing with colored pencil, as well as plain ol' graphite
pencil.


















(Above: Red Shell Necklace)

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE AND SELL YOUR WORK?

Beyond business cards and simple flyers, I haven't yet done
much official advertising, but I do have a website and a blog:

http://www.kellscreations.com

http://www.kellscreations.com/blog

and I enjoy interacting with people on my Kell's Creations
Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/kellscreations

I have submitted pictures of some of my designs to the
magazines: 'Step by Step Wire Jewelry' and 'Bead Trends'
which has been promotional for my work. I sell my work at
craft fairs throughout New Mexico, where I live, and I also
sell in a couple of local shops and a Gallery. I've been teaching
classes for about a year now and I find that very satisfying as well.




















(Above: Secret Garden ring)

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DESIGN?

What often happens is that I have a favorite design for a
little while, until the next favorite design comes along!
Right now, one of my favorite designs is a polymer clay
seahorse collar, featuring sea glass wrapped in sterling
silver, pearls and abalone shell.























(Above: Seahorse Necklace)

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE LOOKING
TO START A JEWELRY BUSINESS?

I'm still fairly new to the jewelry business, but one thing I do
know is that there is lots of competition. Making jewelry is a
hobby for many and craft shows and fairs are often inundated
with jewelry artists who want to sell their wares. So, work on
developing a unique style or a "look' that is all of your own.
People will try and copy you and people will also dismiss you
as "just another jewelry maker", so you have to constantly be
willing to grow and offer your customers that extra value that
only comes through your vision and personality. I'm building
slowly, buying new equipment as I can afford it, learning new
techniques as I can and I have found this approach has worked
very well for me.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

It's great fun seeing my work published in magazines such as
'Step by Step Wire Jewelry' and 'Bead Trends', but so far:
winning the silver medal in the 2010 Fire Mountains Gems
Metal Clay, Metal Beads, Wirework & Chain contest in the
necklace category, has really been a fantastic experience
because I hadn't been working with metal clay for very long.
Actually, I've only been making jewelry for a little over three
years, so each new milestone is a highlight. I really love hearing
people tell me how unique my jewelry is. That makes me feel great!


















(Above: Faerie Carnival Necklace)


CAN YOU LET US IN ON ANY OF YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

I want to continue teaching, adding some intermediate and
possibly advanced classes in 2011. One of these days, I would
also love to teach on a cruise ship or in an exciting foreign
locale. I've also toyed with the idea of someday translating
my writing experience to a book, or books about mixed
media jewelry.














Above: "Mariposa" Necklace by Kelley Pounds