Tuesday 24 May 2011

VAL ZDERO profile




















F E A T U R E
A R T I S T :


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VAL ZDERO
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I would like to introduce you to an incredibly talented artist/ jeweller from Australia. Read on to hear about her work and approach to her craft ...


HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START WIREWORKING?

Well, first of all, I started painting! That was my first artistic outlet ...and after two years of painting, I started dabbling in jewellery. I loved working with clay and wire from the very start, it just took a bit of time to gain experience and teach myself how to make the clay canes as well as various wire wrapping techniques.


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

I don't have any formal training whatsoever - I am basically a self-taught
artist with my painting and jewellery making.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST WHEN YOU ARE DESIGNING?


That's a very hard one to answer. I imagine certain designs in my head and once I am happy with what I have imagined, I try to replicate that image using wire and gemstones. I love filling my hours with this artistic outlet as it helps me relax and unwind after a busy day with the kids. Also, when I was painting, I always painted dragonflies ... at times I have tried to replicate my painted dragonflies using wire and clay.










DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DESIGN AND WHY?

I love wire wrapping Goddess pendants as well as the Tree of Life symbol. There is something very relaxing about making these pretty pieces. I am constantly striving to make new and unique pendants and right now I am making wire wrapped Seahorses - I have had a few requests for these pretty ocean dwellers from a few Facebook friends and right now, I am experimenting making those. I just jump from project to project ... that's just my way.
HOW DO YOU SELL AND PROMOTE YOUR WORK?

I sell my work privately as well as on Etsy. Most of my free time is spent on Facebook networking, meeting new artists, joining jewellery groups and taking custom orders. I occasionally go on Twitter as well and just recently, I have joined Deviant Art too. The main thing is to get my jewellery seen ... the rest falls into place on its own.

To see my Etsy shop, go to:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/vaniasartshop/















DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO PASS ON TO SOMEONE JUST GETTING STARTED?


Don't give up! It can be very disheartening when you first open up an Etsy shop and there are no sales for months ... but it all takes time. I was on Etsy for 8 months before I started getting any sales! Also, you have to enjoy what you do. I found in the end that it did not matter whether I sold my jewellery or not, as long as I was happy spending hours making the pieces ... a lot of my friends have received very pretty and unique jewellery pieces for birthday pressies, as well as Christmas's these last two and a half years!!


















DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER INTERESTS BESIDES WIRE JEWELLERY MAKING?


I help my husband with our agricultural business, as well as running the house and keeping up with 2 children. I love reading too.























WHAT AMBITIONS AND GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FUTURE?


To keep making unique jewellery ... and to be happy within myself :D

















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Thank you for sharing and showing your
beautiful designs with us all, Val!
Your work is distinctly original and stunning!


Sunday 1 May 2011

The WireWorkers Guild

This is an announcement
to let you know that the
Guild blog will be rather
quiet for the months of
May & June, due to the
fact that I have quite a
large workload, notably:






















RUNNING WORKSHOPS,
TEACHING & DEMONSTRATING


If you're interested in booking
a day session for the summer:
please don't hesitate to email me :
linda.jones@wirejewellery.co.uk
or click on my CONTACT link
http://www.wirejewellery.co.uk


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FILMING for BEAD TV

If you subscribe to Bead TV you
will know that I have already
demonstrated quite a few projects and
there's plenty more to come ...

See: http://www.bead.tv
for more details.

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EXHIBITING & SELLING

I am also busy designing and creating
pieces for my annual show:
SOUTH EAST OPEN STUDIOS
which takes place from 4th-19th June
Take a look at:
www.seos-art.org/
for full information.

It's a time when artists and makers in Kent
(South East region of the U.K.) open their
studio doors and work places to openly share
their work, passion and skills so that the public
can visit and meet, as well as purchase their
work).

So, if you're visiting the Kent area in June ...
get hold of a Guide with an Artist Directory -
there are hundreds of artists studios open to the public!


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'MAKE JEWELLERY' MAGAZINE

I've also been busy designing and contributing
some new projects for magazines, most
notably to 'Make Jewellery' - which has my
AZTEC Pendant being published very soooon ...





... plus
some
other new
pieces that
I can't reveal
just yet ...











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So now you can see, I am quite a busy 'girl' these next
2 months ... however, do feel free to send in any announcements
YOU wish to make, as long they relate to wire work!

HAPPY WIREWORKING!