Thoughts on TADA365 - 2011 and future

A whole year of TADA365 passed. We were so overwhelmed in 2010 with Ring-a-Day challenge that we just wanted to continue with the same emotions of pushing some of our dormant parts of creativity in an environment without negative pressure from anyone and tons of positive vibes and inspiration from online community of people with same inclinations, problems and visions. Thus the name True Addicts of Daily Art. Thanks to our dear Mary Lu Wason for creating the group and pushing it forward, giving us guidance and organising our minds with necessary deadlines for themed shows.
Our first intention was to drive ourselves mad by posting every day something about our creative ventures in jewelry making. Through the year it has been proven to us that it wasn't important.
Main goal is to keep the creative energy flowing between us and within us, thus making it glow through all our work and communication. We have shown to love our differences, enjoy in them and grow through them. My vision for this group is to keep that bond we have between artists and keep growing in that spirit. Support is of critical importance for every human being to grow in healthy spirit, so is for an artist. I thank each and every member for being understanding, compassionate and kind.

I asked our members two questions :
1. What does joining TADA365 mean to you now when you look over your shoulder and remind yourself of the year 2011?
2. Do you have any expectations, ideas or visions for TADA365 in the future?

Lets take a glance into some of their thoughts.

Evelyn Markasky:

Well, looking over my shoulder has been a very interesting experience! I found my journal from January 2011 with the writing and sketches I did for TADA. My observations that I made at the beginning of 2011 were almost exactly the same things I said to myself 2 weeks ago beginning 2012. (Including losing 10 pounds and not always being on the computer!) Seems like I ended up doing what I usually do... start off strong and excited and then get worn down and lost. Of course, all was not lost. I may not have completely seen through the original ideas from 2011, but by the end I had completed a lot of work and evolved in a way a had actually hoped I would.  I may not have ended up posting something everyday, but I don't think that was necessary. I wanted to do that to keep going in my studio and working and staying inspired, but now that is no longer a problem. What TADA had evolved into for me, was a group of close friends (that I still can't believe we really don't know each other face-to-face!) where we could think out loud and get feedback and advice and inspiration. I think the most exiting part was figuring out having online exhibitions (thank you Mary Lu!) I haven't been on Flickr as much as I used to, but I think part of the inspiration from TADA was to work more, surf less, and that has definitely happened.

I think TADA can evolve into a really cool online thing, more than just flickr, (which we've already seen happen.) It's something we started because we love what we do and it's still going and it is being allowed to evolve. We don't have to keep doing something we don't need to be doing anymore, we are always assessing what our needs are and the needs of the group. It also allows everyone to work at what ever level they are on. In addition to the online exhibits, I think it would be very cool to do some physical exhibits where we send our pieces to different parts of the world and create shows.  Members who are able to can try to get together a local show and we can all have a piece in it...


Maria Apostolou:

After completing Ring-a-Day, I joined TADA365 because I wanted to continue being  part of a supportive online community  and stay in touch with my friends. Also, expanding on previous ideas and creating collections, which was the main goal of our group, seemed like the next logical step to take. As I look back, I'm so grateful for deciding to join TADA. The making process can be so lonely and there's nothing more important that having a safe place to exchange ideas, share feedback and support one another.

The goals of TADA365 for 2012 reflect exactly what I would like this group to be in the future. I would say that they even surpass my own expectations!


Jill Palumbo:

I've thoroughly enjoyed TADA365. I was so encouraged by this group of creative and caring people. I learned so much from the others involved; how ideas are generated, how different artists tackle the challenges involved in creating jewelry, and that each of us faces setbacks and lulls. Being in this group really motivated me to keep working, to keep creating. Even though I broke my kneecap and was too busy to plan any shows, I had a few surprise shows, last-minute invitations, before and after the holidays. I sold many of my TADA creations! I was prepared with products and display pieces, and I have TADA365 for the successful shows.

 

About TADA 365 in the future? I would love to try this again. A weekly project sounds tempting to suggest, but I know I would not produce as much. I would not have learned so much on the planning details of producing artwork for a show if this had been a "product-a-week" type of group.

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Click on the link bellow the photo and you will be taken to our latest online show on TADA site.



Impatiently Waiting for Spring
by
Ponsawan Sila



Jewels of Nature

I think those textures and colors would be great inspiration for any material... metal, polymer, textile... beautiful enameling... click on the image to see some details....hope you get inspired by those, because I certainly am. Have a beautiful day!

Jewels of Nature

 

Just couldn't resist to share these photos with you. There are so many beautiful details I keep photographing I decided to name each Monday post Jewels of Nature and share images of textures, shapes and colors found in nature that move our artistic juices flowing to give birth to many of our new creations. I hope you like the idea... and hope you get inspired together with me.

Twigs & Strings

Sitting in the backyard of my new dwelling place near the top of a not so high a mountain, thinking of all the possible inspirations I could find in words beginning with an "R" or an "S", a sound coming from the top of a tree aroused my dormant attention to the surrounding beauty of nature. Bird song echoed through my heart, breaking rusty chains of my previous city life, opening a forgotten door created only a year ago through RAD (Ring a Day flickr challenge)... FREEDOM in ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

As soon as my mind got tickled with all the uplifting memories from RAD, eyes wondered in all possible directions trying to capture a form, lost object or an abstract inspiration that could be used for this new collection for TADA.

And there it was right in front of me! That one lonely vine in the backyard, still giving shade during these hot summer days, had something to tell me. I approached slowly looking around that old lady, feeling a hurricane of emotions accumulating inside me for some unknown but still predictable reason.

"Cut some twigs", a thought passed through my mind. I did. One here, one there, one swirly, one crooked... I stopped and took a glance at the shapes and realised there was a ring, a pin, brooch and pendants... I might add some colored strings...

"Peel the bark" another thought passed. There was lots of dry bark hanging from that old vine. I paused, took a deep breath of fresh air and fresh inspiration and felt relieved. When I peeled first piece of that dry bark a shape formed without any effort from my behalf. It was a necklace. Ideas made a stampede through the head so I laid that piece aside and continued to peel some more off that dry bark..... Oh look at the rustic effect... oh how rich the texture and color... it was a bracelet.... I looked above my head where the grapes were ripening and saw some dried out hanging like earrings... Oh my, I thought, this is a complete set.

I shall call it with an S....  Simpli de Vine!

What is next?...



A is for...

Letters of Adornment : 
An Online Exhibit of Artful Adornments 

from the Flickr TADA365 Art Jewelry Group

Ok, it's on! 12 people from the TADA group are participating in a

 metal/jewelry abcedarium:

From Wikipedia: An abecedarium (or abecedary) is an inscription consisting of the letters of the an alphabet, almost always listed in order. Typically, abecdaria (or abecedaries) are practice exercises. 

Some abecedaria found in the Athenian Agora appear to be deliberately incomplete, consisting of only the first three to six letters of the Greek alphabet, and these may have had a magical or ritual significance. A deliberately incomplete abecedarium found at Hymettos in Attica may have been a votive offering.

We have divided up the alphabet and we are ready to see where the letters will take us. 

They will be done by September 5 and Mary Lu is creating a website for the show. 

The exhibit page will have one thumbnail of each piece. The thumbnail will link to a page with the two photos enlarged and the artist name, etc. 

There will also be a comments or guestbook section.

Please check the blog for progress reports

, thoughts, & experiments, 

on how the project is going.

  

 1. Evelyn (Markasky) N Q

 2. Kest {(Vagabond Jewelry (Kest)} A V

 3. Mary Lu (Mary Lu Wason) X W

 4. Pallavi(Pallavi Gandhi) L M

 5. Maria (Maria Apostolou) J K

                         

   6. Kevin (a blackbird) C T

 7. Sandra (micicart) R S

 8. Marian (Ms Place) F G

 9. Lee Ann {(mustardseedcreations (Lee Ann)} Z E Y

 10. Ponsawon (polymerclaybeads) P

 11. Helen Derici H U B

 12. Lesley Tinnaro I O D 


And some info for the players:
Photos No more than 2 jpegs for each letter.
Letter:
Title:
Materials:
Size:
Method of fabrication:
Artist Statement (about this piece):

Artist Name:
Artist Info (like a bio, but super short - one paragraph):
Artist website/contact info:

Married To Art (in sickness and in health)

Every human has a need in some way to release from inside that extra energy, thoughts, ideas, emotions.... to explain his/her existence as an individual. We are born to do it one way or the other.... or in many ways at once (lucky are those).

When it comes to art, there are many forms to choose from to express oneself.
Craving to make some art? Is there a drive in you that makes you think of creating something each morning you wake up? You even chop your salad and arrange it in a peculiar way :) Do you keep looking around your house all the time trying to find materials for your always incoming ideas and wishing you have 48h per day? Do you wish to make this and that, try all possible materials and techniques to make your imagination live? Do you have a feeling like you are married to art, bound to share all ups and downs, in sickness and in health to be there for each other? Did it ever save you from your illness, healed your wounds and helped you get up on your feet again? Did you ever struggle to keep your art alive?
If answer to all or most of these is "YES" then you are really an addict of art.

I know I do all that. God knows how many times I put away all my tools and boxes and everything connected to my work as an artist, but..... I can't put away myself! It lives in me. I tried several times during last two years to "quit", but.... I can't quit who I am. I live art, and art lives in me! Without art I wither like a flower without sun and water.
Life can be brutal and insensitive most of the time, but heart conquers all. Some things that live in our heart should be banned, but some things should be cherished, nurtured and used regularly or we die emotionally and spiritually.
Being a true artist is not a commitment, but a way of life.
A way of life is an every day living routine with many goals to be reached. One goal being extremely important. Creating true art. You might ask: what is TRUE art? If you want the answer, then look around.

How many times have you been in awe by the sky painted with colors in motion;  stood on the edge of a cliff watching the waves splashing against the rocks and feel a bit overwhelmed by their uncontrollable force; smelled a scent or heard a sound of nature that has moved your heart and mind into another dimension ... all the beautiful creations of God leave us breathless in many ways with the same intensity each time we pay attention to them.
The essence of true art is to create emotion of same intensity in an observer each time that person looks at one piece or an evolved emotion with a much deeper sense and understanding of that art piece each time.
This goal is actually just a result of opening your heart and letting IT shape your pieces and the most powerful tool is LOVE. Grow in it and your art will grow with it.

One important note: never compare your work with work of others!!! We are all at different levels of knowledge not just of art but life as well. We all have different needs. Inhale their concepts, techniques and use them to make your own ideas live.

If you have any problems, you are coping with, that make it hard for your art to live, write a comment and we'll write a post about it with some advices and loads of encouragement.

Open yourself, reach out of the box and enjoy your creative ride!



photo by micicart

 





Progress... Vagabond Jewelry

TADA group has sprouted from RAD group and many of you know how addictive it had become. I believe many of you will understand me when I say this: I was putting my babies to sleep and while laying by their sides my thoughts were wondering about some designs for the theme I have chosen for this project and then suddenly my I started drifting to figuring out how to make them work as rings. Suddenly felt relieved by the fact that I can make other things as well and not just rings :) Of course, rings will be made as well.

Now, let us see how far has someone come with the progress. I thought I'd do each post about one person.

This time it is Kest Schwartzman (Vagabond Jewelry). Her theme is a very impressive one.

Metal TRICERATOPS MASK!!!

I am going to enjoy all the way following her progress, her changing design until she's satisfied and doing the finale. Here are some of her uploads. First one was about correct spelling of the word... triceratops.

 

This is her last uploaded version.

Clicking at these photos will take you directly to her Flickr photostream and you can enjoy the progress as well as her other work.

Visit TADA365 on flickr to see what other members are working on.