Monday, June 30, 2008

What is WWAO? Look and See...

Worldwide Women Artists is an international collective of women artists showing and selling our original art through the worldwide web. As women artists, we give birth to our ideas in a variety of styles and media. We embrace the diversity of each other's work, celebrating the joy of creating our art and sharing it with the world.


And, that's the official statement and you can click on the WWAO official image and visit the site to see many fabulous artists! OR! You can take a quick look afterwards at the wonderful Etsy Treasury that Glass Cat Jewels created. She featured WWAO artists with Etsy shops and very graciously included one of my Gemstone Necklaces from my 'Candy Collection'. Just click on the image below to view until Wednesday, July 2nd!


Glass Cat Jewels
Uncommon Glass Designs
Glass Cat Jewels specializes in fused dichroic glass jewelry as well as other fused and stained glass designs. I've been an artist since forever. Over the years I've done a variety of art but GLASS has been my chosen medium for about 18 years now. First working with stained glass making panels and suncatchers I am now into bead making and fused glass. GLASS is my passion. It is my creative outlet and my main source of relaxation. I can't imagine not doing it. Thank you for shopping on Etsy, a site where you purchase directly from the artist. Click on the banner below to view her gorgeous work!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Orphan Works Bill - Please Take Action to Support Living Artists!

The entire Artists' Community is abuzz about this Orphan Works Bill. It has already passed in the House and is waiting for decision in the Senate. Artists are not happy as it is designed to make copyright works more easily accessible to those that would use the work without compensating the artist.

For information on the Bill and it's wording, check here at the Library of Congress online.


Talking Points and Action you can take by the
ILLUSTRATORS' PARTNERSHIP OF AMERICA:





Backers of the Orphan Works bill are circulating their Talking Points:

"Neither the House nor the Senate drafts of the bill contain the word "registries," [they write] but rather they require users to search non-governmental databases of copyrighted works. The purpose of any database is not meant to take the place of copyright registration, but to have a way to search for visual images. Any participation in such a database would be voluntary."

But this doesn't mean what it appears to say. Take it point by point:

Talking Point #1: "Neither the House nor the Senate drafts of the bill contain the word `registries. ' "
Response: Correct. They contain the word "databases," a synonym:

Registry: register: an official written record of names or events or transactions
http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Database: A database is a structured collection of records or data
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database

Q: Why a synonym?
A: Because international copyright law forbids member countries to impose registries as a condition of protecting copyrights: Berne/Article 5(2) "The enjoyment and the exercise of these rights shall not be subject to any formality."
http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/5.html

In other words, if they used the word "registries" in the bills, it would be a red flag to other countries that the US is flirting with non-compliance with international treaties.

Talking Point #2: "...rather they [the bills] require users to search non-governmental databases of copyrighted works."
Response: Non-governmental databases" means databases maintained in the private sector. For users to find your work in these commercial databases, your work would first have to be in the database. Work not in the database would be orphaned.

Talking Point #3: "Any participation in such a database would be voluntary."
Response: Congress cannot pass a bill making registration mandatory because that would violate Berne/Article 5(2). And that would state explicitly to other countries that the US no longer intends to honor its international agreements. There are red flags all over these talking points.

Summing up: The Orphan Work bills would mandate the creation of registries by commercial interests. You would not be legally forced to place your work with these for-profit registries. But failure to do so would orphan your work.

The deceptive talking points accompanying this bill are another red flag.

— Brad Holland and Cynthia Turner, for the Board of the Illustrators' Partnership

Take Action/ Write Congress
http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/

Over 37,000 messages have been sent from the site in the last 48 hours. Please spread the word.

Please forward or post this announcement in its entirety to any interested party.

If you received our mail as a forwarded message, and wish to be added to our mailing list, email us at: illustratorspartnership@cnymail. com

Place "Add Name" in the subject line, and provide your name and the email address you want used in the message area.

Please support living artists - please take action now!
Thank you!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Summer Bracelets

It's summer and it's hot! Hot for San Francisco for sure! Mark Twain was right when he said "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco." And, this is usually the case, but we've had a couple of over 90 degree days where the natives have no idea what to do! Most people don't have air conditioning in the city because the water that surrounds us usually does the trick. But, not this summer!

I have been creating...and my photographer, David Torres, has been very busy! Here are a few Summer Bracelets - I hope you enjoy!

Garden Secrets
Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Pearl, Crazy Horse Stone, Unakite, Green Garnet, Peridot, Yellow Turquoise & Red Hair Quartz Charm!


Kisses
Coral, Carnelian, Moukaite,
Pearl, Rose Quartz, Ruby,
Red Hair Quartz, Rhodonite

Joyful Waters
Aventurine, Turquoise,
Fluorite, Pearl,
Amazonite,
Chalcedony,
Aquamarine




Sunny Fun
Calcite, Quartz, Coral, Carnelian, Red Aventurine, Nephrite Jade, Pearl, Unakite, Serpentine & Yellow Turquoise


Ophelia's Waters
Lapis, Chrysocolla, Pearl, Malachite, Turquoise, Shell, Chalcedony, Onyx, Fluorite


I will be adding more bracelets to my Etsy shop in the days and weeks to come. But, they fly like hotcakes - so be sure to check often!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

I Signed Up for PPP!


That's right - I went for it. I have heard about PayPerPost, seen other bloggers use it and wondered if my little, artistic brain and my humble little blog might be able to support this opportunity.

And, they said I could...or might...or, at the very least, give it a try!

I'd like to keep the artistic integrity of my blog - so, hopefully, PayPerPost will offer those topics. I do know they offer many different topics that I can choose from...I feel a little better equipped to speak about things I know about!

But, the bottom line, they offer their customers a service and their bloggers an opportunity to speak and be heard by varied persons. Win, win, right?!!

As a blogger, I can choose the topics available or choose the topics I'd like. Each topic has certain guidelines: number of words, tone, sometimes a link. All fairly easy I believe. They offer a monetary reimbursement for the writer's time and efforts. While I can't imagine that I will make $1000 like one particular blogger did this month, but I am hopeful and looking forward to writing - getting the creative juices flowing, and making a few dollars for more art supplies.

You can make money writing about things you enjoy, too!

So, if you find yourself intrigued, interested, totally gung-ho, you can click on the links provided here or the button on the right side of this blog.



Monday, June 16, 2008

Candy Jewels

What a great title! I love it and am so grateful for Yazmin's feature on her blog A Pretty Rock.

We both have something in common - we are both self-taught artists. This is something I can relate to as well as admire. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I do!


A Pretty Rock
Handcrafted Limited Edition Jewelry
My name is Yazmin. I've always been an artsy-crafty person, but it seems like I just moved into jewelry unintentionally. In 2004, I went to the Yellow Daisy Festival for the umpteenth time and found a pair of beautiful hair chopsticks with beaded ends. I wore them for about a month straight! They were a true obsession. I spent a lot of time thinking about the chopsticks and how to make my own. This led me to local stores like Michael's and Joann's, but it also led me to several boutique bead shops... Many gemstones and wire later and here I am! Heaven help me when the crafting wind finally takes me in a different direction. ;)

Make sure to click on the banner below to check out her shop!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Use It - It's Fabulous!

I have a strong appreciation for Functional Art. According to the Gallery of Functional Art, they define it as "Functional Art is the blending of form, function, sculpture and fine art." In other words, it looks good and you can use it for practical or impractical applications: jewelry, furniture, pottery, felting, etc.

I also have a love and appreciation for the hard-working, wonderful artists of Worldwide Women Artists Group. With almost 300 members, each woman creates her own unique fabulous artwork in myriad of forms.

So, when I chanced an Etsy Treasury, I decided to combine these two loves and came up with a very lovely treasury with very wonderful functional art by very excellent artists! You can view by clicking below until Wednesday, June 18th.


If you miss any of these artists you can visit their Etsy shops by clicking below:

Tara Robertson Pottery

Sujati Designs

Color Me Gifted


Carole Lago Custom Designs

tanis alexis : eco-conscious art

Art by Betty Refour


Sharon K. Shubert Art Designs (aka redladyart)



Worldwide Women Artists is an international collective of women artists showing and selling our original art through the worldwide web. As women artists, we give birth to our ideas in a variety of styles and media. We embrace the diversity of each other's work, celebrating the joy of creating our art and sharing it with the world.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

WWAO June Showcase - Getting Away From it All!

Welcome to June's Worldwide Women's Artists June showcase! I've personally been thinking about places like Thailand, Morocco, Petra in Jordan, Golan Heights in Israel, Ireland, and Galapagos - this showcase seemed to welcome my own sentiments in a very timely manner!

To view the show in it's entirety, simply click here. Below, is a sample of this wonderful exhibit from some equally wonderful artists!




Worldwide Women Artists is an international collective of women artists showing and selling our original art through the worldwide web. As women artists, we give birth to our ideas in a variety of styles and media. We embrace the diversity of each other's work, celebrating the joy of creating our art and sharing it with the world.

Special thanks to Lava Jewelry for hosting this exhibit!


Lava Jewelry - Gemstone Jewelry Crafted by a Geologist


Geology plays a strong role in my jewelry through my use of natural gemstones. I strive to appreciate and celebrate the variety found in nature by choosing gemstones with character.

I studied jewelry-making at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco, CA, and metalsmithing at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA.

Why "Lava Jewelry"? Well, it fits in with what I do. I study volcanoes, and many of my friends will tell you that there are few things in life I love better than red hot magma.

Click on her banner to view the work from this talented artist!