Well, we’re almost done moving out of our store location at the factory.  Thank you to all that have helped us during this project.  We’ll soon be able to get back to a regular schedule of blogging and tell you all about the exciting plans we have for our online business at www.AdornmentsAtTheFactory.com!  Can’t wait to share them with you all- but in the mean time, feel free to browse the work of our artists!

Adornments Closing Sale: July 1st-17th

Well folks. The end is near… for our beloved little shop at the Factory in Franklin, TN that is.

*sniffle* *sniffle*

We will closing our doors July 17th. I know, it’s a cruel world that just got a little darker, right?  Fear not that the light will go out entirely!  Our lovely website will remain a shining beacon of beauty and your access to the arts and crafts of our talented artists!  *eyes shining with unshed tears*

However, in honor of the closing of our store, we will be holding a grand closing sale from July 1st through the 17th.  We will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 6pm and all our inventory of one-of-a-kind, handmade works of art will be on sale for up to 40% off!  So, now’s your chance to say farewell and take home a few more final treasures from our home at the Factory At Franklin.

*sob* *sob*

See you soon!  We’ll miss you!

*dissolves into sadness*

In Nashville -

June 5, 2010    6:00 – 9:00 pm   First Saturday Art Crawl Galleries in Downtown Nashville  sponsored by the Nashville Downtown Partnership.  A listing of this month’s galleries and shuttle maps can be found on their website  Click on their logo to visit their site.

http://www.nashvilledowntown.com/

Franklin and Williamson County -

June 4, 2010  1:00 – 9:00 pm   Art Fusion 2010   The Factory at Franklin  Fine Art and Fine Craft from over 50 artists, wine, munchies……what’s not to love?  If you want to know more about this fun event before coming you can visit their website by clicking on their logo.

June 5, 2010  10:00 am – 4:00 pm Art Fusion continues   The Factory at Franklin

June 11, 2010  6:00 – 8:00 pm   SouthGate Studio and Fine Art   The Factory at Franklin

Featuring new works by Dawn Whitelaw, Jody Thompson, Pat Thompson, Paula Frizbe, Jim Frazier, Catherine McMurray, Lori Putnam & Jean Gauld-Jaeger, Brenda Siegel, Ed Routon, Cynthia Vowell

June 11, 2010  11:00 am – 1:00 pm Brown Bag Lunch Bunch Williamson County Public Library  This month’s program is a photography workshop by Eric L. Hansen, Adjunct Professor in the Art Department of Belmont University.  For more information visit the website of the Arts Council of Williamson County

LESSON:  Never take the manufacturer’s recommendations without checking them.

The second thing I noticed (before taking things apart) was that I didn’t like the look of the fabric the way I had planned it.  I bought 5 different colors to use with these three pillows.  I will just rearrange the way I use them.  As long as you have enough yarn, this is an easy problem to fix.

I now have the weaving almost done for the first of the three pillows.  Wanna see?  Of course you do.  Here are two views One from the top and one from the bottom.  I’m not sure which way the fabric will end up on the pillows.  I have a plan but I have learned to be flexible. I’ll decide after I take them off the loom and wash them.  Let me know what you think?

Close up of the top of the fabric for the pillows

Bottom of fabric looking through the loom.

Bamboo Yarn

In deciding on the pattern to use I wanted one that could support all three pillows looking great together but not being identical.   I chose a huck-a-back pattern that has two different treadling patterns so I can make two styles if I wish and then 5 colors of yarn so I can vary the colors in the pillows giving me a lot of flexibility.   In weaving the yarns that are on the loom (the warp) remain the same for everything you weave in one project but the yarn that is woven into and across the warp (the weft) can be changed as often as you want.

Yarn threaded through the reed

Right now I’m in the process of “dressing” the loom.  That means that I’m threading the yarn that will be the warp for the pillows through the loom to make my huck-a-back pattern.  This is admittedly the most time consuming part of weaving.  And, I must admit, my least favorite part.  But you can’t get to the weaving without it so I carry on.

Back side of loom with yarn ready to tie up!

Making the pillows has three basic parts.  Planning the project, weaving the fabric and sewing the pillows.  So far I’ve completed part one and am into part two. More pictures and comments as the fabric is woven.  I know you can hardly wait but you’ll have to as weaving takes time.  The loom is set up in our shop, Adornments at the Factory in Franklin, TN, so if you’re in the neighborhood come to the Factory and I just might be weaving.

Art PM – Saturday May 1, 2010  5:00 – 7:00 pm   at the Factory at Franklin

Artists of The Row at the Factory and selected visitors have an open house to show their new art.  Live music, food and wine are available.  Come out  and have a glass of wine and meet the artists of the Row and Williamson County.

Art Up Close and Personal – Monday, May 10, 2010  – 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Williamson County Public Library -  Craig Nutt, woodworker

Brown Bag Lunch Bunch -  Friday, May 14, 2010  – 11:00 – 1:00 pm  – Taylor Milam, chocolate artist – Williamson County Public Library

Tayor Milam of Schakolad

Taylor makes amazing chocolate and he always brings samples…..so come with a light lunch so you have room for his heavenly offerings.

Taylor is owner and operator of Franklin’s local Schakolad franchise located at 443 Cool Springs Blvd.  Franklin.

This photo is courtesy of Gray Photography.

An Artist’s  Window – Friday, May 14, 2010 – 6:00 – 9:00 pm at The Factory at Franklin in Jamison Hall

Showcasing the work of artists with disabilities.  Sponsored by Waves and the Arts Council of Williamson County – tickets $25.00

Nashville -

First Saturday Art Crawl – various downtown art galleries.  Click on the image below for more information.

TACA Spring Craft Fair –   May 7, 8 & 9, 2010  Friday & Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 10am-5pm Centennial Park

This is the best craft show in the area so don’t miss it!  Click on the image below to visit TACA’s website for more information about the show.

Chihuly at the Frist – May 9th, 2010  Opening  At the Frist Center

Chihuly at the Symphony – May 20 – 22, 2010  Nashville Symphony   Laura Turner Concert Hall at the Schermerhorn

The Symphony will perform Bluebeard’s Castle in front of a set created by Dale Chihuly

Chihuly at Cheekwood - May 25th, 2010 Opening – Cheekwood Gardens

Dale Chihuly

Installations of Dale Chihuly’s work will be installed in the gardens as well as in the Cheekwood Museum Galleries.

These three exhibits are a cooperative effort of the Frist  Museum, the Nashville Symphony and Cheekwood Gardens.  The Frist exhibit is open until January 2, 2011.  Cheekwood Gardens will have his work until October 31, 2010.   A website, Chihuly in Nashville, has been set up with information about these exhibits and events as well as information about the artist and his work.

Project Runway Season 7 Eps 12 Design by Jay Nicholas

For this unusual look, the Adornments’ design team decided to add a sophisticated twist on a whimsical clown collar.  Formed entirely from hammered metal, this collar is both glamorous and fun!

Project Runway Season 7 Eps 12 Fashion Design by Jay Nicholas, Jewelry Design by Laura Dugger

Episode 13 begins the Finale and we begin to see the runway ideas of our finalists.  From this group we again chose Jay Nicholas’s design (what can we say?  They’re great clothes and they leave us room for jewelry!)  This ultra modern mini dress features stitched seam texture and tiered pockets all with slinky clean lines and a sexy silhouette.  (click on image to see pictures from the runway)

Project Runway Season 7 Eps 13 Fashion Design by Jay Nicholas

With this dress, we’ve paired a macrame pearl-studded silver choker.  This elegant piece adds a touch of brightness and lacy femininity to the smoothly contoured lines of the dress but remains true to it’s edgy modernity.

Project Runway Season 7 Eps 13 Fashion Design by Jay Nicholas, Jewelry Design by Alexis Anbari

Pearl Macrame Choker by Adornments' Designer Alexis Anbari

Let us know what you think as we draw ever close to the end of Project Runway, Season 7!  Leave a comment and/or take our poll!

I recently wrote a post on shopping for Diamonds and the 4 C’s, and since that article was so technical, I thought I’d take a different tact with this one. So here are some fun facts about diamonds!

• Diamonds are the hardest natural mineral on earth, by a lot! They are four times harder than next hardest mineral, corundum (sapphires and rubies).
• They conduct heat 4 times better than copper (this fact is used to test for diamond simulants).
• Round brilliant cut diamonds have 58 facets.

• The tradition of wearing engagement and wedding rings on the 3rd finger of the left hand dates back to Ancient Egypt. The circle of the band represents eternity, and the ring finger contains the “vena amoris”, the vein of love which runs directly to the heart.
• The word diamond comes from the Ancient Greek word, adamas, meaning unconquerable. The Ancient Greeks believed diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth.
• Diamonds are believed to represent strength, courage, and invincibility (not surprising considering their durability!).

The Great Star of Africa was set into the Royal Scepter of King Edward VII of England in 1907. It's now kept in the Tower of London.

• Until recently, the largest cut diamond was the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530 cts. It was cut from the Cullinan 1 diamond discovered in 1905 in South Africa, which was 3,106cts and yielded 105 cut gemstones.
• Currently the largest cut diamond is the Golden Jubilee, a fancy yellow brown diamond of 545.67 cts.
• Diamonds come in a wide range of colors besides white (or colorless). One of the most famous fancy colored diamonds is the Hope diamond- the largest deep blue cut diamond.

Michelle Pfieffer wearing the Hope Diamond.

• In India, one of the largest cutting centers in the world, about 3 million people work in the diamond industry.
• 25% of Israel’s total export earnings come from diamonds.

Workers polishing diamonds.

• It’s estimated that only about 500 tons of diamonds have ever been mined in recorded  history so far.
• Only 1 diamond in a million weighs more than a carat.
• 250 tons of ore need to be blasted, crushed, and processed to yield just one carat of diamond rough.
• Diamonds lose approximately 50% of their weight in the cutting and polishing process.

In episode 9, the  designers were tasked to create two looks inspired by a distinct NYC neighborhood. There were some truly fabulous designs,  and we chose this one by Jonathan  . Even though it wasn’t one of the winning designs, we instantly had a vision for some jewelry that could be paired with it.

Click on the picture to see the original dress! 

This particular dress features some complex contruction with patterned cut work in the bodice.  We’ve echoed the cut out pattern of the fabric in these earrings, made from sterling silver wire with a smoky quartz drop.

We also designed a hand fabricated link bracelet in silver with interspersed smoky quartz beads to coordinate. While we usually focus our designing talents on necklaces- this installment is all about earrings and bracelets. 

Here’s the final look!

 In episode 10, the designers had to design their own fabric to create their look. The winner of this week was Emilio and we had to agree that his finished piece was stunning! Here’s our artistic rendering of the dress, click on it to see the original.

One thing these two designs had in common was that they were complicated. While we love to design big, show stopping jewelry, we tend to feel that if you have a show stopping dress, the jewelry should be more on the subtle side (of course the opposite is also true! Nothing makes a better statement than a simple black dress with some amazing jewelry!).  Here’s a simple, slightly domed silver earring design with a hammered texure to play with the light.

Once again, with a matching bracelet- a bangle this time!

For a truly polished finished look!

Well, we’re nearing the end of Season 7. Just a few more episodes left. We hope you like what we’ve done so far! Let us know, leave us a comment!

Belinda Short (Mixed Media Painting): "Comfortable"

Best known at Adornments for her use of rich textures and vibrant colors, the work of Indiana native Belinda Short never fails to catch the eye and tantalize the mind.  Not content to limit herself to paint, Short uses a variety of materials and techniques to build up her work surface and create depth of field for a look that is both stunning and truly unique to her.

Artist Interview Questions:

What motivates you to create?

Belinda Short (Mixed Media Painting): "Mittenactsblau"

“I have different creative phases depending on the season. When the summer starts to turn into fall I have an urge to paint. I keep most of my unfinished work around me so I’m constantly looking at it and figuring out what to do even if I am not working on it. When a day hits that I just _have_ to work, I’m all over the place. When the spring hits, I want to write music, it seems, and pursue my musical endeavors. I’m not really sure why the weather or the seasons have such an enormous bearing on my creative moods.”

What is it about painting that draws you as opposed to the other art forms?

“Mostly I’m drawn to it because of the confines of my space. I’d love to work on large installment type art or art that involves several artists/viewpoints. I paint because its something I can get out and put away easily.”

Why mixed media?

“I have a hard time limiting myself to any one sort of media. When I start working, I just start to feel what my painting needs and start looking for it or make it. I want to make art that makes people want to touch it. I want it to be viscerally stimulating.”

What makes your work unique in your eyes? What defines your work?

“I don’t have anything that defines my work specifically. My paintings are vastly different from my drawings and 3-D art. Having seen so much art working in the industry, I would have a hard time telling you what makes my painting style different, but people I know could pick it out instantly among other abstract work. Maybe it’s the way I’m drawn to certain forms. Everything I do is an extension of how my handwork naturally flows. I don’t try to control anything in the starting stages and I just work with what I’ve done.”

How did you learn your craft?

“I went to art school, but I created the style I’m most known for by accident one day in the painting studio. Since then I’ve refined it to a set of processes to get different results.”

Did you always want to be an artist?

“I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was 5 years old. My grandmother was an artist, and kept drawing/instructional books all over the house.”

What’s your favorite thing to make?

“I don’t have a favorite thing to make.”

Aside from painting, what are your interests?

“I am interested in anything to do with brewing, as I was a brew master for a while. I am also very interested in distilling and aging of bourbon and rye. I like to skate and was a member of a roller derby team for a while before my hips gave out on me. I front a cover band on weekends. I like to sit at home and watch entire seasons of a show in a few sittings. I work in a picture framing shop, and do art preservation/mounting. I’ve worked in framing for about 8 years.”

Belinda Short (Mixed Media Painting): "Projection"

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

“I really have no idea. Not knowing what you want in life makes it a little tough to look ahead that far.”

Where can people find your work?

“Aside from Adornments, my work can be found on my flickr account under the username Belindashort

I have a lot of work on my myspace art page: http://myspace.com/belindashortart

I have some pieces hanging in Indianapolis, Indiana at Scandinavian Comfort (furniture store)

Also, Lafayette Indiana in an art gallery called ISO.

I hope to have an Etsy page up soon with smaller pieces that will be available in small standard sizes for easy framing.”

Check out these and other paintings by Belinda Short at www.AdornmentsAtTheFactory.com

Want to know more about the Artists at Adornments?  Keep coming back- we interview one artist every month!

If there are more questions you want answered, feel free to contact the Adornments team at info@AdornmentsAtTheFactory.com!