Big Love

Rico's brother recently visited us here at Casa Cali. We had a fantastic time together, and thought we'd take a commemorative photo on his last night. I was doing homework, and gato preto (Pria) just couldn't resist being part of the action. He hopped right up on my sketchbook just as we staged the photo and hit the self-timer on the camera.

Postcard Mobile Tutorial

For those of you who've requested a tutorial for the postcard mobile or expressed interested in making something similar yourselves, hopefully this little guide will help.

What you need:

- multiple postcards (I used 54, but you can work with any number, really)
- scissors- strong glue (I used tacky glue. Hot glue should work super well.)
- medium-heavy copper craft wire or steel binding wire (I used 18 gauge steel wire)
- wire coat hanger (alternately you could use a piece of steel music wire)
- push pin or very tiny hole punch

- pencil or pen

- wire cutters

- needle-nose pliers

The first step is to gather a bunch of similarly-sized postcards (I imagine you could also use photos, greeting cards or any other colorful, standard-sized paper media as well). How many postcards should you use? Totally up to you.

I used 54 in my mobile, partly because our project assignment was to make 50 sculptures, partly because I wanted my mobile to be pretty big. I ended up making 6 columns with 9 "flowers" in each; the finished mobile is about as tall as I am (5ft 6in).

The next step is to cut out the flower/butterfly shapes. I did all of mine freehand, because I like the slightly irregular look, but you could easily use a template and cut all of your shapes out exactly the same. You will be making 8 petals: 4 long ones and 4 baby ones. You will also have two center circles: one for the front, and one slightly smaller for the back.

Here's how you'll do the cuts. The black lines are for the big petals, the blue lines are for the small petals, and the pink circles are for the centers. Sorry this is wonky. :)

To do the cuts, start by finding the center point of the postcard. It doesn't have to be exact. To make the large petals, you want to cut in towards the center from a spot about 1/2" on either side of one of the postcard's corners. Basically the postcard's corners will become the ends of your big petals. Taper in as you cut towards the middle of the postcard so that you have nice, sharp points instead of the fat, wobbly ones in my illustration.

The baby petals and the two circles you can cut from your scraps. The small petals don't all have to be the same size. The center circles can be irregular as well. Try to make them about the size of a quarter, or about 1" diameter. One circle will be for the front, one for the back.

Figure out how you want your flower to be arranged - which petals where, etc. Or you can just glue the petals wily-nily and get a surprise at the end.

Now it's time to glue. Pick which circle you want to be on the front, and flip it over so the white part is up. Cover this side with a good layer of glue. Then place the 4 large petals, white-side-up as well, on top of the circle so that the skinny ends of the petals touch each other. You want them to be arranged like the cardinal points on a compass: North, South, East and West.

Next put the baby petals (also flipped over) in the remaining spaces on the circle. You're essentially assembling a compass rose shape. Once you have all the petals placed, cover the white side of the other circle with glue. Press it on top of the first circle and the petal points, like you're making a sandwich. You should see the back side of all your petals (white) and a colorful circle in the middle.

Make sure everything is nicely glued together. You may want to put a weight on top to help all the components stick together. Once the glue is set, flip over your flower and check out the amazing pattern that has formed.

Repeat. :)

Once you've made all of your flowers, it's time to arrange them in a way that's pleasing to you. Decide how many hanging columns you want, and how many flowers will go in each one. I did 6 columns with 9 flowers each, and arranged everything according to a color gradient.

Once you have everything laid out - ideally in a neat column/grid format - it's time to start assembling. Use a thumbtack or tiny hole punch to put a hole near the tip of each of the four large petals. Each flower will be joined to the next from two petals. (If you want your flowers to connect from one point only (i.e. oriented like a plus sign instead of an 'x'), that would work too.)

Now take the copper wire (or steel binding wire) and start coiling it around the pen or pencil (you'll get the best results with a totally smooth pen/pencil, not one that has facets or angles). Make a bunch of coils, and try to get them really tight together. Once you have filled up a couple of inches with coiled wire, wiggle the coiled section off the pen/pencil. Start cutting the coils apart so that you are creating jump rings (you can google any tutorial for making wire jump rings and get a much better explanation, with pictures). The process is really easy, it's just hard to describe.

Make as many jump rings as you need to join your flowers together. Open one ring using your needle-nose pliers, thread it through a petal, and join it to the petal of another flower. Repeat for the other petals. Join all of your flowers together in this manner. The photo below shows how the flowers should be linked.

Once you have all your flowers linked with the wire rings, it's time to create the hoop from which they will hang. I used an old coat hanger, but you could also use steel music wire. The key is to have strong, relatively thick steel wire that will hold its shape. Create a circle that will accommodate the number of flower columns you'll hang. My circle was roughly 1 foot in diameter. Bend the wire to create the circle, making sure to overlap the ends so you can wrap them together with a bit of the same copper/binding wire you used to make the rings.

Connect the rings from the top row of flowers to the hoop you've just created. Voilà! You should now have a complete postcard flower mobile. :) I hung mine from the ceiling using a bit of fishing line attached to the coat hanger hoop.

Sorry this tutorial isn't the best, but it was made after-the-fact and I don't have the original sculpture to take reference photos from. I'm happy to report it now lives in the home of my friend M. who recently had a baby boy and is the best recipient of a mobile I can imagine.

Questions? Feel free to contact me.

Weekend on a Tuesday

I frequently lose track of what day it is (as in unsure whether it's Wednesday or Saturday, not the actual date).

Does this ever happen to you?

At least once a week I do a mix-up. Most recently I thought it was Tuesday when it was really Monday. And today (the *real* Tuesday) feels like a Saturday. You'd think that being in school with a regular class schedule would help, but alas the trend that started back in Moz when Rico and I were self-employed and working from home has only worsened. I think it's the fact that I keep funnier hours than ever, what with all the studio time I have to put in these days. I often work straight through weekends, only to have a random afternoon off mid-week that becomes relax-and-have-a-cocktail time.

Even worse than mixing up the days of the week? About a month ago, when school started, I mixed up what semester it was! Our teacher handed out the syllabus and, in front of the entire class, I helpfully let him know that all the dates were wrong. I saw a page full of "February" and "March" and for some crazy reason thought it was the previous semester, as if we were in the Fall and our professor had accidentally grabbed the Spring syllabus. Needless to say I was pretty embarrassed, and my classmates all looked at me like I'd gone insane.

Lack of sleep and unpredictable hours...they do a body good.

Spring Early, Early Spring

The Bay Area is known for its mild, Mediterranean climate but what we're experiencing right now weather-wise is uncommonly warm even for these parts. Spring has fully sprung, several weeks early it seems, and as I look out the window I see daffodils in bloom, our plum tree covered with soft pink blossoms, and the neighbor's camellia studded with dark pink flowers. It's sunny, easily 70 degrees. Such a treat, although supposedly the weather is going to turn back to "normal" tomorrow and we'll get cooler temperatures and a bit of rain. We need it, really, but I will miss the sun and warmth. I am much happier with this kind of weather.

I thought about the phrase 'spring early' as I wrote the title to this post. That's really the philosophy I'm trying to embody this semester. Spring early. Don't put things off. Get things done today instead of constantly leaving them for tomorrow, or the next day. I've certainly gotten better about procrastinating, but it's akin to torture to have a day as gorgeous as what we're experiencing today and a to-do list a mile long that involves either being in the studio or in front of a computer. The urge to put tasks off until tomorrow is nearly impossible to resist. I've given in, in fact, and have decided not to go to the studio today so that I can enjoy a bit more time outside. Instead I'll write a paper today, prepare a presentation, work in my sketchbook. In theory, things I can do with my computer or sketchbook on my lap while sitting on the deck in the sun.

Tomorrow I'll spend all day in the studio. Feeling slightly stressed because I've procrastinated and left my jewelry project for the lastpossibleminute (I have to turn in a finished chasing and repoussé sample Monday afternoon). But still, a worthwhile tradeoff to enjoy a glorious day of early spring.

Owen Jones - Examples of Chinese Ornament

Aren't these Chinese patterns from the 1860's just fantastic? I love the colors and the delicate intricacy of the images. I found these on The Textile Blog, which is like a virtual candy store for those of us who love textiles, lace, carpets, wallpaper, design and more.

Love Goes Beyond Borders Adoption Fundraiser

Lately my life has been on a faster, crazier, more sleep-deprived track than usual - but I'm happy to report it's for a fantastic cause. I've been working in collaboration with a friend I went to high school and college with, Ashlee Othick Andrews, who is expanding her family through adoption. Ashlee and her husband live in Calgary (Canada) and have two gorgeous children of their own, but they believe strongly in adoption and have decided to welcome an 18-month-old boy from Uganda into their family. Between traveling to Uganda and the fees associated with the adoption, they are looking at a significant financial hurdle.

Ashlee and I began talking a few months ago about doing a jewelry fundraiser to help offset these expenses and make their adoption a reality. I've since been hard at work designing a Uganda-themed jewelry collection, producing sample pieces, taking photographs of everything, writing descriptions, and brainstorming how to get the most support possible for the fundraiser. In short, Ashlee and I have pulled off the design, production and marketing for a jewelry line! Not an easy feat, especially with the craziness of school, but it's been an amazing experience and I'm really proud of the collection.

It's been especially inspiring to work with the gorgeous handmade paper beads I sourced for the collection. Women artisans in Uganda make these beads by cutting strips from magazines and rolling them up until a bead is formed. They then coat the outside of the bead with a clear varnish to make them stronger and water-resistant. The colors and patterns in these paper beads are unbelievable, some of the most amazing materials I've ever worked with. I sourced the beads from two nonprofit organizations, Paper to Pearls and Outreach Uganda (both out of Colorado of all places!) who send their proceeds back to the women in Uganda who made the beads.

Ashlee has set up an online shop at Etsy where we're listing the fundraiser jewelry. There are limited quantities available, and some pieces one-of-a-kind. We're taking orders through Tuesday, February 15th, then I'll do all the production and have everything shipped out by March 10th. All shop proceeds go directly to the Andrews' family adoption fund.

Please stop by the Love Goes Beyond Borders shop on Etsy, if nothing else to have a look and admire all the fantastically colorful pieces in the collection. If you are able to support Ashlee and her family in bringing home their new son, it would mean a great deal to them and to me as well. Thank you all in advance!

You can read more about the Andrews' adoption saga on their blog.

The Postcard Mobile

Here's the finished result of the project I told you about here. My favorite part was organizing the postcard flowers into a color gradient that flowed both horizontally and vertically. I'm exhausted (not enough sleep last night) but satisfied with the end result, and my critique went quite well in class today.

Now to figure out what to do with this thing...

I Want This Dress

I am seriously coveting this dress. It's the Two to Tango by Nanette Lepore. The cut, color and pattern are just about perfect in my book. Sigh...

Postcards

Our first assignment in my Sculpture I class is to make 50 sculptures. We can use any materials, they can be any size, and we can create intuitively or have a specific concept. We're also encouraged to be eco-friendly in our materials choice and our processes. We've been challenged not to buy anything for the project, rather use only found, borrowed, or already-owned objects in our work.

I decided to make 50 "sculptures" using my childhood postcard collection. I've collected postcards since about the 4th grade. Many of them I bought as souvenirs on various trips around the US and abroad; others were sent to me by friends and family over the years. Until now, my postcards have sat in a box in the closet, tucked safely away but essentially out of sight and subsequently out of mind.

I'm cutting up each postcard into a floral shape, pasting together the petals, then will string them together on fishing line. At the end of each strand I will create a small wire sculpture to act as a weight. The strands of postcard flowers will hang from a circular wire structure, sort of like a veil. From the outside the viewer will see all of the colors; from the inside of the mobile, they will see the white side of the postcards, some of which have writing and stamps, and a small center of color taken from the printed side of the card. I imagine this will be almost a floor-to-ceiling work once it's finished next week.

I've really enjoyed the process of making the postcard flower mobile. I like the idea of reducing clutter in my home, and it's been refreshing to "get over" the sentimental ties that lead us to cling to things from our past. Part of me didn't want to cut up the postcards, as they were these precious mementos from people and places I may never see again. However, the memories didn't fade with the cuts, and now I will have a beautiful object to display that will actually remind me more of what I want to hold on to than a hidden box of postcards ever could.

Weekend

For the last several years, I've had the luxury of always having Fridays off. When I was consulting in Mozambique, not having to be in a client's office or otherwise on-call was one of my main criteria. Having Fridays to myself gave me a chance to catch up on jewelry making, errands, and life in general.

The 3-day weekend trend continued all last year, as most of the classes at CCA meet either Mon-Wed or Tue-Thurs. However, this semester I am taking a class on Fridays called Color on Metal that meets for 6 hours at a time. I am quite excited about the class, which involves enameling and patination, but am having to seriously adjust to a 2-day weekend. More than anything I'm aware that I must make those precious two days off count. I want to be sure I relax and unwind as much as possible, while having to put in studio hours and get homework done.

This weekend was a good one. Granted school hasn't hit a frenetic pace yet (although I have no doubt it will in about a week), so I was able to get in some good relaxation as well as be productive. I went to the studio, worked on several homework assignments, went to a friend's gallery opening with my mom and Rico, went to a party at our local pub, cooked a lot (waffles from scratch, turkey meatloaf, tortellini, salad, fried eggs), and went for a great hour-long jog with Rico this afternoon. The weather has been lovely, so there's definitely been some lounging in the sun on the deck with a glass of wine as well.

I feel better about the whirlwind that my life's about to become due to school. More prepared, more able to cope. I made some progress on organizing my office/studio, which definitely helped, and I've tried to put things in perspective in terms of the expectations I place on myself. Hopefully next week is a good one, and I'm able to hold on to the feeling of being able to swim and not sink.

Back on the Roller Coaster

I started school again on Tuedsay, kicking of my second full year here at CCA. I'm excited about my classes (jewelry 2B, enameling, sculpture 1, history of jewelry and metal arts) but am already feeling very overwhelmed.

Last semester was so intense, so much work, so crazy that I don't think I can handle a repeat this semester without a breakdown of some sort. I can control some aspects of my workload (i.e. how complex the projects are that I choose), but for the most part the assignments are set and the pace can't be altered. I don't really know how to explain what it feels like to be in art school as a second-degree student. The best approximation is that it's as if I were a contestant on Project Runway while having to deal with running my own business, not to mention "real life" and all of its obligations at the same time. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster with no brakes, and all I can do is hold on, work as diligently as possible, and take things one day at a time in hopes that I don't fall off.

Part of what has me feeling so unsettled is that my home office/studio/dressing area is really cluttered. I'm on a constant battle to get organized, but despite all my efforts I've not really mastered the beast quite yet. It's a challenging room to tackle because it serves many functions: a closet and dressing area for me (Rico's stuff is upstairs in the small closet in our bedroom), storage area for all of my photos (back when I actually organized them into albums) and select childhood mementos, an office where I do schoolwork and take care of the administrative side of my business, a creative space for school projects and my own jewelry work, a photography studio, and my little corner of the house.

I have purged a lot of what I own, trying to keep only those things that I need and use on a consistent basis. Still, it's a lot of stuff. Art supplies for school, beads, wire, jeweler's tools, office supplies, books, shipping supplies, jewelry displays, photo equipment and lighting...not to mention my own clothes and jewelry and shoes. I desperately need a better framework for organizing everything. I need some more shelves and a bookcase. I need a way to organize my tools so they're accessible but tidy. Ufff. I bought a jeweler's bench over break which hopefully will help isolate some of the jewelry stuff and give me a dedicated work area for metals projects, but it will also make my room more crowded.

I can't express how much I want a clean, organized "home base" from which to run my business and plow through my school work. Just knowing that my space is cluttered makes the craziness of the school semester that much harder to manage. Bit by bit I'm trying to find solutions, and Rico has been quite helpful. He's going to build some shelves for me and put in new flooring so I can do more studio-type work at home without worrying about the carpet getting impregnated with metal shavings or, once I get a soldering station set up, catching on fire!

I know that fundamentally everything will be ok. I'll get through the semester, I'll enjoy my projects, I'll learn new skills, I'll eventually get my office/studio area organized. I just wish I had a magic wand to wave so that it would all fall into place tomorrow.

Alexandra Amaro Jewelry Clearance Sale

In order to open the doors for new jewelry designs in 2011, I am holding a super sale with select Alexandra Amaro designs marked up to 50% off. Visit www.alexandraamaro.com to see the selection of beautiful pieces that need new homes.

Anasazi Africa Necklace - antique trade beads salvaged from shipwrecks off the coast of Mozambique, turquoise, hand-carved sandalwood beads, sterling silver

Pimenta Earrings - handmade recycled glass Krobo beads from Ghana, Indian Rubies, Swarovski crystals, 14k gold-filled wire and ear hooks

Maliana Necklace - ceramic beads from Mali, Swarovski pearls, Thai Hill Tribes silver

Ghana to Gallup Necklace - recycled glass Krobo beads from Ghana, turquoise, sterling silver

Rio-Style New Year's at Casa Cali

This year Rico and I decided to combine traditions and do a Rio-influenced Reveillon on the beach here at Casa Cali, joined by my mom and several neighbors. We wore white, or as close to white as possible given the constraints of a winter wardrobe, threw roses and agapanthus lilies into the ocean with shouted wishes for 2011, lit incense, and had a champagne toast at sunset. What a fantastic way to ring in the new year.

My wish? (Well one of them, at least.)

That we've started a tradition.

Happy 2011, everyone. May it be the best year yet.

Holidays

I am so grateful to be on winter break, although it hasn't really hit me yet that school is over and I can kick back and relax. Rico and I took one what we swear will be our last agricultural development consulting assignment, so the day after school was finished I had to get on the computer and write about program objectives and how to measure the impact of of our client's project in Mozambique. I've also been busy with holiday jewelry orders, which makes me very happy.

My plan for the next few days is to make some jewelry for myself, clean and organize my studio/office, read a book, do some gardening and in general just try to de-stress. The last two weeks of school really did a number on me, and I'm aware that I need to pamper myself a bit in order to be ready for the next semester.

We Have a Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Alexandra Amaro jewelry giveaway. It was such a delight to read what you all are looking forward to in the holiday season.

Last night Rico did the honors and drew a winner from the bowl of names.

Drumroll, please...

Congratulations, Mary Jane! I've sent you an email and hope to hear from you soon so I can ship out your luxe trade bead earrings.

Holiday Jewelry Giveaway

Hello lovelies,

To celebrate the holidays, I've decided to gift these luxe trade bead earrings to one lucky reader.


Subtle, unique and with just the right amount of sparkle, these earrings feature a pair of 300-year-old Mozambique Island trade beads flanked by pea green Swarovski pearls and faceted yellow quartz globes. They are connected with sterling silver wire and hang just over 2.5" (6.4cm) including sterling ear wires.

It took me over a year to find a matching pair of these clear trade beads, which were originally made in Bohemia and then brought to Africa to use as currency. Due to dozens of shipwrecks over the centuries, many of these old beads wash up on the shores of Mozambique Island, where they are collected and strung on fishing line by local boys. The strands are full of mismatched beads, and it is very difficult to find (nearly) identical pairs.

Contest Rules:

To enter the giveaway, simply submit a Contact Form on the Alexandra Amaro website and tell me what you are most looking forward to this holiday season.

Everyone who sends me a message using the Contact Form between Dec. 1st-5th will be entered in the drawing. On Dec. 6th, I will have Rico draw the winning name from a hat.

The winner will receive these earrings gift wrapped and in time for Christmas. Yes, I will ship internationally. No, I will not fill your inbox with spam and unwanted junk. You can expect an email newsletter from me quarterly at most.

Happy holidays, and best of luck to all!

The End's in Sight

The end of the school semester is fast approaching and I'm definitely feeling the crunch. I have so much work to do in the next three weeks that I almost can't think about it, lest I get completely overwhelmed and feel tempted to just give up and go drink wine. Rather, I'm taking things in about 2-day increments, putting out the most urgent fires, and letting the rest go.

I can't wait for December 17th to arrive. I have a massage scheduled to celebrate the end of the semester, and I plan to spend my month of holiday in the most relaxing way possible. I envision lots of time in front of our newly-working fireplace (Rico and his uncle climbed onto the roof with a pole saw to remove a large pine tree branch that was obstructing the chimney); trash tv and movies under a fleece blanket, flanked by cats; a bit of painting and jewelry-making; running (if it's not unbearably cold and rainy); and sleep. Lots of glorious, glorious sleep.

Maria, Lady of the Wax Print

"Maria, Lady of the Wax Print", acrylic on canvas board, 11x14 inches

After several weeks of painting patterns for my 2D visual dynamics class, we received an assignment to incorporate a portrait of someone who would be the "hero" of our selected pattern. This painting is of a Mozambican artisan and fashion designer named Maria, who I came to be friends with through the fairs at Café com Letras. The portrait is based on a photo of her that I took one day on the veranda of our flat in Maputo.

This was my first ever attempt at painting a person. I wanted Maria to look as if she were being surrounded by this swirling lotus-blossom pattern that I found on a piece of wax print fabric. This painting took about 5 hours to complete, and I am super pleased with the result.

I think it's safe to say I've been bitten by the painting bug. All I can think about these days (other than jewelry) is how much I want to keep painting!

MAPS and Mimosas - Sunday, December 5th at the Polana

Love animals? In Maputo? Fancy some champagne and a delish brunch?

If yes, then you should definitely attend this great event being organized by my friend Claudia that will benefit MAPS, the Mozambique Animal Protection Society.

When: December 5th

Where: Ballroom of the Polana Hotel

Time: 10:30am - 3:00pm

Price: 2,000 MTN

To secure your place, be sure to RSVP to mapsbrunch@gmail.com by November 28th.

I Am Now Officially a Mac Person

I did it. Finally.

After months of putting off the transition, I've officially switched from a PC to a Mac. The switch was somewhat forced by school (CCA requires students to have a Mac), but my old computer was definitely giving me signs that it's ready to go towards the light.

In general I'm really happy with the switch, and know that as I become more familiar and proficient with my Mac, I'll only grow happier. However, at the moment I feel a bit frustrated because I don't know how to do everything I want to on the new computer.

The things I'm most excited about? Adobe Bridge, iMovie and just having a chance to start fresh. I am a bit obsessive about the way I organize my digital files and emails, and my system had become somewhat outdated and overloaded on my old PC. It's super nice to be able to recreate my organizational system, especially now that the focus of my professional life has changed from development consulting to being a jewelry artist.

Color Manipulation

Yesterday in my 2D class I learned how to convert photos from Photoshop into Illustrator and then manipulate the colors. I'm pretty pleased with the result of my experimentation on this photo of my old friend Maria from Maputo, who is a fashion designer.

The purpose of this exercise was to be able to modify and scale up a portrait photo that will be then be painted on canvas, together with a pattern of our choice. I'm not sure exactly how mine will be composed, but I do know that it will be *full* of color.

La Vida Expatica #6: The Place I Once Called Home Yet Never Truly Belonged

I had lunch with my best friend from high school today. She is due to have her first baby on Tuesday. It was incredibly nice to see her, even if just for a few hours, and the Thai crepes place (how's that for fusion!) we went to in Fremont was divine. I had the peanut chicken crepe and it totally satisfied my craving for spicy comfort food.

M. is my closest friend here in the Bay Area, despite the fact that we haven't really spent a lot of time together since we were 16 (I moved to Brazil to do a student exchange that year, and we subsequently lost touch for nearly a decade). Ironically, life brought both of us to California. She and her husband fled Hurricane Katrina and resettled here. Rico and I, as you know, moved here just over a year ago for his work, to be near my mom, and so I could go to school at CCA.

M. lives over an hour away, but we manage to see each other once every couple of months. I deeply miss having girlfriends nearby, and am reminded of how wonderful that kindred connection can be every time I see M.

Today she asked if I miss living in Mozambique. The answer is yes and no.

Yes a thousand times over to missing our friends, our social life, our global nomad community. The quick bonds formed with people from faraway lands, the dinner parties, the comfort in knowing that you are sharing a common experience. I miss the road trips, the Sunday lunches by the Indian Ocean, the animated discussions about how - and if - development work can really make an impact, about why projects fail, about why we were all there in the first place. Many an existential crisis was sorted out over gin-and-tonics and king prawns.

I have never felt so at home with a group of people in my life. I miss that immensely, the feeling of belonging, of understanding and feeling understood.

I miss many other things, too. The view of the Vila Algarve from our balcony, the tiles crumbling a bit more with each passing day. The streets lined with flowering trees, and the way I started tracking the seasons by what was in bloom: jacarandas, red acacias, yellow acacias. I miss catching bursts of the animated chats had by our building guards, full of whoops and hollers and shrill shrieks of excitement to punctuate the stories being told. I miss Dona Lidia's laugh. Zeca's warmth and reliability. The humility, kindness and hospitality shown by so many Mozambicans. The rich local culture. The mini global melting pot that is Maputo, and increasingly the rest of the country. I miss the pool at Hotel Terminus, site of many a sun-drenched, lazy afternoon, tanning and eating sandes de galinha maionese. I miss the piri-piri, obviously. I could make it at home in the blender, but somehow it's not the same as out of a small communal container on a wobbly restaurant table. I miss the sunrise at 4:30 in the morning in the summer. The nights spent dancing or listening to live music. The markets. I miss bumping into friends nearly everywhere we went. I miss Mozambique because it holds such a special spot in my heart as the place where Rico and I met each other again, fell in love, and started our life together as husband and wife.

Despite all of these wonderful things, there are many I don't miss: the in-your-face poverty, the inefficiency and inescapable bureaucracy, the lack of customer service, witnessing the abuse and exploitation of maids/waiters/workers and realizing that for many well-off Mozambicans that kind of treatment is acceptable, the exploitation of locals by foreigners and foreign companies, the sensation that you were always getting somewhat ripped off because you were white or a foreigner, the often false or tense relationships with the Mozambicans, the finely-tuned hate of "the stare" - an empty-eyed look accompanied by silence that became par for the course in many interactions...the frustration that the Moz experience wasn't what I'd expected - that in many aspects I'd become the typical expat I so swore I'd never be, the sad realization that I, too, looked at people in "local" vs. "expat" categories, that I was overflowing with cynicism, that I continued to do a job I didn't believe in for way too long - one of the motivations being a fat paycheck (the same fat paycheck to international consultants that was so often the topic of our rants on what was wrong with the development sector), the hypocrisy - my own and that of others...the ever-present shadow of depression...the corruption of government officials and others in positions of power, the fleets of white Mercedes and the massive mansions, the decision to give bribes to police or otherwise grease the wheels of the system - and wondering exactly how fast that particular slope would get too slippery to be controllable...the inability to ever be anonymous or feel truly comfortable living in the country.

Some days I am all the way on the "dying of saudades" end of the spectrum; other days I still feel very cynical and am glad that we left when we did. It is all very gray, even as the passing of time affords me a wiser, more objective perspective through which to view our experiences in Mozambique.

The Procrastinator Rears Its Head

One thing about being a jewelry/metal arts student is that you can't really procrastinate. There is simply no way to get things done without putting in days - if not weeks - of hard work. Step by step, building on what you've done previously. At least in my semi-beginner state as a metalsmith, I haven't found out how to shortcut...not that I'd even want to, honestly.

That said, I *can* procrastinate in my other classes, primarily those that require essays to be written. I have a paper due in a few hours for my 4D class and just started writing last night. I have to finish it now, chop chop. I'm writing about the film "Black Orpheus" (1959) and how, while visually, musically and culturally fantastic, it creates and reinforces stereotypes about Brazil and Brazilians in popular media. Fun stuff.

We had total freedom in choosing the piece of media to review for this paper. We were also allowed to write whatever we wanted regarding said work - no guidelines whatsoever, other than "write an analytical paper". I find it funny that in every such instance, I go right back to the content of my first Bachelor's degree (Latin American Studies). Why reinvent the wheel, right?

I think at the very least I should get an A for efficiency: I chose topics in record time, don't have to do that much research because I'm already familiar with the subject matter, and my effort-to-results ratio is off the chart. :)

Now back to writing about Orfeu...

Boutique Love

Chalcedony, amethyst, swarovski coral pearl and sterling silver necklace. There are matching earrings, but blogger doesn't seem to want me to upload the photo...

Today was somewhat of a milestone in my jewelry career, albeit a quiet one. I made my first wholesale sale* to a lovely shop near Casa Cali that has a very global, high-end import vibe. The owner selected a few pieces from my Imaginarium collection and placed an order for a necklace and matching earrings from my line of floral chain-maille jewelry.

Hopefully this is the first of many such sales. :)

* Wholesale, as in an outright purchase of my jewelry for resale in the shop (as opposed to consignment, where you receive a percentage of the sale when (if) the piece sells). I'm not doing wholesale, as in mass production.

Braving the Elements

Last night Rico and I joined our neighbors at the Bridge School benefit concert. The weather wasn't the best, but we got out the rain gear and blankets and made the most of the evening.

Since school rules my life these days, Rico and I decided to head home early because I needed to do some paint mixing exercises and study for my art history midterm. We missed Pearl Jam, which I'm gutted about, but were able to see some great artists including Neil Young, Lucinda Williams and Jackson Browne.

Pattern Inspiration - African Wax Prints

I am so in love with these fabric designs. Such fantastic colors and patterns. I could look at them on google images for hours.

Part of me wishes I'd bought more capulanas while in Mozambique. I am particularly regretful that I didn't buy multiples of this gorgeous blue, green and brown bird print fabric. I keep hoping I'll find it for sale somewhere online, but no luck thus far.

More Sketchbook Art

"Germs", sumi ink, 11x14

"Brush Palm", gouache, 14x22 (this has some lovely metallic paint, but you can't really see it in the photo)

"Pattern Study #5", oil pastel, 11x14 (inspired by some of Cartier's jewelry where amethyst, turquoise and yellow gold are combined in fabulous gem-encrusted bib necklaces and cocktail rings)

"Tropicalia", watercolor, 11x14

Work Work Work

School is proving to be almost mercilessly intense this semester. I am a diligent student and good at time management, and even so I'm barely keeping my head above water. I can't remember the last weekday when I woke up after 6am, and I can't remember the last weekend when I didn't have to work during what otherwise would be rest or play time. Most days I feel like I've barely got it together...way too much work, very high expectations, never enough time.

Part of me delights in this insane rhythm - I feel like I'm on my own personal Project Runway much of the time - and after all, this is really why I decided to go to art school. I'd never push myself this hard if there weren't an academic structure, peer critiques, and the pride of presenting my work driving me. I'd work hard on my own, but not to the point of exhaustion day after day. I've surpassed even my own expectations of how much I'd learn and what I'd accomplish thus far.

That said, something's got to give. Periods of intense, sleepless work can push your boundaries but they can also push you over the edge. There is no room for creativity when stress levels blow through the roof. I'm aware of this, and have made some decisions to avoid a breakdown.

My art history class and 4D class (essentially digital media) are not priorities. I am content to put in a B-effort in those subjects. The time I'd have to dedicate to get an A is much more valuable used in other ways - in the jewelry studio, working on my own designs, doing assignments for my 2D class (color transitions - I am obsessed!) and doing practical and enjoyable things like sleeping, cooking, relaxing and hanging out with Rico.

I've never in my entire life knowingly put in a B-effort. I got a B in Finance back when I was in business school, but I studied my ass off for that grade. It was the only B I've ever received, and I remember feeling equal parts ashamed and relieved. Now I'm happy to get a B in the classes I don't "care about", whereas previously the thought of a GPA that was anything but perfect would give me great anxiety. Priorities change, I suppose.

Mandala Patterns

Pattern Study #4, colored marker, 11x14

I love doing these pattern studies with colored marker. They are completely intuitive, meaning I don't start out with a plan of what I'm going to draw. Rather I begin with one shape, then another one, then add another layer and so forth. The pattern grows organically, and it's always amazing to see what the end result looks like. Each of these drawings takes several hours, and the process is quite meditative. I get into this trance-like state and forget to eat, drink or pee if I'm not careful!

This particular pattern was inspired by the Cartier and America exhibit that I visited a few months ago at the Legion of Honor Museum. I bought a gorgeous book that shows all of the jewelry that was in the exhibition, and I was definitely thinking of the art deco style and the obsession with the "exotic" that are so typical of some of the Cartier designs.

With each pattern that I complete, I can't help but dream of being a fabric designer. I would so love a skirt with this motif!

Hue Studies

My 2D Visual Studies class at CCA is focused on color, which is thrilling to me. I'm thankful to be slightly obsessed with the subject matter because we have a TON OF WORK in this class, and being excited about color helps the 10-18 hours of homework per week go down a bit smoother.

One of our standing assignments is to fill 8 pages in our 11x14 sketchbook each week. I'm doing a lot of pattern studies, which are fun. I'm also working on a series of hue collages, reminiscent of the color posts I did here on the blog some time back.

Here are a couple of examples:

One Year

A year ago today, Rico and I left Mozambique after having lived there for 5.5 and 4.5 years respectively. It hardly seems possible. That memorable last day feels at once decades away, and yet as fresh and palpable as last week.

I am having a moment of nostalgia as I remember our time in Maputo, in particular. We were part of such a wonderful social group, and it saddens me to think that these people are in our past, that we will never be together again. Most of our closest friends have already moved on from Mozambique, on to new contracts and new lives, be it at "home" or in a different country, a different adventure.

I reminisce fondly, and with massive saudades, about all of the house parties, the road trips, the late afternoon coffees and weekend sundowners. In particular I miss my fabulous girlfriends: Jenny, Kelly, Helen, Zahra, Anel, Lindsey, Claudia, Evy...the list goes on.

I always used to think it was hard to make friends in Mozambique, and in all fairness it really was. People always coming and going, tricky relationships between expats and locals, cliques determined by country of origin and/or place of work. However once you managed to establish a friendship, you could be sure long-lasting bonds would be formed in record time.

Making friends here in the Bay Area has been slow-going, and in some ways even more difficult than in Maputo. We've established really nice relationships with our neighbors - most of whom are in their 40s and 50s - but it's been challenging to make friends our own age. Much of the time I feel like a fish out of water when it comes to being social, in particular with "peers". I have some friends from my high school days in New Mexico, but for the most part they live at least an hour away and I see them very infrequently.

When it comes to friendships, I am definitely of the "quality over quantity" philosophy, and am content to primarily hang out with Rico, my mom and our neighbors. However, there is part of me that aches to have girlfriends again, ones who live in the same city and who I can call up to have a spur-of-the-moment drink, or invite to dinner full well knowing that the house is a mess and we are eating leftovers, just because the pleasure of their company is so desired.

I remind myself that it took a good 2 years for me to feel like I had friends in Mozambique. I'm sure that at some point I'll look back on this post and find it hard to remember what it was like *not* to have a close girlfriend or two near Casa Cali. But today, on this anniversary of a great change in our lives, I find myself wishing that I could turn back time and spend just one evening with my friends in Maputo.

A Summary of My Life These Days...

Lots and lots and LOTS of time spent in the jewelry studio.

Repetition and Pattern

Repetition and pattern sketch #1 for my 2D visual dynamics class. Colored pen on paper, 11x14.

School is going to be quite the intense ride this semester. I've only had one week of classes, and already I have more homework and studio work than I'd ever imagined. I've had so much to do, in fact, that I've been waking up before 6am every day and working well into the night. Good thing I don't have much of a social life because, if I did, this semester would pretty much be the end of it.

In my 2D class, the teacher flat-out told us that we'd work harder for her class than for just about any other core class (core classes are the basic curriculum that all students at CCA are required to take). She said to anticipate at least 18 hours of work outside the classroom each week, and thus far has made good on that promise.

We've also had to choose a theme for the class. The theme can be anything - cats, skateboarding, black-and-white photography, heaven vs. hell, talking to strangers - but it must be something we are passionate about, as all of the work we'll do in the 2D class will be about this theme. Mine is Repetition and Pattern. Each week we have to fill 8 pages in our sketchbook with some interpretation of our theme. It's a lot more work than it seems. So far I've done 2 pages and spent about 4 hours. At least it's fun work!

In my jewelry class we're working on an assignment where we have to design a thimble inspired by a famous person (dead or alive, fictional or real). The thimble can be more than just a "finger cap", and we've been encouraged to get a bit crazy and creative with what the thimble can be. In essence, we're creating jewelry for the hand. The thimble then has to be housed in some sort of display when not in use, which we also have to make by hand. Finally we have to present the project with a research paper about the famous person who the thimble is for, as well as a discussion about the concept behind our piece.

I'm feeling a bit intimidated about getting back behind the torch. I didn't solder all summer long, and now working with metals seems like such a giant undertaking compared to beading and wire-work. My jewelry class is also full of more advanced students, so I'm feeling the pressure to come up with top-notch projects that have solid craftsmanship. I know the worst part is the anticipation, so tomorrow I'm just going to dive into the project and hope that I haven't lost my skills.

Second Semester

School starts tomorrow. I love the first day of school - the anticipation, the slight nervousness, the sense that great things wait just around the corner.

When I was younger, the first day of school was all about the social scene. Who would be in your classes, what people would be wearing, who would have gained or lost 20 pounds over the summer. Now (thankfully!) school is truly all about the learning for me. I'm looking forward to learning lots of new metals skills, to broadening my creative horizons, to pushing myself to heights I never imagined possible. I get really competitive in school, but the truth is it's competition with myself. I know I'm capable of amazing things if I just apply myself, and at this stage in life (and for the amount of tuition I'm paying), I expect nothing but 100% effort.

My classes this semester are:

Modern Art History

4D Visual Studies (basically a digital media class)

2D Visual Studies (the section I chose focuses on color theory!)

Jewelry/Metal Arts 2B

My life is going to run according to a different rhythm come tomorrow, but I'm ready for it. I had a good summer and feel rested and anxious to get back to work. I'm going to need all the mental strength I can get, friends. Not only to get through the workload and subsequent stress, but because I have 8am classes every day.

(One of) my goal(s) for this semester? Stop the snooze button insanity. I'm going to try waking up to music to see if it makes a difference. Wish me luck!

Huge Summer Clearance on Select Alexandra Amaro Jewlery

Even though the weather is just now starting to heat up at Casa Cali, summer is nearly over and it's time to clear out some of the Krobo Fusion collection to make room for new jewelry.

Get up to 50% off one-of-a-kind jewelry featuring recycled glass beads from Ghana, sourced through Soul of Somanya.

Prices are already marked down, so swing by the Alexandra Amaro website and check out the great deals.

Cosmos Earrings - krobo beads, swarovski pearls and quartz crystal teardrops.

Calypso Necklace & Earrings Set - krobo beads, swarovski coral pearls, freshwater pearls and sterling silver.

Imperatriz Earrings - krobo beads, swarovski pearls and lemon quartz briolettes.

Yanomami Earrings - krobo beads, freshwater pearls and Thai Hill Tribes silver.

Selva Bracelet (dendroba pattern) - krobo beads, swarovski pearls and sterling silver.

Stay tuned for a preview of the Fall 2010 collection. Expect lots of long, chunky necklaces with a retro feel, stacked pearl bracelets, colorful chandelier earrings, and lots of layered chain elements.

On Becoming Dependent

I start school in less than a week and have been valiantly trying to make these last few days really feel like vacation. In part, I've succeeded. I've slept in, gone running along the water's edge, had bbq's in the backyard with Rico, suntanned, drank beer, read the entire September edition of Vogue, and watched plenty of trash on tv.

However, in between the sun and exercise and celebrity gossip, I've also been working exceptionally hard. I've been preparing tons of new jewelry for a trunk show at a local boutique, and am trying to get my online inventory up in preparation for the holidays. I also did a record number of translations in August and, despite having sworn to myself that I'd take a vacation, just accepted two new assignments yesterday.

Even though Rico has a stable income these days, it's really hard for me to snap out of "freelancer mode". When you are a self-employed consultant, you never know when your next job will appear, or when your clients will get around to paying you for assignments you've already completed. It's a cash flow nightmare, and Rico and I became very good at dealing with the unpredictability. The key? Accept (nearly) every job that comes your way, even if it means you are triple-booked and working 90 hours a week. You never know, you may have to rely on that income for the next four months.

And thus, even though my husband now gets a regular paycheck that covers our living expenses, I still feel compelled to take on work even though I'm supposed to be on vacation or am super busy with school. Part of it is residual consultant mindset, but part is also a matter of pride. For the first time in my life (well, for the first time since I started college and was weaned off the parental financial teat) I am dependent on another person to pay my bills, put me through school, buy my clothes, cover the mortgage, pay for trips and entertainment, etc.

When Rico and I were in the throes of financial uncertainty back in Mozambique - in the good old days when we were just starting to work as consultants, trying to establish a reputation for ourselves, living off $800 a month - I always thought that having someone else take care of your cash flow worries must be the best thing in the world. Certainly, I am blessed that Rico has a great job, and that our situation allows me the luxury of going to art school and following my dream of being a full-time jewelry artist. However, it's been surprisingly difficult for me to accept that I am now financially dependent on Rico and - to make matters worse - not only am I not bringing in a big income, I'm also running up expenses right and left thanks to the astronomical tuition at CCA.

I don't think I ever realized how much of my identity was caught up in being a breadwinner, being financially INdependent, earning a salary that somehow validated my worth as a professional and as a person. It's been hard to admit, and even harder to let go. Even though I'm happier than I've ever been, and wouldn't want to go back to consulting unless truly necessary, part of me still feels like a "failure" because I'm not bringing in an income.

It's a very strange feeling because intellectually, I know this is ridiculous. That my happiness and well-being are worth much more than any silly salary I walked away from. I feel that $100 earned creating and selling a piece of jewelry is much, much sweeter than $10,000 earned doing some bullshit consulting assignment. However, there is part of me - a stubborn, superficial, distorted-feminist part - that feels ashamed to be dependent on someone else.

Rico has been super understanding of my internal struggle, and keeps trying to get the message through my thick head that his salary is OUR money. He reminds me of the times in our past - when he was studying, or sorting out the logistics of our wedding, or taking care of the bureaucracy of buying our house - when his income was zilch and I was bringing in the big bucks. He asks whether I thought about the money I earned during those periods as our money. Of course it was OUR money. "But that was different," I protest. Rico will then look at me with a raised eyebrow and as me how, exactly, it was different. Of course I have no good answer, and we laugh together at my stubbornness.

With each day that passes, it becomes a little easier to accept that I am lucky enough to be in this situation, that I am deserving of the support of my family and that there is no shame in giving up my income in order to pursue my dream. Now if I could only have the gumption to turn away the next translating assignment...

Riots in Maputo

"Six people, including two children, are reported to have been killed during riots in Mozambique's capital, Maputo, over rising food and fuel prices."

Apparently the local population, tired of increases in the price of bread, petrol, water and electricity, took to the streets in a protest that was organized primarily by cell phone. Unfortunately violence erupted, and people who I've spoken with in Maputo today say the situation is still quite chaotic. There are reports of tires burning in the streets, cars being stoned and vandalized, barricades blocking the circulation of vehicles, and even reports of the police firing live rounds into crowds (although supposedly the police only use rubber bullets). Most people are just staying home, hunkering down until the violence draws to an end.

The news today gave me flashbacks to the riots of 2008, which I experienced first-hand and wrote about extensively here and here.

The main problem, as I see it, is that there is no real solution in sight. Prices will continue to increase, salaries will continue to be miserably low, and the root causes of the social and economic inequalities in Mozambique will persist. While I don't condone the violence, I can definitely see how the poor reach a breaking point when their lives are so unimaginably hard, and yet they constantly witness others (i.e. the fat cats associated with the Government and those who thrive on corrupt business practices) driving their luxury cars, living in their 15-room mansions, and acting like they rule the world. Something fundamental has got to give...until then, expect more headlines like today's coming out of Mozambique.