Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Birthdays and Art Milestones

Two of the people I love the very very very most in this world had birthdays in the last few days. We've enjoyed celebrating, keeping it low key.

All Rico wanted for his birthday was a lap full of cats. Not really, but that's what he is stuck with!

I love this photo of my mom that I took in Les Baux this summer when we went to France.

Speaking of milestones, my senior show went up one year ago today. When I stop to think about all that has happened, I feel profoundly overwhelmed. Grateful, excited, tired, bittersweet, hopeful, sad. What a ride.

One thing that makes me very happy is that I continue to make work in the vein of my senior show (Origins & Routes). Working with repurposed heirlooms, collectibles, and found objects is what I feel most strongly expresses my voice. I'll be showing new work this week...fitting timing.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

What's been going on lately

A lot, really. The gallery (the showroom is now a gallery, btw. linguistic obsessions...) Anyhow, the gallery has been on several people's radar lately, including the Chamber of Commerce. I had a visit from Jamie the other day, which was really nice. She is a big fan of Kina, so was super excited to see Emi's work in the gallery.

 I've been heavily involved in organizing a community event called Point to Point. We are reinventing and reimagining our community, connecting the (red) dots, and having a lot of fun with pop-ups, performances, collaborations, and impromptu everything. Oh, look! I have red dots in my gallery already! Find out more here. Join us if you're in town!

I've been making new work. Here's a piece called "You make me happy when skies are gray." It is composed of repurposed brooches and treasure components found in my grandmother's drawers in Italy and collected as a child, a woven golden grass disc (capim dourado, Brasil), and a copper and sterling silver backplate and prongs. It is a brooch and also a wall piece.

I've also been working on a custom project. It has to do with polo and voyages and championships. It's been a lot, and I just finished it, and I feel relieved and excited and tired.


We went to Takoma Park (Washington, DC) to visit our very best group of Moz friends (minus a few good ladies and gentlemen, of course, but geography and babies make it hard.) Still, a reunion happened.

Here we are, being silly on the street before dinner. My friend Kyle joined us later, an old friend who I met in college (the first time around) in Albuquerque. It's good to be with old friends. Not "old"friends...Old. old. OLD. OLDOLDOLD. WHATEVER. You know.

London-São Paulo-Scotland-Geneva-Maputo-DC-Sweden-Solomons-Cariocas-New Mexico-California selfie 

People drank a lot of tea. And gin. And ate lots of cake and oysters. 

We had some silly times.

Some fancy times.

Some happy times.

It really was. And it was the best.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

abre os olhos / open your eyes

Jewelry: Ali Amaro layered with Ibo Island silver filigree. Photography and Styling: Ali Amaro. Model: Bárbara Albuquerque. Sculpture in background from Papua New Guinea. On location in Point Richmond, California. 
The discomfort of taking a risk, seeing through new eyes, reaching beyond what is obvious...
Often difficult, always worth it. 

Monday, April 07, 2014

You can take a girl out of New Mexico...

I'm excited to share that two of my bolo ties and a letter to the editor have been included in this month's Lapidary Journal / Jewelry Artist magazine. Check it out! (click the photo to enlarge)