More Metal and New Designs

 Heading into my second year with the Port Townsend gallery and nearly a year with the second venue in Uptown.  It's been a good year but I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon.  

I made some new pieces out of bronze for the gallery and tried some new foldform designs for copper.

These two cuffs are bronze.  Harder to work with, not as flexible as copper, takes longer to heat up for the folding process, but it has a lovely warm look in the end.  A subtle gold comes through on the lines when sanded.

These two necklaces are new designs in foldform copper.  The top image has some interesting pieces of brown turquoise and tumbled citrine added.  

I'm also using a new technique for the finish.  Instead of going with whatever scale comes through after all the heating and cooling, I'm now cleaning the metal with the homemade pickle solution of vinegar and salt, giving me a clean and mostly consistent color.  I can then either heat patina or use Liver of Sulfur for the final finish. 

I reopened my Etsy shop in March of this year hoping to add more revenue for this side gig.  It hasn't generated the income I was looking for however.  Apparently the pandemic exploded the cottage industry and now the market is saturated, online anyway.  Galleries and gift shops aren't thriving again yet either, but the economy fluctuates constantly anyway.  I'm sure we'll see a return to art buying.

Meanwhile I shall shuffle along in my little studio creating, because that's what I enjoy doing.  

Retiring Photography

 It's been a long and lovely road taking pictures for black and white fine art.

I began my journey in 1976 when I got my first 35mm camera.  What an eye opening experience!  What fun!  Years followed and rolls and rolls of film.  In the early 80's I took a class and learned a little more about shooting but was also introduced to the darkroom.  I was hooked!  But it wasn't until 1984 when I began my four year education at TESC in Olympia, WA. that I got a chance to really experience printing my own work.

College was great for me, it gave me the place and discipline to learn how to create and explore how to make it a business.  I wanted an art gallery to showcase other's art as well as my own.  I graduated in 1989 with a BA in Liberal Arts.

About 1991 I was offered an opportunity to remodel a space into an art gallery and run it, all on my own!  It was a small town outside of Olympia, but I was delighted.  In a few months Cove Gallery was open.  I joined the local art club and applied to the Shelton City Art Commission.  I met all the local artists and began showing their work.  I recruited folks from TESC before they graduated and even had a few high school art shows.  The local paper was very generous to share all our happenings too, through affordable ads.

My experience on the Art Commission was extremely valuable, it helped me understand art's place in government through installations and projects.  We started the first Art Walk in town too. I served as President on the Art Commission and as a board member of the local art club.

In the late 90's I moved out the Hood Canal.  I was drawn to the beauty of nature there.  I continued to create photography and enter shows but it wasn't until late 2005 that I had another opportunity to run a gallery in a tiny space, but on the main street of Hoodsport.  Dancing Moon Art Collective was born!  I knew exactly how to set it up and run it, based on my success at Cove Gallery.

For just over two years I showcased local artists, had monthly featured artists, and even added espresso the second year.  

Most of the work I created has been sold through shows and galleries.  After the second gallery closed I was never very successful at selling my work online.   Although I did market and sell greeting cards and calendars regularly.  

So last month I assessed my situation and decided to call it quits.  I gave it thirty years!  I ceremoniously burned all my negatives.  I got that idea from Edward Weston I think it was, who did that in his later life.  Of course it wasn't as big a deal for me as the last 20 years have mostly been digital.  But those went too.  All that's left are a few back up files for my own use.

I closed my Facebook business page for Jeni Gray Photography and made a little announcement in my last post on that Instagram account.  I'll close the Etsy shop Olympic Art Studio, soon too.
The last will be my print on demand website at Fine Art America.  I will be narrowing down those images to their free account rate soon.  So if there was ever a Jeni Gray picture you've wanted, now is the time to grab it at https://j-gray.pixels.com .

Thank you friends, family and supporters over the years.  My heart is full.  I have no regrets and have lived my dream for the most part.  Perhaps after I retire from my day job I'll find myself volunteering again or working in an art gallery.