Jewelry Maker Renae Erickson

Jewelry makers are a special breed of individuals who have the fortitude and tenacity to bend the will of raw materials to fit their vision. The result of their works are ornate creations made for decorating a person which gives birth to an individual style. My friend Renae is a jewelry makers who uses fire, metal clamps, resin, hardware tools, presses, etc... to create perfectly simple yet complex and artfully quaint gems that highlight the people wearing them. She carefully considers the design of each piece to ensure that the jewelry complements the fashion for the owner. Her pieces are bold but not overly done. It has taken many years for her to hone her skills making her work unique and sharp. Here are some pictures of her jewelry designs below:

Filigree Rings

 

 Earrings

Cherry Blossoms in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Cherry Blossoms in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Damask in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Vintage Swarovski crystal on antiqued bras

Vintage Bakelite Art Deco centerpieces with rhinestone; Clear Swarovski crystals; Green faceted Onyx Briolette; antiqued brass

Swarovski briolettes; red Garnet; Brass

Brilliant works of art Renae! rdecojewelry@gmail.com

The Cow Jumped Over the Moooooo...n!

6:00 a.m.

6:15a.m.

6:30a.m.

Four Shots from the Four Corners

I was out on the on the east side and I caught this brilliant shot of the picturesque mountains in the background and the homes that sit at it's foot.

On the south side, the rain ceased for a moment allowing me the opportunity to capture a shot of the Queen's palace.

 

It is 7:46a.m. and I'm on the west side for business and a plane passes overhead. 

 

I hugged a tree when I got to the north and this was my view.

Blue Jeans on a Dryer

This is the watercolor that I painted of the pair of jeans. It's drying on my dryer. Below is a close up.

Jeans on a Wire

 

A sketch and a study of a pair of jeans.

Where to keep an Elephant?

 

The answer to the title is, "in the kitchen." I picked up this little elephant bottle opener at SF MOMA. It is a fun decorative piece that doubles as a conversation piece. The trunk and front feet pops open non-twist bottle caps, and the back fits over the twist-off caps. It is functional ApArTmEnT ArT.

The Art of a Moist Christmas Rum Cake

 Train Bundt Cake Pan

My gift during the Christmas season are rum cakes to family, friends, and co-workers, and now to you. I have no secrets, so here is the recipe:

Ingredients: 1 box of yellow cake mix, 1 box of vanilla jello pudding, 1/2 stick of butter, rum (preferably Meyer's Dark Rum), Pam, 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar), 4 eggs, 1/3 cup corn oil, 1/3 cup water, and candy (optional.)

Equipment needed: Mixing bowl, egg beater, bundt pan, sauce pan or small pot

Instructions: Empty the box of yellow cake mix and the box of vanilla jello pudding in a mixing bowl, add in the four large eggs, 1/3 cup of water, 1/3 cup of rum, and 1/3 cup corn oil. Beat with the egg beater until the batter turns to a thick consistency with no lumps. Spray the pan with Pam on non-stick oil spray. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and set into oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. If using a shallow pan, then bake for 35 minutes.

For the glaze, pour 1/2 cup of rum into a sauce pan and heat until it bubbles, lower the heat and throw in 1/2 stick of butter (cubed). As the butter melts, add in confectioner's sugar slowly and stir until it is all melted.

Let the bundt cake cool too the touch and poke holes at the top of the cake with a fork. The top of the cake will eventually be the bottom once it is emptied out of the pan. Turn the pan over and place the cake on a flat dish and drizzle the glaze over the entire cake. Of course you can adjust the rum in the glaze to your taste! Decorate with candy if you prefer. Merry Christmas!

My Pans

Merry Christmas

 

 As Christmas nears, I'm behind schedule with gifts and cards. That is because I'm too busy painting and blogging. Ha ha ha! At least the designs are holiday cheer images. Perhaps I should print a stack and send them out as belated thoughts of season's greetings. Or should I send them out next year as early holiday wishes in 2011?

Vette Tail Light

As I was roaming the wonderful neighborhood of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, I strolled near an old corvette that I so admired. I had my 35mm Canon FT manual camera made in 1966 and a box of Tri-X 100 ISO black and white film. I snapped several shots and later developed the film and printed copies in a darkroom on acid free paper. I have a print of this in my living room. I have one copy that I'm offering on etsy. Click here for more info.

Rain Rain Rain

Although some may say, "rain, rain, go away," I say, "rain, rain, let it stay." I am grateful for the wet weather for providing the opportunity for fun fotos.

Blown up to 5x7 images these would be wonderful bathroom art!

Eat Drink Laugh

Taken with Velvia 100 Film

Chinatown Boardroom

 

 Enoki the Boardroom Bulldog

The Chinatown Boardroom is a neat little space that pairs artwork with surfing and surfboards. It may seem odd at first but the concept of putting an art gallery and a surf shop together does work well. Owners Eric and Jackie and their friendly Bulldog Enoki have splashed color in a small space that flow like the tides. Upon stumbling in, there are photos from local photographers, prints from local print makers and even a couple of signed pieces from Shepard Fairey the contemporary artist/designer. The prices are reasonable and the art depicts the culture of surfing. They have a wide range of gift items ranging from wallets with edgy designs to ceramics Buddah Butter holders. There is a modest selection of surfboards and fins for the surfing enthusiast and some jewelry too.  We met with writer Stuart Coleman from the Oahu Surfrider Foundation who was doing a signing for his books "Eddie Would Go" and "Fierce Heart" at the Chinatown Boardroom.  Yeah, what a treat!

Acrylic Print by Roan Bennett

We purchased the above waffle cone print by Roanah Bennett which will be a nice addition to the art in our kitchen. You can find different artwork nearly every month at the quaint space of the Chinatown Boardroom. They share the same philosophy as Apartment Art which is to live large and live rich in  small spaces by rotating art and being simple.

Pictures from Mark's Garage on Slow Art Friday

Harp Performance

Glass  Exhibition 1

Glass Exhibition 2

Slow Art Friday

Slow Art Friday

 

The ARTS at Marks Garage

The Arts at Marks Garage is a gem for Honolulu's Chinatown art scene. Located in the heart of downtown, it is the pulse for promoting upcoming and well known local artists. As a non-profit gallery, it has been the leading advocate for culture and the arts, and for the revitalization of Chinatown. The quality of the artwork in Honolulu has improved tremendously over the last decade and a major contributing factor is Marks Garage. They continue to focus on showing the work from Honolulu's local artists. Other galleries that have emerged have also supported this art movement.

Tomorrow evening is Slow Art Friday and Marks Garage is featuring local glass artists for it's exhibition. The public is invited for a fun art walk through downtown Honolulu where unique artwork can be purchased as one of a kind Christmas gifts.

Sculptures by Angelica Reyes

Hog Board

Hog Cutting Board

Today's post is about functional art, specifically a cutting board. This simple piece is a slab of wood cut into a shape of a pig. It serves as an art piece when it is not being used, as a cutting board, and as a serving tray for cheese, chocolates, salami, or bite size h'orderves. It stands proudly over our sink.

The Guardian of the Sink

The side with the insignia is used for slicing meats like beef, chicken, fish or God forbid pork! Yikes!

Side of Cutting Board Used for Slicing Meats

The other side with no mark, is used for slicing fruits, vegetables, breads, or as a serving tray. Cheers!