Ghost Orchid Bronze Sculpture

Ghost Orchid 

Bronze Sculpture

The Ghost Orchid aka: Dendrophylax lindenii

The Ghost Orchid intrigues me the most. Books & Blogs have been developed, several novels have been written about it and a Movie, Adaptation with Nicolas Cage & Meryl Streep was based on the book, The Orchid Thief...there is just a lot going on with this particular orchid.

It is perhaps the most revered orchid in the United States, if not the world and It is one of the rarest orchids found only in South Florida, Cuba, and Haiti, most likely existing on other nearby Caribbean islands in addition and I am proud to say, I had the pleasure of seeing this leafless orchid in person!

A great blog for additional information on the Ghost Orchid: http://www.ghostorchid.info/

I sculpted this bronze sculpture in wax, exactly like my jewelry I make and then we cast in piece in Bronze. I added a high polish finish to the front of the flower and a stain finish to the back.

To purchase this piece, go to:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/120468242/ghost-orchid-bronze-sculpture

Ships in 2-3 weeks

Material: High polished solid bronze

Total Height: 9" 

Flower/Spur (stem) Height: 7"

                                    Base: 2" Tall x 4" Wide Square Black Marble Base 

                                       

Cheeca Lodge Seahorse Pendant and Ring

Cheeca Lodge & Spa 

Exclusive Seahorse Collection

New Cheeca Seahorse
Collection

What an honor to be the exclusive designer for the 

Cheeca Lodge & Spa located in Islamorada, Florida.

We will be introducing the Cheeca Seahorse Pendant, Seahorse Ring and coming soon, the Seahorse Earrings & Charm Bracelet

I will post a link as soon as possible!

I'm very excited!!!

Tropical Key West Pendant for Helen

This one is for Helen...

This is what you call a balancing act!

Only 13/4" high this pendant features (6) Heart Shaped Philodendron leaves (1) Philodendron Leaf (1) Palm Leaf (1) Banana Leaf (1) Hibiscus Flower (1) Boulder Opal surrounded by Bamboo

This piece will be cast in 14k Yellow Gold & Sterling Silver...WHEW!

...and matching Earring, of course

Almost finished, these will be cast in SS & 14k Yellow Gold 

to match the pendant.

Scooter, my Treefrog Pendant

My little Scooter is getting a makeover...

Meet Scooter!

I've had the pleasure of sculpting some adorable tree frogs in the past years and needless to say, to pick just one to expand the line on was a difficult decision.  

Scooter is approximately 2" tall but will be reduced to 1 1/8" tall and around 3/4" tall to expand the collection to include a smaller pendant, left & right ear wire earrings as well as an adorable charms for your charm bracelet.

The New Scooter Collection will also be available in 14k Gold & 14k Gold Plated

Available by Feb. 1, 2013

For more information, please contact me at dawnvertrees@gmail.com

I have a new toy!

New Tip for my Kerr Waxer II

Just completed a huge job so I decided to treat myself to a new toy! It's still pretty shiney, haven't had a chance to use it but it's going to help clean out the wax from the back of my cuffs. I'm hoping to find the perfect temperature for scraping the wax out. If too hot, it will just melt through to the front of the cuff but the Shell Cuff has been a labor of love. When you're matching the  design in the shell, you have to get as accurate with the design as possible...you don't want someone saying, What Is It?

Once cast in silver...it's going to be awesome, totally unique!

Seahorse Ring

Personally, I think this is some of my best work!

It was absolutely a joy to sculpt this little guy and have never had so many request to resculpt a piece. This is a one-of-a-kind ring but I do plan on resculpting him with a smaller pearl.

Ocean Reef Martini Glasses

Ocean Reef Martini Glass

Another Design Request...I'm going to make these for myself.

This Martini Glass is made up of Fan Coral, Sea Weed (just a little at the base) 

Plate Coral and two types of branch coral. 

The base, stem and bottom of the glass is all Sterling Silver, 

only the top part is glass. 

September 4, 2012 Update

Slight change to the top, I like this better.

Sorry for the dirty glass, wax is a bit oily.

Still all in the rough but it's coming along nicely.

Sept. 5th.

REDESIGN!!!

Just added up the weight and converted it to silver...OUCH!!!

Here is the new design....

...much lighter and I like it better.

And I love the flow to the base of the glass.

Update: Twig Cuff #1

TWIG CUFF

Hand sculpted branches and tiny vines make up this back to nature design.

I love nature themed jewelry because it takes my mind to another place instantly, just one look at this cuff reminds me of the dogwood trees that line the edge of our forest.  I'm anxiously waiting for the small leafless trees to start budding in the spring. Once they start to bloom, the tiny flowers resemble delicate white lace that trims a cold black forest, an excitement that leads to the beginning of spring.

True to nature, I've included little vines on my cuff and although vines do not grow on our dogwood trees, they live together in nature. In NC, we have a large sweet grape called a Muscadine Grape Vine. Once winter comes and the leaves drop off the Dogwoods, you'll notice that these vines have had a grand time sharing space with our trees. Little curly vines wrapping themselves around the branches as if they grew together trying to catch the warm rays of spring. 

So, if you look at our Dogwood Trees quickly while heading down the highways, no, they do not bear fruit even though it may look that way.

For more information as well as addition photos, 

please visit my online store at Etsy.

Twig Cuff

Single Whale Tail Ring

I love this Ring!

I call this a ring a "Ring and a Half"

The cool thing about this ring is that it's a high quality adjustable ring.

Seahorse & Pearl Design

Seahorse with Pearl
Design Request

Sterling Silver Seahorse with a Rhodium Finish and a 16.5mm Tahitian Pearl,
I would love to see an antique finish on this ring.


Day 1

Thought you might like to see 1 day in the sculpting process.
It's taking shape and I'm getting a bit more confident that he will have tons of personality once completed.

You are not seeing the whole picture, I removed his pearl and the part of his tail that holds it close to him. He's very tiny, my customer loves big rings but only has a size 5.5 finger...
anyway, more later.

Shell & Fan Coral Pendant Design

Shell & Sea Fan Design

I worked so hard on this design but yet I draw a dorky starfish on it...

sometimes I wonder about me.

I love textures and colors so I choose a satin finished shell with black 

Rhodium Fan Coral with a solid 14k yellow gold Starfish.

Sea Shell Cuff - Murex Shell Art

The Murex Shell
My Inspiration Piece

Known for their spectacular frills and spines, you can see why I was drawn to this piece,

the design and texture are pretty awesome.

My husband and I both saw a cuff in this shell and it was just a matter of finding the time between sketches and casting to sculpt a new piece.

I think you can see where I'm going with this, before I added the holes it looked more 

like a Sea Hare, So I quickly cut out the holes and photographed it. 

I have a couple of projects I'm working on today, but in the morning I should have more of the ridges and points carved into this piece, right now I'm still building the wax up.

Day 2 Progress

I think you can see where this is going...

...this is where "silver" sheet wax would come in handy for visualizing this peace before spending a week carving on this ugly green wax.

Day 3

Not much I can say, still carving away but at this point I'm starting to bond with the piece and I'm starting to add character...this was someones home, it has history.

My Side Kick Lexi

Lexi

Just finished fine tuning 7 pieces to cast on Tuesday, my cat is exhausted!!!

...now look closer 

Such a drama queen, I think she's telling me it's 5 o'clock NOW!

Green Sea Anemone

On the National Geographic website this morning and I am now eyeing the Green Sea Anemone photographed by Jens Troeger ...but why not, look at this photo... It's oozing with personality and it's saying, I'm your next RING!!! 

Thank goodness for great photographers! Because this in my opinion is a great pic!

Additional Underwater Shots

New Whale Tail Rings

Extreme Whale Tail Ring...my Favorite!

I started yesterday morning sculpting a whale tail ring (one on the right)
and before I could finish, I started on the middle one, while
both were still in the rough, I started on a third Whale Tail Ring. 

Hmm, I'm thinking a cuff is needed.

I love the look of this one, the larger whale tail is the moms
and of course the smaller Whale Tail is her baby. I like a little story about
my pieces while I sculpt them.

I'll try to finish these up today and start the casting process on Tuesday and then add them to my Etsy Shop.

All three are adjustable! Love that part!

Too Precious To Wear Pledge

I know there are a lot of wonderful designers out there that visit my blog, so why not take the time to take the coral pledge and show your support not to purchase our precious corals to use in jewelry, clothing, decor or accessories.

Hand Sculpted
Sea Fan & Starfish

Take the Pledge Here

SeaWeb
For today's happy Friday we're showing ocean love to coral with this snapshot from inside our office. The striking coral design on these hand fans created for the Too Precious to Wear campaign keep you cool in the heat, which is just what corals need. Climate change and ocean acidification are putting excessive pressure on corals and the global trade of coral isn't helping either. One small thing you can do to prevent corals from deteriorating is to pledge not to buy or sell any coral or coral products. Take the coral pledge and show your support: www.seaweb.org/TPTW/pledge.php

Coupon Sale! 10% OFF plus Free Shipping

I'm having a SALE!

10% off plus FREE Priority Shipping

My Etsy Store

Use Coupon Code:

"JULY10"

Lost Objects Dogwood Cuff

Dogwood Bracelet
Sterling Silver with Natural Stones

My husband and I just moved back to North Carolina and while unpacking the boxes, he found a satin bag with about 15 pieces of some of my original work from 2007-2008 when I was working under a Master Jeweler.


With each piece I sculpted he would turn into a lesson, this one was setting stones and showing me how to make a hinge for my bracelet. Volker would teach me how to make good jewelry, techniques from the past to the present.


For more information as well as other piece I have added, check out my Etsy Shop for 5 additional pieces from the past.

Like me on Facebook

Amy, a friend of mine brought up my Facebook Page on her computer as well as my computer and just seeing it that way, I was really embarrassed. It looked awful, no header, old picture...it was pretty sad. So today...I'm going to clean up my act and I hope you like the changes once you visit my Facebook Page.

                    

My Facebook Page

New Thank You Cards

My New Thank You Cards Personalized!

I went shopping today for new cards.
I wanted a pretty card just to thank you for purchasing my jewelry but I was
looking for something that I could also personalize,
So went into Michaels, just to see what they had.

I saw stamps, ribbon, Zot Dots (?) a lot of stuff from Martha Stewart, stickers, markers, cutters, and puncher to make cute flower cards...but not me.

So I grabbed the ribbon, tissue, grabbed some blank cards, and about 5 markers and I was out of there but still clueless.

Sat in my studio (my cat is eyeing the ribbon) ...I love sketching, love designing, so I thought...I'll sketch out a quick
Jewelry design and sign it for my customers. Inside I can add my notes...

I hope my customers like them, I like them...it's just me.

*The design is actually based on my very first sketch, a style I have used many times to create my asymmetrical necklaces.

2007 Art Clay World Contest Piece and its production.

Tree Frog Pendant - LuLu

I should post more of these but this one was so special to me and 

I think once you read it, you'll agree.

Dearest Dawn,

I just received Lulu and she is truly magnificent !!!!
My daughter and I are speechless. I have many frog pendants but this one is a 

true work of art.

Hibiscus have a very special meaning to me and now I have 2 of the works of 

art from Mother Nature combined.

I feel like you created Lulu just for me. (egocentric as that sounds)

She will be appreciated and loved.

Thanks so much!

Fondly,

J. in Texas

LuLu has a good home in Texas!

My Third Hand for Sculpting

Sculpting in soft wax has its pluses and minuses. The plus, I love sculpting wax rather than carving hard wax with a Flexshaft that sounds like a dentist drill, annoying when you're trying to design.

Now the Minuses, because most lost wax artist, carve their waxes instead of sculpting them, they have a nice selection of tools to choose from including Turret Holders for their metal mandrels.

As a "soft wax sculptor" (that's my new title) I don't need an iron mandrel because I don't bang on wax. Fabricators bang on metal so they need a heavy mandrel plus a steady holder...I just need a holder. Plus, wood mandrels are awesome, it's lightweight and to be honest, I like the design in the wood, kind of earthy.

Another pet peeve of mine...Wolf Carving Waxes that have a Gold Color instead of the traditional ugly green & blue sheet and wire waxes that I use. My customers could visualize their jewelry a lot better if I could show them their sculpted jewelry in gold wax.

BUT, thank goodness I have a husband who's very handy with the tools & wood. He has built so many tools, holders, and benches for me. 

Work Bench Vise

What am I working on? My new Starfish and Fan Coral Cuff Bracelet

And this is Lexi, she is my Lynx Point Siamese Kitten,
always there to lend a hand.

Sterling Silver Starfish Ring Up Side Down Ring

 

Sterling Silver Starfish Ring Up Side Down Ring - Adjustable!
Available to Ship August, 8, 2012 (see note below)

I'm pretty sure this little guy was posing for the camera. That one little tentacle standing up with a flip at the end is just a tease but I also love the second photo showing the side of the ring...that's just cool. I really love sculpting starfish rings, I feel they come alive when I start roughing out my wax...the personality starts coming out immediately. I laugh when I see my Starfish creations...I'm a grandmother and yet, I think starfish tentacles are cool!

Also, because I make jewelry that is a bit weighty, I can make good adjustable rings...so to change the size you'll need to put a little finger muscle into it. So please add your ring size (close as possible) and I will size your ring prior to shipping.

This piece can be blackened like my other Starfish Ring at: Starfish Ring - Blackened
...I personally love both concepts, silver and blackened. Just send me a convo with your preference.Sizes Available: 5-9 (showing a 9)
Materials: Solid Sterling Silver 92.5 Tarnish Resistant Sterling Silver
Free Priority Shipping & Tracking.Please Note: Due to Studio Move and Vacation,
this item is available to ship Aug. 8, 2012

$150.00

Purchase Here