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

 

 

Sterling Silver Branch Coral Ring

Sterling Silver Branch Coral Ring

Adjustable!
Today I signed a pledge not to use Real Coral in my jewelry. In my earlier years I used real pink and red corals, but since I have started my Ocean Collection, I have gained a deep respect for our oceans.

"Too Precious To Wear" was a pledge started by SeaWeb.Org .
Jewelers and Designers such as Tiffany's, Lilly Pulitzer, Stephen Webster, Nicole Miller, Me&Ro, and now me, we pledge not to use real corals. See the whole list here:

Designers who made the Pledge

Corals need your help. Found throughout the world, these animals are threatened by climate change, ocean acidification, pollution and increasingly, consumer demand. Reducing the impact on precious, deep-sea coral varieties that frequently are used for jewelry or decorative objects is one area that can easily be addressed by conscientious consumers and those in the jewelry industry.

There is hope. By refusing to use real coral in jewelry or home décor, we can help protect these species. By exercising your right as a consumer, designer or jewelry retailer, you can reduce the pressure these species face, allowing their populations to recover.

Now, about this ring...My designs are free-form, I re-create nature and nature is not symmetrical. My father, a wild life painter always told me, nothing in nature grows straight. So I have combined two types of branch corals in this ring.

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. Reserve your Branch Coral Ring in our shop here Today!

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 

Artist in the making...

McKenna's Fish

I put a frame around this picture because it deserves one. 

My granddaughter, age 6 drew this fish.

Personally, I was blown away when her mother, Sandra gave it to me. 

The hearts, the cute kissing lips, the fins as well as her frame around her 

cute little fish....I see so much potential.

I think we are seeing the next artist in the family, although 

with three grandchildren, I think we will see more.

I think I want this on my coffee mug, it just makes me smile.

Thank you Mckenna for making me smile everyday.

Stingray Ring

Stingray Ring

Sterling Silver Stingray Ring - Adjustable!

Available to Ship July 31, 2012 (see note below)

I was working on a three foot glass Stingray when I thought, this would make an awesome ring design so I started Goggling Stingray rings, and guess what?...they were not many out there, actually I found ONE! Totally different than mine but I was blown away by the popularity of the Stingray...but hardly any rings were out there available to purchase, well anyway, I started sculpting my wax model and now it's here. 

One cool thing that I've been doing for several years now, is making my rings adjustable. I don't make lightweight rings so making adjustable rings works great. To adjust them you need to get a good grip to tighten the ring or loosen the ring so please give me a ring size if you can so that I can adjust the ring on my metal mandrel before I ship. 

This is also a great middle finger ring

Size: Wing Span is 1 3/8" wide

Sizes Available: 5-9

Materials: Solid Sterling Silver 92.5 Tarnish Resistant Sterling Silver

Free Priority Shipping & Tracking.

$93.00

Visit my online shop for more views.

Please Note: Due to Studio Move and Vacation, this item is available to ship July 31, 2012

Sterling Silver Ginkgo Ring with Seeds

Ginkgo Ring

Sterling Silver Ginkgo Ring with Seeds

I'm wearing this one as I write, It's Super Unique!

When I sat down to sculpt this ring, I download a lot of pictures of Ginkgo leaves and what I noticed about the leaves is that they are in clusters and they have the coolest seeds. So I sculpted three leaves and then added three seeds as a center piece for the ring. I put a satin finish on the leaves and then put a high polish on the seeds, which now look like little silver pearls.

One each side of the ring, I sculpted six very small Ginkgo leaves and added three leaves to each side of the ring shank. This ring came together beautifully, can't wait to make another one.

Also, we use a tarnish resistance sterling casting grains when we cast my pieces, they call this De-Oxidized 92.5 Sterling Silver, it's a bit more pricey but you'll love the non-resistance feature.

$149.00


Materials: 92.5 Sterling Silver
Finish: High Polished and Satin Finish
Size: little over an 11/8" wide x 7/8" wide
Current Size is 7.5
Please specify your ring size when ordering and allow 10 days to ship.

Hand Sculpted Sea Shell Ring - Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver Sea Shell Ring - And I LOVE THIS RING!

It is soooo me, I guess that's why I made it. It's awesome on the middle finger but you can wear it on the ring finger just as well, it just sits there on my finger as if it lived there.

While visiting Charleston, SC, between Art Shows, Don & I went shopping on Kings Street down by the water, and they had shells galore (...and Truffles), anyway...I was picking them up for the cool lumps & bumps until I saw this shell...I put it on my finger and said, now that's a ring. It took me a while to figure out how to sculpt it but after a month of staring at this little shell, it came to me. One week later of melting, scraping & dripping wax...this is what I have created.

If your noticing the oval holes in the back, this is part of my Signature Design called FUSION Ocean Jewelry Collection. It represents Fan Coral that has fused itself into the shell. I do not cast the actual shells, corals, twigs, or flowers in my work, I am a lost wax artist. I sculpt wax to make a model and then cast the model in either Sterling Silver, Gold or Bronze. There is no wax left, it melts out in our Investment, so what your seeing is 100% Sterling Silver.

Size: Total height on the finger is 1/5" x 1 1/3" wide (widest point)

Materials: Sterling Silver

Price: $239.00


Or if you would like to see some additional shots, other jewelry of mine, please visit my other online store

Note: Please allow 3 weeks to make your ring based on your ring size, so please make sure you specify size when you check out.

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy my art.
--
Dawn Vertrees Jewelry Designer
dawnvertrees@gmail.com
www.dawnvertrees.com

Personalized Twig & Flower Name

"Missy"

Personalized Name and Flower Necklace, a One of a Kind Custom Name Necklace

As a special request from my daughter, I have created a special Custom Name Pendant with a little twist, a cute little flower. It was the perfect Dot for the "I" in my daughters name. She loved it so much, we've decided to share this adorable necklace with you.

Materials: Solid 92.5 Sterling Silver with Non-Tarnishing Rhodium Plated (Polished)
Flower: Solid 92.5 Sterling Silver with 14k Yellow Gold Plated (Highly Polished)
Chain: Custom length in either Sterling Silver or Gold Plated

To start the process on yours,

Start Here!



Tree Frog Jewelry - Coupon SALE this week.



DawnVertrees' Shop Announcement

               
COUPON SALE! This week, it's Tree Frog Mania. I just completed several new Tree Frog Pendants including some with little semi-precious stones on their backs and a few with enameling. The sale will start on Tuesday for Pendants Only.

A Coupon Code "TREEFROG10" will give you an additional 10% off all Tree Frog Pendants. This sale does not include our Tree Frog rings due to sizing but, if your ring size is available as shown...you may add the 10% OFF Coupon.

SHOP NOW!

Thanks again,
Dawn

Dawn Vertrees Jewelry Designer/Sculptor
www.dawnvertrees.com

Ocean Reef Dog Tags

A little play on the Dog Tag idea...

...I was working on a Ocean Reef project when this popped into my head,

I just couldn't move forward until I sculpted this piece.

In person...it's pretty cool.

I plan on casting this one which will be available in Sterling Silver and then by sculpting different Corals, Starfish or adding a stone, each Ocean Tag will be unique.

Available for pre-ordering on my online shop.

$79.00

Size: Overal Height 2" high by 7/8" wide

Materials: Solid Sterling Silver

Free shipping & tracking as always.

Chain not included.

Note: Available to ship July 31, 2012