PB & Jewelry

ETSY

2011-05-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

I now have pieces in my ETSY shop! ETSY is an amazing online marketplace where you will find just about anything handmade or vintage. This is my first step in having my pieces for sale online and I am slowly adding pieces to the shop so check it often. Please feel free to give me feedback or suggestions about my work or selling in general.

-Paige

Skirt! Magazine

2011-05-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

I was flipping through Knoxville's Skirt! Magazine while out a few weeks ago for my birthday and came across my 'Tea Time' neckpiece in a feature about the Diva Fashion Show.

Fun Stuff

2011-05-12T12:17:00.000-04:00

After having a booth set up at the fashion show I made a list of print materials and displays that I wanted to create for future events. The first thing I did was order stickers for packaging from moo.com. I'm working on postcards and eventually lookbooks. I'm hoping that one day I will have actual seals, wouldn't that be awesome?

Diva Luncheon

2011-04-20T12:38:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I participated in the Dogwood Arts Festival Diva Luncheon and Fashion Show that was held at the Foundry in downtown Knoxville. I had a booth set up where I had my jewelry for sale and I also had two pieces in the fashion show that was held during the luncheon. The luncheon was lots of fun and everyone looked beautiful in their diva attire.

Here are the beautiful ladies who modeled my pieces in the fashion show. The first piece is my 'Big Top' Neckpiece made from fabric and chased copper and the second piece is 'Tea Time' made from crochet yarn, broken dishes and sterling silver. I am so proud to say that my 'Tea Time' neckpiece was awarded Honorable mention in Accessories! All of the handmade jewelry and clothing were absolutely beautiful and made for a wonderful show.

Fashion Show Pieces

2011-04-12T09:05:00.000-04:00

If you are familiar with my work you have already seen these pieces; I just wanted to share what will be a part of the Dogwood Arts Fashion Show.

Crow's Nest Photography

2011-04-08T13:18:00.000-04:00

Brittany over at Crow's Nest Photography took some wonderful photos of my work recently, including the one in my new banner. You can also find Crow's Nest Photography on Facebook; she does beautiful wedding and portrait photography. I am so happy with how the photos came out!

I am going to have all of these pieces at my booth at the Dogwood Arts Diva Luncheon April, 19.

Kick up your heels

2011-04-06T17:01:00.000-04:00

I am very excited to announce that I will be participating in the Dogwood Arts Diva Luncheon! A few of my pieces are going to be in the fashion show and I will also have a booth set up selling my work. Now to find the perfect pair of shoes to wear!

Alphabet Soup

2011-03-29T22:50:00.000-04:00

'Alphabet Soup' is my newest collection of initial pendants that were created using laser cut wood. They are a simple everyday pendant that looks great layered with other necklaces.

All the pieces laid out.

I had to cut the wood pieces in half because they were too tall for the bezels.

Almost done!

The finished product.

New Collection in progress

2011-03-21T14:10:00.000-04:00

Happy spring!! I hope it is as beautiful where you are as it is here in Knoxville. It has been in the 70s for the past few days and I love every degree. I love the heat and sun and the only thing that could make this time of year any better would be if I was typing this from the beach!

I have been working on my new collection for a while and it has taken some trial and error (I didn't get exactly what I wanted the first time around). It is a lot different designing a collection using the computer as a tool but it also allows me to do some amazing things. Above is a screenshot of the work I've done on the computer. This file is sent off to a laser cutter and depending on what kind of line you see, the laser either cuts or etches. I've chosen wood to use for this particular collection but you can get a wide variety of materials. The company I use even added 3D printing recently!

One down.

2010-08-26T13:16:00.000-04:00

I added some gold leaf to the pages before setting them, here's one that I finished. I still have lots to go! I may add a few different pendants to one necklace, I'm really liking the layered look right now.

Ransom Notes

2010-08-24T22:46:00.000-04:00

I've started to revisit some work that I did when I was in Lacoste, France. I take old books, layer the pages and set them under plexi. The finished product it simple but elegant and vintage-y. Here's the work in progress, I'm going to let the layers dry and work on them more tomorrow.

Commited

2010-07-22T08:50:00.001-04:00

For my thesis at SCAD I did work based on the seven deadly sins. I created sculptural elements accompanied by photographs that I took. I love work that is very conceptual and allows the viewer to use their opinion and views of the subject to understand the pieces. I wanted to share one of the pieces from my show. I used my feet for this particular piece, all the other pieces were cast from different peoples feet. I had my show with a few other fellow Metals and Jewelry students at an old meat packing building. This ended up being a fantastically creepy venue for this collection of work. I'm thinking about reprinting the images and selling them as a set (The image shown is Gluttony.)

-Paige

Lasers

2010-07-18T11:28:00.000-04:00

I am working on laser cut wood for a collection and I am currently editing files to be cut. I absolutely loved this process when I was at SCAD. When I get the actual pieces I will document the process from computer files to finished piece.

But until then here's a ring that I made last summer for my most wonderful boss in Savannah! It is a silver lotus ring with a heat patina that gives the color in the piece. It's very large and covers almost all of the fingers.

-Paige

Creative Overload

2010-07-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

In the months since my residency I have started a new job that I enjoy and finally gotten into a routine. I have so many ideas for my business, for new collections and I am very excited to see what the future brings! I just need to focus on finishing one thing at a time instead of becoming overwhelmed by everything and not getting things done. So this post is for you to know what exciting things to expect and for me to have a to-do list of sorts.

Coming Soon!

New website
Work on Etsy
Work in a store near you (or me)!
More blog posts

Everyday Adorned Artist Statement

2010-05-09T17:28:00.001-04:00

This collection was inspired by the age-old housewife stereotype. As empowered women we need to be more thankful for what the women before us accomplished; I’m not proposing another bra-burning revolution, but a universal sisterhood.
Feminism of post-world war II decades profoundly transformed the lives of women in the United States as throughout the world. It brought about upheavals in law and the customs of everyday life, and altered the consciousness of women themselves. Since then not too much has been done in the name of feminism.
More women than men now achieve higher education in American universities; women are more empowered, enabled, and independent than ever before in our country. Women continue to average lower-paying jobs, higher childcare responsibility and costs, more economic dependence, and an almost non-existent voice in politics. Strides have been made that put American women on the forefront of female equality, but the war is by no means won, and it is in part the fault of the women themselves.
Everyday Adorned is a tongue-in-cheek statement about women’s roles in the home and how they once were seen as a kind of accessory to the home. All of the pieces are an extravagant extension of a household item or created using an item from the home. The cameos are meant to represent everywoman, mom, grandma, or any other strong woman in our lives and are meant to be a reminder of the strife they suffered so we can be where we are today.

It is time for a new wave in feminism. We can no longer base our goals on problems of the past but must change them to fit the needs of the present and of the
future. One important trait of the modern feminist is an increase in self-awareness that will empower us to have a greater impact on those around us. The power of a woman to choose what she wants to become; be it housewife, mother, doctor, artist, or president, is the power to become whatever she dreams.

More photos from 'Everyday Adorned'

2010-04-27T21:07:00.000-04:00

Everyday Adorned

2010-03-09T18:48:00.000-05:00

The opening reception for my show "Everyday Adorned" was Friday and everything went great! I want to thank everyone who helped me set up, gave me inspiration and support, or just showed up. My parents were a HUGE help in getting the space set up and my Mom made some delicious treats for the reception. I had some amazing articles and reviews in various Knoxville papers last week. Like the Metro Pulse and Knoxville News Sentinel.

Now that my show is up that means I just have a month left as the Artist-in-Residence. The past six months have gone by so fast!

If you're interested in checking out the show you still have time! Just click on the images of my postcard for more information about hours and location.

No Sleep till Baltimore!

2010-02-24T07:11:00.000-05:00

I've been working extra hard to get pieces finished for my show, I'm going to Baltimore this weekend for ACC, a Craft show that I'm checking out. I thought it would be a good idea to see if these kinds of Craft shows are something that I would want to do in the future. I'm meeting up with a friend from SCAD, I can't wait to see what's going on in the world of Craft!

-Paige

"Everyday Adorned" Press Release

2010-02-14T22:53:00.000-05:00

Arts & Culture Alliance Presents “Everyday Adorned: A Collection by Paige Barbee”

(02/12/2010/Knoxville) – The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a collection of new works by Paige Barbee, the current Betsy Worden Memorial Artist-in-Residence at the Emporium Center. Works displayed are among those created during the time of Barbee's residency (October 2009 through April 2010). “Everyday Adorned” will be exhibited in the Balcony at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 5-26, 2010. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on March 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM.
Paige Barbee is from Clarksville, TN, and received her BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design in May 2009. She studied at the Lacoste School of the Arts in Lacoste, France in 2009 and has interned at Liz Claiborne, Inc. in New York City where she assisted in designing jewelry for four Liz Claiborne jewelry brands. Her work has shown in France, Savannah, Atlanta, and Clarksville. Awards include third place in traditional materials and processes at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show, Student Design Competition; second place in the Savannah Music Festival jewelry competition. “My pieces don’t always follow the conventions of traditional jewelry; and I often find myself pushing the boundaries of jewelry into fine art and sculpture,” she says. “The concepts that inspire each piece can be vastly different, but it always comes down to how the piece will interact with the body, becoming wearable art.” Barbee strives to use recycled and found materials in her pieces “in harmony with metal,” in a way that isn’t instantly obvious to the viewer and requires a closer look.
The “Everyday Adorned” collection was inspired by the age-old housewife stereotype. “As empowered women we need to be more thankful for what the women before us accomplished,” says Barbee. The collection is a tongue-in-cheek statement about women’s roles in the home and how they once were seen as a kind of accessory to the home. “All of the pieces are an extravagant extension of a household item or were created using an item from the home,” says Barbee. “The cameos are meant to represent every mother, grandmother, or any other strong woman in our lives and are meant to be a reminder of the strife they suffered so we can be where we are today.” The collection features jewelry created from repurposed items such as wallpaper, integrated into items for the home. The jewelry can be worn or displayed as works of art. Sculptures inspired by the idea of adornment are also part of the collection. For more information, visit www.paigebarbee.com or read Barbee’s blog detailing her Residency at http://paigebarbee.blogspot.com.
“Everyday Adorned” will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, March 6, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

About the Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission (www.arts.state.tn.us) and First Tennessee Foundation (www.firsttennessee.com).

Sneak Peek

2010-02-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

For my loyal PB & jewelry readers I have a piece from my upcoming end of Residency show, "Everyday Adorned"

Tulles of the Trade

It is a series of three brooches made from dollhouse accessories, copper and silver. They are all displayed on plates that I added a textured design to using paint.
My show will be Friday, March 5 and the more that things are finally coming together the more excited I am getting!

-Paige

Feminist Reading

2010-01-24T17:54:00.000-05:00

I recently went to the Knoxville library for the first time to check out books to inspire me as I work on pieces for my final show as the Artist-in-Residence. The theme for my work is based on women's roles throughout history. I'm hoping brushing up on my feminist readings will help me to better explain the pieces and how I want to portray them. For me, research always inspires stronger pieces. Now all I'm missing is The Feminine Mystique...
-Paige

Brooch Update

2010-01-20T21:16:00.000-05:00

I'm still working on the brooches. Here's where I am now, these are the copper backs. Next I'm going to solder on the mechanisims and patina them. They should be done soon!

-Paige

Brooches

2010-01-11T21:59:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who braved the cold weather and came out to First Friday! I started some new brooches and I thought I would let you take a sneak peak:

I am working on piercing out the copper backs for the brooches if you look at the last picture you can see my sketches for the outlines of the copper. There's not much of a concept behind these but the plexi part is a scrap piece left over from the center of my plexi bracelets that I've wanted to do something with. I'm trying to improve my brooch mechanisms, wish me luck! I think this is the most brooches I've ever made.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T23:51:00.000-05:00

My apartment had a door decorating contest with the winner receiving $50 off January rent. Of course I wanted to enter and the $50 was only even more of an incentive. My boyfriend and I spent a good 3 hours cutting paper and wrapping it with aluminum foil and plastic wrap. We painted a sign so people would know what the heck it was, stuffed pillow stuffing where ever it would fit for snow, and added a strand of lights at the top. The end result was the winning door!

Work in Progress

2009-12-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been experimenting with wrapping embroidery thread around cheap chain links. A few months ago I put together a necklace but wasn't too sure what to do with it. I have an idea now and plan to cover each link with black embroidery thread (this is a very time consuming activity!). This idea also involves wax and plexi, aren't you intrigued now? This necklace and another that I will be starting soon are inspired by memento mori jewelry so they are going to have a darker tone than the work I've been doing lately. I'll post pictures of the piece on my body form once I make more of a dent covering the links.

Pieces for Sale

2009-12-08T19:39:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend I sold a couple of pieces at the Holiday Extravaganza and I hope their new owners are enjoying them very much. I had a request to show the pieces that I have for sale and since an online store for my pieces is in the works I thought I would post them here, for the time being.

Feather headbands and barrettes $15

Rings clockwise starting at the brown glass $40, sz. 7 made from glass I found in Paris, Green glass also found in Paris $40, sz. 6.5, Cast Silver Dome $150, sz. 6.5, Formed Silver Dome with Stone, $250, sz. 6.5, Silver Plated Spoon Ring, (lays over other fingers) $30, sz.7, Silver and Blue and Purple Mesh (as seen on clown at paigebarbee.com), $150, sz. 7, Silver, Cameo and Coral $120, sz. 7 but is slightly re-sizable, Silver and Green Stone, $65, sz. 7.

This is my collection of necklaces with pages from a Spanish lessons book I found in France. The first piece is $55 and the rest are $65. They are all silver, the first one is made slightly different than the others. The others have a design pierced out of the back (last picture) and the design is riveted on the front (middle) The silver has a patina that gives it an antique affect.

Also for sale are my Frame collection, created from laser cut plexi glass. The brooches are $55, bracelets and necklaces $65 and the necklaces with silver $70.

It's that time again!

2009-11-30T18:34:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it's almost time for First Friday again! I haven't posted in a while because I recently took a job that requires me to get up at 4:30AM!!! and have been pretty useless once I get off work. It has taken me a while to get used to getting up so early, but I like the hours because it allows me plenty of time to come into my studio when I get off work.
It's Holiday Extravaganza time this Friday and Saturday at the Emporium. There will be many different artists selling their work (me included). Its a great chance to get one-of-a-kind gifts or presents for yourself! Check out the side bar under "Shows" for the hours.
At the last First Friday I wore a feather headband that I made and someone suggested that I make some to sell, what a great idea! So I will have feather headbands and barrettes for sale as well as my jewelry, of course. I am also open to commissions so if you don't see that perfect something, let me know and I would be happy to design something with you.
-Paige

Website Updated

2009-11-16T16:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! I updated my website with new work and a link to the blog. Almost ripping my hair out while updating the site reminded me why I work with the medium I do. Sometimes I wish I could just reach into the computer and do things by hand. You can see my handiwork at www.paigebarbee.com.
Yesterday I attended the Foothills Craft Guild's A Fine Craft Fair and was very inspired by all the beautiful work I saw. I was also very pleased to see the wonderful turnout, it's always great to see people supporting craft!
I am still working on my "jewelry sculpture" idea. The material I was planning on using was a bit more expensive than I expected so I'm trying to come up with cheaper alternatives but will probably just give in and buy it once I have a bit more money.
-Paige

November First Friday

2009-11-08T12:00:00.002-05:00

It seemed like there was a great turn out this weekend for the First Friday festivities. My Mom and Dad were even able to come visit this weekend for the show. I had the opportunity to talk to some new people and was pleasantly surprised when I had a few people from last month stop by to see my new work.
If you couldn't guess, I had a cameo theme throughout the pieces that I showed this month. I had the cameo ring from a previous post, a copper cameo brooch, and my finished dishcloth neckpiece with the mechanism from an embroidery hoop as the clasp.
Yesterday I worked on sketches for my new piece which is going to be more of a sculpture than a piece of wearable art. I have a couple of things to finalize on the idea but I should be able to start on it this week.
Thanks to everyone who came to the Emporium and those that stopped in my studio!
-Paige

First Friday Tomorrow

2009-11-05T23:24:00.002-05:00

It was such a beautiful day downtown, I had to take a picture! My pieces are coming together for the show, today I finished one of my brooches. I think I'm going to go back and change the mechanism after the show, I'm not thrilled with the way it turned out but the actual piece looks good. I am almost finished with the neckpiece I just have a couple of small things to finish on it tomorrow and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I'll post pictures of everything Saturday after the show.
The Master Woodworkers show is almost in place at the Emporium, all of the pieces look amazing! I would love to learn more about woodworking, many of the tools and techniques they use are similar to metalsmithing.
Stop by tomorrow night to view some beautiful craft and if you're not in the Knoxville area go support your local artists!
-Paige

Change of Plans

2009-11-02T19:56:00.003-05:00

It is beautiful here in Knoxville! The leaves are changing color which is something that I missed living in Savannah, although I got to see beautiful fall foliage in France last year.
I was working on my third cameo brooch today and of course had an idea that changed the direction of the piece. I think that it would tell a better story as a necklace (which is kinda where I started with the idea), so I may have to rethink the direction of the other two brooches a bit.
This months exhibitions are starting to move into the Emporium, I can't wait to see the new pieces!
-Paige

More cameos

2009-10-31T20:17:00.003-04:00

I'm on a roll with cameos lately. I recycled a couple of cameos from old costume jewelry. I placed them into new settings on rings and also set a piece of coral on the ring. The rings were made in a way that allows the wearer to resize it slightly. It only took me a day to come up with and create. I'm pretty pleased with the end result.
I'm still tweaking my cameo brooches. I spent all day putting one together and taking it apart because I wasn't happy with it, they are still a work in progress.
-Paige

CameoOOOoooO

2009-10-25T16:11:00.005-04:00

After playing around with different ideas I have decided to make three cameo brooches. I already started on two of them, the first picture is made from plexiglass that I cut into a variation of my frame shape, the plaid is hand painted from the back. The white clay on top of the piece will eventually have a face in the center of it and will be cast in resin, the gold piece at the bottom is recycled from an old piece of costume jewelry. It's not done but the picture just shows a mock up of what I'm thinking about right now. The bottom picture shows the piece of plexi again as well as the second piece, which is the same frame shape pierced out of copper. In the picture it is set in pitch, ready for chasing and repousse (see my 'strike a pose' post for the elephant neckpiece which was created using the same technique). I'm still tossing around ideas for the medium of the third brooch, I'll post pictures soon if what I have in mind actually works! My first, First Friday with all new work is fast approaching and things are actually working out pretty smoothly, hope to see you there!
-Paige

It's a family thang

2009-10-23T12:30:00.007-04:00

My grandfather was a very talented man from what I've seen and heard. He even created jewelry (maybe that's where I get it from). My uncle was kind enough to pass down some of his own jewelry tools as well as some that my grandfather used (this day was like Christmas!). Included in the various tools was some turquoise and bezel settings that my grandfather had started for the turquoise as well as one sole ring band. I picked out my favorite piece of turquoise from the bunch and wanted to finish the ring that he had started. Above are pictures of the ring during and after (I was too excited to start to take a before picture). I would like to add a patina to the ring so it doesn't look so shiny and more like traditional turquoise jewelry, but I don't have any patina so that will have to wait for a later date.

Happy Mistakes

2009-10-16T09:49:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was trying to make some "bead" samples for the necklace I'm working on and I made a circle with one flat side (not on purpose). This sample looked (kinda) like a puffy silhouette to me and became a source of inspiration instead of a mistake. So now I'm trying to combine the dishcloths with my cameo idea and am going to experiment with some puffy cameos. I wasn't dead set on my first design but I knew something more exciting would come to me. Pictured is my wonky sample with some quick sketches of what the cameos could look like.
-Paige

Strike a pose

2009-10-15T11:03:00.015-04:00

I wanted to share some new photos of my most recent work. With the help of my Dad taking photos and beautiful friends, three modeling and the other doing hair and makeup, I was able to have a fantastic photoshoot. I am in the process of updating my website with them, as well as some others, which is more nerve racking than the last time so its taking me a while. Click on the photos for a better view.
-Paige

Work in Progress

2009-10-14T13:37:00.005-04:00

Here's a piece that I've been sketching up. It is inspired by the traditional pearl necklace but is going to be made from dishcloths and silver. After talking to new people about my old work these past few weeks I have been inspired to push some of those ideas further. For example, my tongue-in-cheek, "feminist neckpiece" with a bra strap as the chain.
I have also been inspired by cameos lately and am working on an idea for a piece right now that integrates them with the frame shapes that have been in my recent work.
I'm sure these pieces are going to evolve further, so check back and see how they end up!
-Paige

Settling In

2009-10-09T18:48:00.004-04:00

I've been in my studio for about a week now and things are coming together great! This is the first time I have had my own studio space so I am slowly settling in and acquiring tools. I am currently in the design process for my next piece and will post sketches soon.
If you are downtown please feel free to stop in my studio and watch me work or check out my pieces.
-Paige

Rocky Top, Tennessee, home sweet home to me

2009-10-08T23:43:00.007-04:00

I've been living in Savannah, GA the past four years while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design. I graduated with my B.F.A in Metals and Jewelry this past May and have since moved back to Tennessee to pursue my art a little closer to home (& the boyfriend living here helped too). Since moving to Knoxville I have been fortunate enough to have been chosen to be the Artist-in-Residence at the Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance. This 6-month residency gives me exclusive access to my own studio as well as a place to display my work during the First Friday exhibitions, monthly in downtown Knoxville.
I decided to start this blog to follow my journey as the Resident Artist, so please join me as I take on new creations and a new town.
I am very excited to start creating! -Paige