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You may have followed me and my art since I started creating as a youngster (Hi mom!). Or you may have just discovered my jewelry on Facebook yesterday.
Either way, I thought it’d be fun to give you a recap of who I am and why I make art. (And hopefully I’ll learn more about you too!)
Scroll down for my Birthday Giveaway Contest Rules and how to Win!
My studio is my happy place.
Making art has been a central focus in my life for as long as I can remember
Losing myself in the act of making art, the process of drawing or hammering or welding is the best form of meditation I know.
Process of making leaves for the Resilient Collection
I am a detail obsessed maker.
I thrill in the act of flush setting small gems, hammering precise texture or getting the line quality just right in a drawing. I truly believe beauty (and quality) is in the details.
My favorite medium is metal.
I especially love working in copper, silver, and yellow gold. Hammering sheet metal into abstract shapes, and carving wax (or metal) with detailed texture are 2 of my favorite techniques.
Custom made jewelry
I find balance in extremes
Working in both small and large scale helps me find a sense of balance, both mentally and physically.
The tedious detail in setting tiny 1mm gemstones is fun and satisfying, but after a while my fingers can feel like telephone poles and my mind is strained from intense concentration. Jumping into raising (hammering technique) a large copper vessel allows my mind to relax and uses more of my body. And when that gets too physically demanding, I switch back to small scale.
I love color.
The ability of color to reflect or change our mood fascinates me. I once read about a group that paints inner city school walls from institutional grey to a rainbow of happier colors. Guess what? School attendance went up dramatically and stayed up.
I thrive and revive and get inspired outdoors.
When not in my studio, my second happy place is outside on a mountain or beach. My favorites are swimming and hiking. I clear my mind and get most of my ideas for art when I’m in motion in nature.
While most of my ideas come from trying to capture the feelingsI have while outside, some designs come directly from the visuals I find. Either way, I don’t try to mimic exactly (nature already made something great!) but rather embrace the essence of our environment.
My best plan for covid reprieve is to hike.
Isolating on hiking trails and forest bathing as much as possible are getting me through these challenging times. (Hence the recent epic Appalachian Trail hiking journey) In fact, I wrote a lot of this while sitting at the base of this magnificent waterfall in Tennessee. Now that I’m back in Seattle, I try to get to a trail at least once a week to reset and clear my head.
I love adventure and travel.
I once spent 3 days trapped between a mine field and threat of prison on the border between Mauritania and Morocco. But that’s a story for another day! These days I prefer my epic adventures to be more focused on beauty than peril. I dream of the day we get to travel again, Southeast Asia and Iceland are both top of the list.
I love animals but have no desire to own one.
If I’m having a bad day and can’t get outside for a walk to shake it off, my next recourse is to look at pictures of baby animals. Angora bunnies are especially helpful for mood improvement.
My spirit animal is either a pale lavender butterfly or a wild jackrabbit, depending on the day.
I’m incredibly grateful for my work
I’m thankful every day that I get to do what I do - making and inventing with my hands. You make that possible! I’m grateful for you and your continued support.
YOU are my favorite thing about CG Sculpture and Jewelry
I want to know more about you!
And you could win this necklace or bowl in the process
Share 2 things about yourselfin the comments below. 1 thing that is personal to you (answer questions from above or surprise us) AND which give-away item you prefer - jewelry or bowl.
BONUS ENTRY: Head on over to your social media platform of choice and post your favorite thing (or piece I’ve made) about CG Sculpture and Jewelry. Be sure to tag me.
Instagram: @catherinegrisez
Facebook: @catherinegrisezart
Deadline to enter: Saturday, January 16th at midnight.
The winner will be selected at random and contacted on Sunday, Jan 17th
*Contest rules are being promoted on Facebook, Instagram, and Here. Enter through all THREE platforms to boost your chances to Win!
**Winners must be located in the United States
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20 music box sculpture designs telling the stories that make a house a home. Originally displayed in a larger art installation titled Constructing Deconstruction, each individual box is only available in an edition of 10.
Isabella
March 07, 2021
I love the jewelry! It’s what I’d pick if I won. Jewelry always becomes personal for me