watercolor

WOW! What A Year!

painting, watercolor
Moving is not for the faint of heart! This year has been one of transitions. After roaming around without a home for the past 6 months I’ve been to San Francisco, Mendocino, The Sea Ranch, San Rafael, Tiburon, and Sausalito. It turned out that living in Sonoma was beautiful but also gave me allergy induced asthma. No fun. So the goal was to be by the water and regain some good health. It’s working!
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It took awhile but I have finally landed in Point Richmond, CA. I’m currently in the process of unpacking and setting up my studio. In the meantime I’ve been doing some small paintings while on the road. Here’s my latest one.
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I’m thinking about having a “MOVING SALE” soon to lighten my load. Stay tuned for a discount code. I’ll keep you posted.
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Much Love,
Meeshka
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Gouache painting: 10″ x 10″;  November 2024

Looking Back ~ Looking Forward

artisan jewelry, Custom, gemstone, handmade jewelry, Love, painting, Peace, sterling silver, sun, turtle, UFO, watercolor

January is always a time of hibernation for me. In the midst of all the rain we are having, it’s a good time to get cozy and reflect.

2022 brought another year of dealing with Covid, and the way people and our government, deal or not deal, with it. As an artist working from home I don’t mind the isolation all that much and it’s been a long time since I’ve felt FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). But I’m so tired of constantly thinking about what activities are worth the risk of infection and how to navigate them, if at all. I am grateful I always have my art to keep me amused.

I sure hope 2023 finally brings Covid to the real endemic stage that we have all been waiting for. In the meantime I will continue to make art, take lovely walks, bake and cook, read and nap, and dance around my house and studio. I will probably mask forever to keep others safe, as well as myself.

Happy New Year from my studio in Sonoma, California! and thank you for being on this journey with me. I appreciate you!

Note: The above photo is not my studio. Just a groovy barn on the road to and from my studio.

January/February 2022
This year I focused on Pinterest, growing my following and traffic there, as well as on my website. SUCCESS! It worked! I also became a Verified Merchant on Pinterest.

2022 monthly visits to meeshka.net

2022 annual Pinterest activity

 


March/April 2022
With Spring in the air along with longer days, there is plenty of time for brainstorming, sketching ideas and purchasing new gemstones for future creations.

This is a custom sterling silver piece I created for a clients’ daughter. Cows and obsidian are meaningful to her and we worked together to create this pendant.

 

May/June 2022
In May I lost a dear lifelong sister-friend, Carole, who will forever be in my heart and by my side. I have a wonderful group of lifelong friends, including my Mom, and we chat daily in “LoveFest”. Together we try to keep each other sane and laughing. Carole was part of that group and is missed every day.

 

Below is the pendant-necklace I created for my dear MamaLuv. Sterling silver and carnelian with a peek-a-boo heart on the back the allows the stone to glow, like my Mama. We are so so so fortunate to live close and be able to spend time together. This is the sweetness of life.

July/August 2022
We sure had some hot days this past summer, but no fires here and that was fantastic! These creations reflect my longing for the tradewinds and ocean swimming on Kauai. Sterling silver with faceted labradorite and peridot.

                         

September/October 2022
Ahhh cooler weather and a rainbow outside my studio… what could be more delicious? Oh wait! A Swiss roll!

Below is a small plein air watercolor painting of “The Cherry Tree” juice stand, long closed but still standing. I love seeing it every time I drive along the country road I use to go visit my MamaLuv.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November/December 2022
The holidays can be challenging. Life has changed so much. I don’t go in for the madness of holiday shopping and it’s supposed to be a busy time for jewelers to market and sell. That is always awkward for me as I don’t like to be pushy so I try to keep it mellow. At the same time I start to feel the pull of hibernation and slowing down, which usually wins. I love that!

Here are two more 2022 creations. On the left a UFO pendant-necklace of sterling silver with tiny shells and beach glass collected on Kauai, encased in a vintage watch crystal. The other is a sterling silver heart strung on vintage “white hearts” (glass beads with white porcelain center) from Africa and Hill Tribe Thai silver.

 

 

2023
Looking ahead at what I imagine for this year is the work of every January’s hibernation. As I become more clear I plan on sharing that journey with you. Once again, thank you for coming along for the ride. I hope I can bring a little beauty to your world, some light, and always a lot of laughter.

 

Happy New Year!
With Love, Grace & Gratitude,
meeshka

 

Mini Masterpieces

Crow, Doodle, honu, mermaid, Mini Masterpiece, ocean, Raven, sterling silver, turtle, watercolor

Sometimes it’s good to revisit the old friends I’ve created along the way. These “mini masterpieces” are watercolors I did and framed in sterling silver, topped with a vintage glass watch crystal. Most of these have been sold but there are a few remaining in the Shop. Not sure I’ll be making these again but you never know!

 

 

 

 

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

Endless Possibilities

collage, On The Bench, water, watercolor

Sometimes inspiration arrives to the bench in forms other than making jewelry. This weekend I created the cover art for a Pamphlet of Possibility. My chosen theme is “water” since water is life, is sometimes scarce or compromised, one of my purest inspirations, and a common theme for my jewelry.

Pamphlets of Possibility is a one year project in which the “starter” (that’s me!) of each pamphlet  sets a theme, creates one page, and then sends the pamphlet off to another person. Each following recipient adds another page with a drawing, a collage, a poem, some prose, a favorite saying or anything that inspires them and relates to the theme of the pamphlet. Upon completion the pamphlet is then sent to another person. #repeat. When the entire pamphlet is completed it is then sent back to Studio 64 Marin.

There will be a final showing of all the pamphlets January 2018 in an exhibit at Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, CA. I can’t wait to see all of the completed pamphlets and the corners of the world where they have traveled to!