SELECT ITEMS ON SALE AT ARGENTUM 1/15/08-2/15/08

ARGENTUM IS HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE A SALE BEGINNING JAN. 15, 2008 AND ENDING FEB.15, 2008. SELECT ART ON SALE, SUCH AS LOVELY HAND CRAFTED WOODEN CUTTING BOARDS BY CORWIN BUTTERWORTH(http://corwinbutterworth.com/), COLORFUL GICLEE PRINTS BY JANET MCCRAW, ARCHITECTURAL FILM PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER UHRHANE(http://detailphoto.com/) OILS BY MYRON RUBENSTEIN (http://rubensteinfineart.net/), METAL WORK BY THEA ERNEST, SILKSCREENS BY JAMES POLISKY(http://jamespolisky.com/), STERLING JEWELRY BY DORA SZEKELY, BEADED JEWELRY BY JULIANNA RICCI (http://jriccidesigns.com/), DIGITAL IMAGES BY MAUREEN ZAHARIE (http://mobooksnart.com/) AND FILM PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA RYAN (http://gemineyephotography.org/) AND HAND KNIT SCARVES BY MELANIE MADDEN, TO NAME A FEW.

LOOKING FOR ARTISTS

AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, ARGENTUM WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOME NEW ARTISTS TO SHOW THEIR WORK. ARGENTUM OFFERS THE ARTIST 60% OF THE SELLING PRICE OF THEIR ART, A SPOT ON THE WEBSITE WITH A LINK TO YOUR SITE, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE YOUR OWN DISPLAY IN THE ARGENTUM FRONT WINDOW, HIGHLIGHTING YOUR WORK AND FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF OTHER ARGENTUM ARTISTS........PLEASE EMAIL ME BY VISITING http://ARGENTUMDESIGNS.COM. PLEASE BE READY TO SEND ME A JPEG OF YOUR WORK, PRIOR TO SETTING UP AN APPOINTMENT. OH, AND FEEL FREE TO PASS THIS ON TO THOSE ARTISTS WHO MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED! THANKS!

"Going North"

Sterling Earrings by Providence Jewelry Artist Heather Guidero

If you live in South County, RI, you know that sometimes you just have to do it; head "up north", meaning anything north of Wickford, RI. As I did yesterday for my traditional "Xmas shopping with mom excursion". Things are just more expensive in South County, and if you are on a tight budget as I am, then going "up north" is a necessity for holiday shopping. While shopping yesterday at the Warwick Mall, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by all the holiday regalia streaming from every possible corner. Xmas music abundant, choirs singing, people hustling by, and, in the words of Dr. Seuss from The Grinch, "all the noise, noise, noise!!!!" Being with my mom made it fun and the trip tolerable. Its a chance for us to catch up, and spend some quality time together. I love it.

Upon returning to my own home town of Wakefield, a sense of relief and calm settled over me.....how pretty and personal everything looks on Main St. The window displays at All That Matters, Purple Cow, Myopic Books, Orangelola, to name a few, all looked so warm and inviting. I love my little town. And I love that most of the merchants up/down Wakefield support artists and artisans in their shops. Most items are made by actual people and not machines or children.

I know that some of my presents this xmas will have been made this way, and i tell myself its because i cant afford to just by locally. I could just not buy at all, but I know this is not socially acceptable behavior and, being just as vulnerable as anyone to the idea of wanting to be liked, I succumb to the pressure. What does make me feel better is only purchasing a minimal amount of items from"up north" and supporting our local merchants to the best of my financial ability. So, it is with this sentiment that I extend to all my customers, a heartfelt "thank you" for purchasing your xmas/holiday gifts at my shop and from the others up/down Main St. We rely on you......

The season in full swing...

We are in holiday full season mode at Argentum. Work, work, work all day. At the end of a long day, I like to have a few minutes to myself to reflect and wind down. Today I am thinking of all the people who have made sacrifices to help me make Argentum succeed. Since beginning Argentum almost two years ago, I have had limited amount of spare time to share with my family and friends. I have missed bithdays, recitals and other special events. I have had to schedule time to spend with my best friends. I am so thankful they understand my commitment to the shop. I have never worked so hard in my life and I have never not seen my family and friends so much. My friend Lorie stopped in the shop today. I missed her two-day summer bash this summer, yet she found a way to forgive me and understand that if she wanted to see me, she would need to see me where I practically live. I am humbled by my parents, friends (you know who you are)who have been so patient with me during this time. I love you all.

OK, enough sappy gunk. Its late and its time for me to close.

ARTOMAT and FREE ORNAMENT ENGRAVING

Don't forget!!! ART-O-MAT tokens and art make fantastic and creative stocking stuffers!!!!! Make someone the owner of original art for $5.35!!!! Also, free engraving is available for all stained glass tree toppers and ornaments made by Luisa DeLuca/Argentum. Engraving really personalizes an ornament and makes it a treasured keepsake for years. As always, happy shopping!!!!

Ladie's night success and now crunch time!

Ladie's night was a success, we had at least one hundred people make their way down the hall to Argentum. The cider and brownies were a hit (thanks to the baking expertise of Melanie Madden)and we had a raffle winner! The lucky winner was Barbie French from Wakefield, and she was overjoyed at having won a piece of jewelry from Argentum. Now, its crunch time. A time to get all the stained glass stars made, ornaments, tree toppers, etc. Come see the paintings on sale by Julianna Ricci and the new stained glass lamp by Kristen Hudgik
....its a beautiful medieval inspired hand painted stained glass table top lamp....purely one of a kind.

Ladie's night

Thurs., November 29th is "Ladie's Night" on Main St. in Wakefield, RI, from 5-9pm Argentum will be offering mulled cider and brownies, a free polishing cloth with each purchase, and an opportunity to win a piece of Argentum jewelry. It's sure to be a crazy busy night and tonight I will try to get a good night's sleep so I can keep my cheery disposition intact. Merchants up and down Main St. are offering all kinds of fun stuff.....check out some of my fave spots: All That Matters, Purple Cow, Orangelola, Jennifer's chocolates......all women-owned businesses that need our support.

madness eve

Tomorrow is the first official day of the holiday spending season. Part of me is hoping it is so madly busy that I dont stop for a minute. Another part of me is frightened of an onslaught. The "what ifs" circle around my mind like a ferris wheel...."what if i run out of tissue paper or boxes...or stuff? Or, the worst case scenario; no one comes in to shop. The sound of chaos scares me less than the sound of silence. So, if its busy and you find me complaining, remind me of that, will you? Happy shopping to all, and to all, a good night.

I'm already hating the holidays......

Ok....its my first official day of staying open late for the holiday season and I'm already exhausted, I have a splinter in my left hand and glass cuts on my right.....maybe I'm getting too old for this? Today, I was very productive. I started out the day rummaging through the woods in my backyard looking for a Charlie Brown Xmas tree and I discovered it right away! I was psyched. Then I went to the shop and met with this awesome floor canvas painter and she left me with the most gorgeous floor canvas to sell. I finally got to work around 2pm, made three stained glass tree toppers, more stained glass tree ornaments and icicles. Guess I should be tired. I am always worried I will not have enough stuff to fill the shop, so I work myself ragged to ensure that this does not happen. I will sleep well tonight.

coupons

I have posted two 15% off coupons at two great websites, http://whofish.org and http://merchantcircle.com. These coupons are good for the month of November on any item made by Luisa DeLuca and/or Argentum. Please leave a rating or a comment about Argentum while you are visiting these respective sites. Thanks and happy shopping!

Finally

Finally started at the bench today. Began a pair of thick hoops for my friend Diana who lives in San Francisco. Its nice to be able to make things for people I care about. I sat on this one awhile. For about a year to be exact. I anguished about the design for some reason. Guess I dont want to let her down, as this pair of earrings has special meaning for her. That's alot of responsibility,and yet my customers entrust me with making something for their loved ones. A woman brought in an australian opal about a month ago. She has had the opal for about 20 years and recently decided to have it made into a pendant for her nieces birthday. I have made wedding bands, commitment rings, anniversary rings. I am honored and humbled by these requests.

Art Block

I'm supposed to make jewelry today and talk about it, but I don't feel like it. I think I'm having "Art Block", like writer's block.....it has happened to me before.....prior to opening Argentum, months would go by before I would visit my studio (aka the basement, which I lovingly referred to as "il basiment0" to make it sound more exotic). I would go downstairs to do my laundry and feel very sheepish about looking over to the side of "il basimento" that housed my "studio". I somehow felt guilty, as if I had been neglecting a good friend. These past two days I have brushed past my jeweler's bench more than 25 times, I am certain, and I haven't yet made real eye contact with it yet. What's my problem????? I have been busy with other things, but avoiding the bench. I have been printing more digital cards and pictures for the wall, I emptied out a hutch in the store room so the landlord can take it, had a few customers, made a few sales. I guess maybe the creative process cant be forced. As my mother always says "I have to be in the mood to draw, Luisa", and she's right. When I force myself, I turn out items that I am less than satisfied with. So I need to be patient, but I also need to set myself some goals for holiday shopping. I will publish my list here so I can be held accountable for it. Here it is:

Things I need to make:

more stained glass stars

stained glass ornaments

stained glass nightlights

porcelain bracelets

porcelain necklaces

beach stone bracelets.

One good thing is that I will be teaching an apprentice who should be able to complete some tasks associated with these projects which will make my job easier while at the same time, teaching her valuable necessary skills.

First day of the week

Tuesday is my Monday. That is, because I don't work on Mondays, Tuesdays are the first day of the work week for me. I've come to realize that no matter how much you love what you do, the first day of the week is always a bummer. Thankfully, I have the luxury of being my own boss and therefore can lower the expectations I create for myself on this transition day. So when Tuesdays come along, I tend to focus my efforts on non-creative tasks such as catching up on ordering supplies, doing paperwork, and tasks that don't require my creative energy or focus. That way, I ease into my week, I can let the weekend marinate in my mind, and by Wednesday, I am ready to get back to "work". I do struggle with the idea that doing the paperwork and resting my creative mind is a legitimate task. I think the very strong work ethic that has been handed down to me from my family is largely responsible for this. Then I remind myself that the mundane tasks need to be completed and that it is part of what allows my business to exist. So really, I am still working, just not creating.

Today's blog, "The Zone".

I have been known to advise my friends when they are working on some sort of project that, "it will always take you longer than you expect". Even though I know this, I still underestimate the amount of time and effort it takes to complete a project. Inevitably, something goes awry; a drill bit snaps, you cut your hand, you've run out of the type of solder you need, used the last screw that is the perfect size and shape, etc. When this happens, I suggest you take a break. Go for a walk, do some deep breathing, go back to it later. It will still be there. This can be hard to do, for if you are like me, when you find yourself in what I call "the zone", it feels as if there is some sort of instant bonding glue keeping you attached to that work. It becomes personal. Its between you and the project, and you are determined not to give in.
On those rare times when I have been able to rip myself away, I am always grateful that I have. Like now. I was working on something that keeps breaking. Writing this blog has assisted me in not screwing up a project more. Now my time is up and I must return. My head is clear and I am ready to face it again and conquer.

New to ARGENTUM

I will use this blog spot to keep you all updated as to what is going on at ARGENTUM as well as a space for me to publicly announce my thoughts, ideas, etc. NOW that I have you all captivated. Here is my first entry.



I have been preparing for the holiday season by feverishly creating jewelry for the shop, as well as doing custom work. Just finished a big wholesale order for the shop GREEN INK in Wickford, RI. Go check it out. I also will be featured in the November issue of the new magazine SO Rhode Island. I think they are online as well.



This Fall, Argentum received several new artists, please check out the website http://argentumdesigns.com/ and look under the section that reads "new artists".
Oil and acrylic abstracts by Gregory Ricci, Raku and Ceramic art by Deb Lang Beaudoin, giclee prints by Janet McCraw, etc. Oh, and come check out my new pride and joy, a salvaged old beautiful sink that I made into a display with the handiwork of master woodworker, Corwin Butterworth http://corwinbutterworth.com/.

Anyway, I think that is it for now.....oh, I was recently granted permission to link to Miranda July's website....I'm so excited....please, please, please do yourselves a favor and check her out, read her books and see her movies......http://mirandajuly.com/. She was recently interviewed by BUST magazine http://bust.com/. One of my new favorite mags.

I knew I would forget something. Every 2-3 months, one of Argentum's artists will use their unique creative talents to design a new window display. They get to feature their own work while incorporating the art of others to reflect the spirit of Argentum. This season's window was designed and executed by Melanie Madden. Melanie paints, sews, cooks (and, yes I do consider cooking as an artform). Check out her work in the shop and stop by the display window at night. It looks awesome. Thanks for all your hard work.

Ok this is really it. I need to work and so do you.