From the stunning snowy backdrops of Norway, this week we are traveling to Glen Ellen, California, wine producing hometown of author Jack London and his famous novel  “Call of the wild.” This little wee town has also another claim of fame, “metal clay” artist Ruth Baillie behind Bird Land Creations…  Meet Ruth and her unique and marvelous emotive art pieces which are guaranty to evoke in you an ‘Oh…’ and an ‘Ah…’ as it does to me each and every time I have the privilege to come across her work…

me!

jb✶ What inspired you to become an metal clay Artist?

rb: I was born in the UK and educated, trained and worked as a research scientist.  In 1996, I moved to the US and my visa wouldn’t allow me to work…and so it was time to re-invent myself!  I tried a variety of different things from massage therapy, to teaching, to going back to school for a master’s program , to non-profit work….and then one day I read a magazine article about metal clay.  I’d never made jewelry before but it seemed so clever a medium that I was immediately fascinated and had my first design already planned out in my head! I bought some clay, a how-to DVD and the rest is history!  Here I am 4 years later spending all my time creating with metal clay and loving it!  It was never a goal, not a plan, just something that came about.

mommy bird and her babes

birdhouses

doug the dog

jb✶ Can you take us through your creative process?

rb: – My creations all start with an emotion.  I firstly think of what emotion I want the piece of jewelry to evoke in the wearer and viewer whether that emotion is happy, comforted, loved, playful, or……  From there I tend to come up with my ideas as I’m falling asleep or driving and my mind is wandering somewhere else!  My pet parrot and all the birds in our garden are also key in my inspiration and many of my designs are bird-oriented.  My drawing skills are extremely limited, so I don’t draw, but figure out the design in my head and how it will hang/attach etc…..and then I get some clay and start sculpting.  I love the sculptural aspect of metal clay – you squidge (technical term :=D) it into the shape you want, then let it dry, sand and refine it, fire it in the kiln and then finish it!  The naming of the piece is all important too.  Sometimes the name comes first, sometimes after I’ve created the piece, when I look in the eyes of the little bird or whatever – and a name just pops out!

hold on to love

welsh-the-rabbit

my studio - a tiny attic space I can only stand up in the middle of!

jb✶ How do you promote your work?

rb: My promotion strategy is relatively simple.  I try to take the best photos that I can and let each piece tell it’s own little story.  I have a blog where I tells the stories behind what I create and why I did it….what the piece means to me etc,  and my own website.  Additionally, I sell on Etsy and Dawanda.  My blog automatically posts on Facebook and Twitter but I don’t use Twitter for anything else.  I love to do caption competitions where my little characters “pose” in a photo and then people have to come up with their caption for the photo  and the best caption wins one of my pieces.  They always seem to bring in new people.

mallard

watch the birdie- bird track bracelet

love birds Humphrey and Trisha

jb✶ The best advice ever given to you that you would pass on?

rb: One of my favorite pieces of advice  I actually read on a sign at a department of motor vehicles office!!  While it’s not especially craft or business related, it’s definitely worth sharing.  The sign said “It is not what you say to people that matters, it is not what you do for people that matters, it is how you make them feel.”

My jewelry is all about feelings – I want to create positive feelings in the wearer and viewer through my whimsy or inspirational pieces. But the “feelings” part also comes into play and should be remembered when dealing with our customers. This piece of advice I try to live my life by, every day….’consider how you make the other person feel…’

break out of your shell

i am strong

anyone can fly

jb✶ You have money and only 5 minutes… what you would buy in a flash and why?

rb: I would buy a custom set of illustrations from Enchanted Memories.  I don’t need a banner or logo or anything like that but her designs are so sweet that I’d like to do a collaboration with her work – she’d draw a little story and I’d make it in silver as a bracelet.  I’ve done this before with artists and I think her work would fit really well with my style. http://www.etsy.com/shop/enchantedmemories

I have just featured a snippet of Ruth’s work…. To see much more of Ruth’s stunning pieces please visit the links below and before you do make sure you have made yourself a cuppa!

Website – for silver jewelry to make you smile: http://www.birdlandcreations.com
Blog – for the stories behind my creations: http://www.insidetheartisan.blogspot.com
Etsy store: http://birdlandcreations.etsy.com
Dawanda store http://birdlandcreations.dawanda.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ruthebaillie
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/birdlandcreations
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/birdlandcreates

T’il next week…  Tourlou!