ring a day

Ring a Day Book!

2011-10-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

"Ring a Day" is a beautiful book, with its bold red cover--full of images from cover to cover. With its field guide type of feel, this book is brilliantly edited by Marthe Le Van and demonstrates the project's breadth and endless variety of rings. Some are novel, some are funny, some beautiful, some challenge practical notions of what is a ring. But I have learned that by challenging myself, my art and craft grow exponentially. For the reader--it is a book of inspiration, imagination, and a visual snap shot of the creative process. For me, it is eye candy. Enjoy and be inspired!

The Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference

2011-05-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Lorena Angulo

The SNAG conference is coming up next week. The conference is titled "FLUX," and is in Seattle, WA, May 26 through 29, 2011. I wish I could go, but I have something very important to do. My daughter is graduating from Pre-K that same day that the conference opens. I hope everyone that goes can tell me a little bit about the experience and take lots of pictures please. I will hopefully post some of your pictures here next week from all of you! Let me know where you have posted the pictures from SNAG and the Ring a Day show at Punch so that I can post them here!

Here are more of my favorite rings in the Ring a Day show at Punch Gallery at the SNAG conference. The RAD show is a "must see".

Malodora

Sarah Hood

Kest Schwartzman (Vagabond Jewelry)

Ligia Rocha

Metalriot

Chris Irick

Some of my favorite rings in the Ring a Day Show

2011-05-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Danielle Miller

Maria Apostolou

Su Trindle

ModernBird (Laura Flavin)

A big Thank you to Nina Dinoff

2011-05-16T04:25:00.000-07:00

Nina Dinoff proposed the Ring a Day project to her metalsmithing friends late in 2009 and started it January 2010. She started the Ring a Day group on Flickr as the place to post our rings. She described the Ring a Day project as "an exercise in creative exploration. The rules are simple: create ring every day for the entire year of 2010 out of anything, no matter where you are."

Thank you Nina for starting the Ring a Day project.

Here are some of my favorite rings of hers at Ring a Day show at Punch Gallery in Seattle. The show is part of the Society of North American Goldsmiths conference in Seattle May 26-29th.

More photos of the Ring a Day exhibition

2011-05-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

Lovely photos of the Ring A Day exhibition at the Punch Gallery. Courtesy Andrea Ring, one of the artist featured in the show. Andrea is an art jeweler with a focus on found objects. She has fourteen rings included in the exhibition, playful rings made from paper, plastic animals, street signs, a toothbrush and more.

Ring a Day Opening

2011-05-06T05:13:00.000-07:00

Ring a Day opened last night!

No words can explain how excited I am to see these pictures! It looks amazing and only wish I could have been there to experience it! Congratulations to everyone!

Curators:

Colleen Baran

Kathryn Cole

Shannon Conrad

Nina Gibson

Sara Westermarck

Artists:

Ashley Akers

Sabine Amtsberg

Loren Angulo

Maria Apostolou

Erin Austin

Meg Auth

Angela Baduel-Crispin

Colleen Baran

Inbar Barbaket

Laurie Brown

Kathleen Brughelli

Maureen Brusa-Zappellini

Catherine Chandler

Kathryn Cole

Kerry Alice Collins

Shannon Conrad

Jennifer Culp

Beth Cyr

Casey Daurio

Trudie Davies

Lisa Dienst-Thomas

Nina Dinoff

Thomasin Durgin

Laura Flavin

Renee Ford

Nina Gibson

Lynne Glazzard

Natalia Gomensoro

Heather Goodwin

Lora Hart

Sarah Hood

Chris Irick

Alice Istanbul

Norsola Johnson

Sarah Loertscher

Marthe Le Van

Kate Jones

Maggie Joynt

Evelyn Markasky

Bill Martin

Marta Miguel Martínez-Soria

Denise McCoy

Alisa Miller

Danielle Miller

Carrie Nunes

Margaret O'Brien

Marta Sanchez Oms

Paul Phillips

Calan Ree

Kathryn Rierchert

Andrea Ring

Lígia Rocha

Kathi Roussel

Kest Schwartzman

Ponsawan Silas

Mike Stromberg

Rachelle Stromberg

Victoria Takahashi

Leslie Tinnaro

Su Trindle

Mary Lu Wason

Emily Watson

Sara Westermark

Dee Wilder

Jaqki Withycombe

Opening Reception Tonight

2011-05-05T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ring a Day at Punch Gallery Opens Today!

2011-05-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

Ring a Day

65 artists.

1 year.

365 rings.

We are excited to announce the opening of the Ring a Day exhibit on May 5th at Punch Gallery in Seattle.
Opening Reception: 5 - 8pm

Ring a Day Retrospective

2011-05-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

The Ring a Day (RAD) project started January 2010 as an open creative challenge for metalsmiths and other artists to create a Ring a Day for an entire year. The rings could be made of anything and creativity was encouraged. Admission was open to anyone who wanted to take the creative challenge. Each artist was to create a ring each day, photograph it, and post it to the Flickr group. Over the course of the year 16,000 pictures were posted in the Ring a Day Group on Flickr.

The Ring a Day
project, initially proposed
by artist Nina Dinoff, was intended as a challenge to set a daily routine of
exploration.

Throughout the year the artists created a supportive and encouraging environment where processes and new materials could be explored. All types of rings were created from ones that took 5 minutes to many hours. It became a part of our daily routine as artists to think outside of the box and create a new ring each day.

Ring a Day was an amazing experience for the artists that participated and lifelong friendships were created. My journey through Ring a Day was inspiring and will always be cherished.

Count down to day 365! Part 1

2010-12-29T06:50:00.001-08:00

Day 358 Sterling Silver, Brass & Pearl 8...

What can I say, after a year working on RAD seeing the year end leaves me with mixed emotions. In some ways it's felt like ten years, in others only a few months. But regardless of how it feels there are only a few days left!

Rachelle Stromberg (of Mike&Mary) has been doing a count down and I can't wait to see day 1! Something about a countdown- always great. Here are her rings so far.

Day 359 Brass & Sterling Silver 7... Merry Christmas RADers!!

Day 360 Brass 6... sechs is what the ring says, 6 in german

Day 361 Copper & Sterling Silver 5...

Day 362 Sterling Silver, CZ and Pearl Today's 4 rings on yesterday's ring.

Sara's December Tribute

2010-12-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

ROW 1

Maria Apostolou

“RAD 353 Emerald Green” Copper, pottery shard

Evelyn Markasky

“RAD 353” form folded, copper, enamel

Lesley Tinnaro

“RAD 360” Red Blood Cell, copper

ROW 2

Marta Sanchez Oms

“RAD 159” Silver and Lapis

Lorena Angulo

“RAD 129” Secret Santa, pure silver

Mary Lu Wason

“RAD 350, 360, 361” Flat rings, brass, copper, aluminum, and silver

ROW 3

Aleksandra Micic

“RAD 254” plastic straw

Ponsawan Silas

“RAD 356” carved purple potato

Carrie Nunes

“RAD 204” leafy ring in the melting snow

EtsyMetal WOA Charm Necklace Sold!

2010-12-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

Charm Necklace from EtsyMetal Work of Art (WOA) challenge.

EtsyMetal WOA Charm Necklace has sold and the proceeds have generously been donated to help fund the Ring a Day exhibition upcoming at the Punch Gallery in Seattle!

A big thank you to Marylouise Barros-Niska (Etsy name MLBN) for your purchase! I hope you enjoy the fabulous necklace!

And a deep thank you to the artists who generously donated your time and creativity to the project! Thank you Kathryn Cole, Inbar Bareket , Stacey Hansen (Wildflower Designs), Amanda Conley – (BijouGirl) , Andrea Ring – (AmuckDesign) , Kira Ferrer and Victoria Takahashi (Experimetal) !

It is much appreciated!

2010-12-14T22:48:00.000-08:00

RAD – The En’light’enment at the End of the Tunnel

17 more days and I will have 365 rings. It’s as exciting as it is disturbing. RAD has made me so crazy that I often long for the day it will be done and I can take a break and not think about what kind of ring I will make today. And then I freak out because RAD has become like eating, if I stop I’ll surely die, ok a bit melodramatic, but I have become addicted and obsessed. What will life be like without RAD – I picture lonely, cold days, huddled under my blanket going through withdrawal… ok, I’m on a melodramatic theme; maybe a retrospective is due. I have made and seen made rings from flowers, paper and fire, conceptual rings of shadows

and seaweed, stone setting, wild stone setting,

food rings, and of course let’s not forget the dog poop rings. There has been symbolism and questioning (what about the space inside the ring?)

And I still believe that when #365 is done and posted the sun will shine brighter and enlightenment will settle in.

Pre-enlightenment I’ve achieved through RAD:

- Big projects are more fun to do with a group

- Complaining is ok, just keep going

- You have to wade through a lot of crap to get to the cream

- You do get to the cream if you keep going.

Check back on the 31st for the answers to the meaning of life!

Happy Hanukkah

2010-12-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was struck by the beauty of Kest's (Vagabond Jewelry) Ring a Day. The photo was striking. The candlelight against the window was moving. I almost felt as if I were there in the room. They were in celebration of Hanukkah.

When I asked her about her rings, she said "There's something about gathering around a fire- no matter how tiny- that feels very homey. I've meant to make myself a menorah for years, now -last year i stuck my candles in a baguette- and RAD seemed like as good an opportunity as any. After eight nights, I'll solder them all together and have something to remember this year by."

Happy Hanukkah!

Secret Santa Ring Swap

2010-11-26T18:23:00.000-08:00

Rad 322 by Maria Apostolou

Maria Apostolou has been so kind as to organise a Secret Santa Ring Swap for RAD participants. Visit the thread on Flickr to read more and join in the fun! The deadline to join in is December 2nd.

Sara's November RING A DAY Finds

2010-11-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

Rings, rings and more rings. All I've been looking at for weeks are rings. Thousands of rings flash past my laptop screen a day. But I'm not tired of looking at rings yet. I have always loved rings and figure that I always will. The hands that create become the hands that are adorned.

Victoria Takahashi, Experimetal

Ring #315

For the past two weeks I have been curating rings for the May Exhibition with my fellow jurors, but tonight I wanted to take a moment to look at the rings that have created since we began our search.

Maria Apostolou

RAD #312 "Button Flower"

Seeing all these rings makes me wonder why I have always loved rings. Rings are personal--imbued with sentiment, emotion and memory. I am not as attached to my earrings or bracelets. Necklaces come close, but rings are my weakness. I don't wear many rings, but the three I wear are very special. Two I have made and are the only pieces that I keep for myself and the other is my wedding band commissioned from a local jeweler. Rings adorn my hands and my hands are my tools to create, make, and fabricate.

Shannon Conrad, rubygirl jewelry

"Ring #315"

Shapes draw me in and tell me a story of emotion, beauty and order. Sometimes I have a difficult time speaking about my work. Visual language is not always easily translated into verbal language. Shapes reference memories that are deep and submerged.

Mike Stromberg, Mike and Mary Jewelry

Ring a Day #308

Colleen Baran's RAD Favourites- Halloween

2010-10-31T06:16:00.000-07:00

#279 by Amuck design,

Happy Halloween!

As well as the series of interviews we will be doing a series of RAD Favourites. From the exhibition organisers (like me) and from RAD participants. In a pool of nearly 15,000 photos I'm excited to see what gems other Ring-a-Day-ers have found!

A few favourites from the past year that made me think of Halloween: skulls, bats, fangs, faux injuries and impaled sharp things.

(Above) Ring a Day 288/365, sterling silver & sandcast voodoo doll (see also Ring a Day 286/365)
(below) Rings 296 and 297 worn together by Rubygirl
sterling silver, sandcast plastic skeleton bones

(above) rad 39 ~z-z-zombie skully! by Experimetal
(below) rad 40 "bobbsey twins" two finger ring by Experimetal

(above) Day 303 'Hell's Angels vs Alexander McQueen' by
Mike&Mary
(below) RAD 220/365 by Nina Gibson

R A D #11 "Fangtasia" by Kathryn Riechert Made from fork tines.

RAD #37 "OUCH!!!!!!!!!" by Kathryn Riechert (below) RAD #25/365 by Nina Gibson

Ring a Day 159/365 by Rubygirl

More Halloween rings in the public RAD pool!

Evelyn Markasky is the Winner

2010-10-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Above is a photo of my 9-year old helper.
She picked the winner and supplied the straw hat for the drawing.

We are pleased to announce that Evelyn Markasky is the winner of the "500 Wedding Rings" book graciously donated to Etsymetal's Ring a Day by Lark Publishing Company. Thanks to everyone who entered to win by signing up on our Ring a Day Blog.

Deadline to Submit in 3 days!

2010-10-22T08:26:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick reminder to all who have participated in the Ring a Day project. The deadline to submit your rings for the SNAG exhibition at PUNCH gallery is Monday, October 25th at midnight PST. To be eligible to submit to the exhibition, you had to have posted a ring to the Flickr Ring a Day group pool prior to October 1, 2010.

It doesn't matter if you only posted one ring or 280 rings. We would like to show the scope of the project to include both the hardcore ring makers who have tirelessly kept on making rings and those who tried it for a few days; professional metalsmiths and novices; traditional and conceptual artists; teachers and students. This project belongs to all of us and in some small way, we have all journeyed along together.

Request an official Ring a Day submission form from ringaday@gmail.com.

Just 3 days left to win a copy of 500 Wedding Rings!

2010-10-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Just 3 days left to win a copy of 500 Wedding Rings!

All you have to do is subscribe to this blog to be entered for the drawing on October 15. The winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

Charm Necklace from EtsyMetal WOA challenge

2010-10-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Charm Necklace from EtsyMetal Work of Art (WOA) challenge.

EtsyMetal makers have graciously offered to donate the proceeds of the sale of the EtsyMetal WOA Charm Necklace towards the RAD exhibition in Seattle.

As well as being lovely and supporting a good cause, it's a fabulous deal. Priced at $280 it's retail cost would be $380!

The artists below are the ones who've made this lovely necklace. Thank you all for your kind donation!

Read about the WOA Challenge and more about the necklace on Etsy.

Kathryn Cole- Sterling Silver, Oxidized

Inbar Bareket - Sterling Silver, Peridot, Etched
Also, EtsyMetal Team tag: Sterling Silver, Etched

Stacey Hansen - Wildflower Designs- Sterling Silver, Mexican Lace Agate

Amanda Conley – BijouGirl "Charmed, I'm sure"
Sterling Silver, 14 karat Gold

Andrea Ring – AmuckDesign Sterling Silver, recycled Stop Sign

Kira Ferrer This charm is Ferdinand the Bull.
Sterling Silver, Gemstone, Oxidized

Victoria Takahashi - Experimetal Who made both the Handmade Charm Holder: Sterling Silver, Oxidized
and a Charm: Sterling Silver, Pearl, Oxidized

Official Call for Submissions for the Ring a Day Exhibition

2010-10-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ring a Day Exhibition

Call for Submissions
The Ring a Day project has been selected as an exhibition for the annual Society of North American Goldsmiths conference to be held in Seattle, May 2011.

“RAD, A Ring a Day for 365 Days” will run for a month, from May 5^th to May 29^th at the PUNCH Gallery in downtown Seattle, Washington. The exhibition will feature 365 physical rings accompanied by 14 framed photos of temporary and/or ephemeral rings. “RAD, Ring a Day for 365 Days” will be installed in the PUNCH gallery and it will on the official SNAG gallery tour. This exhibition will be curated by EtsyMetal members Colleen Baran, Kathryn Cole, Shannon Conrad, Nina Gibson, and Sara Westermark.

So this means that we need your rings! In fact this show is possible because of all the dedicated artists who have tirelessly given their time, imagination, perseverance, enthusiasm and talent to make this project great! The Ring a Day exhibition is a fabulous opportunity to show your work to a wide art buying audience as well as the metalsmithing community who travel yearly to attend SNAG conferences. The rings in this exhibition will be available for sale at the PUNCH gallery, so please indicate whether or not the ring(s) you submit will be for sale.

The Ring a Day project started January 1, 2010 when EtsyMetal and Nina Dinoff invited metalsmiths and other artists to participate in a daily personal challenge to create one ring a day for the entire year. The project quickly grew and has gained a wide audience with participants from around the world. On a daily basis, rings are created, photographed, and posted to the public “Ring A Day” Flickr photo group by each participant.

Jurors--Colleen Baran, Kathryn Cole, Shannon Conrad, Nina Gibson, and Sara Westermark

Jurying and Selection--The jurors will select rings based on originality, quality, concept, uniqueness, and design. We are open to both classic and alternative materials alongside various methods of construction.

Due to the unique nature of the project (and its vast size containing nearly 15,000 photos as of October 2010), the final selection of rings in the exhibition may include both invitational and juried submissions. It is very important to submit your best works as the primary way to highlight your work for review by the selection committee. Both submitted and invited rings will pay the jury fee for inclusion in the exhibition.

DEADLINES:
Deadline for electronic entry: October 25th, 2010
Artist Notification: no later than November 15th, 2010

Questions and comments should be sent to ringaday@gmail.com.

Eligibility--To be eligible rings must have been submitted to the public “Ring a Day” Flickr group prior to October 1, 2010. All mediums and methods of ring construction are encouraged and welcomed.

To apply, please request an application from ringaday@gmail.com.

Crafthaus Grant Awarded to Ring a Day Exhibition!

2010-09-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

RAD 43 "Its all fun and games until someone stabs themselves with a thorn." by Victoria Takahasi

Congratulations to all the Ring a Day Participants. We have been awarded the Crafthaus Grant to help fund our SNAG exhibition in Seattle at PUNCH Gallery. It is such an honor to be recognized by a group of our peers. Thanks to all who voted and to our die hard RAD Participants--YOU make this project possible!

Ring a Day Artist Interview: Andrea Ring (a.k.a Amuck Design)

2010-09-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Ring a Day Project has been a long journey for most of the artists involved. It is emotional, exhausting, compelling, invigorating, and just plain hard. There are about 20 metalsmiths who are still making their ring daily. Andrea Ring of Amuck Design was kind enough to give us an interview.

Amuck Design, "Mini Citybird" RAD #33

SW: How did you hear about this project?
AD: I really don't remember exactly where I first read about the project, but I started on January 1st.

SW: What compelled you to participate and persist in this endeavor?
AD: Well, I don't make rings so thought this would be a great chance to work on something outside of my norm. I persist because once I say that I'll commit to something I follow through. Also, my husband would never let me hear the end of it if I quit (not to mention I would feel bad for giving up).

SW: How many rings have you made to date?
AD: Today is ring #231 [247 now]

Amuck Design, "Jolly King Roger" RAD #15

SW: What is your favorite ring that you made? Why did you like it?
AD: I haven't made my favorite yet. I'm pretty sure though that it will be ring #365! (i'm really getting tired of rings!!)

SW: What was your least favorite ring that you made and why?
AD: That's a tough one but maybe the cardboard paper roll ring with the hot pink duct tape. It was just kinda big and boring.

SW: How have you changed as an artist since you began this project?
AD: My speed has improved tremendously! I've mostly worked with cold-connections in the past so my soldering has improved as well. This has been such an inspiring year so far. I never felt like I had the time to play and experiment in the studio but this project has shown me that so many more ideas will come if you make time for that little bit of play.

Amuck Design, "Spacey" RAD #51

SW: Has your involvement in RAD affected your business?
AD: I am sooo behind in my inventory right now and I've got two big shows coming up. The Buyers Market of American Craft next week and the Plaza art fair one month from now. I've definitely had some silly rings this past month as I've been busy getting ready, and they will probably continue to be silly for another month.

SW: What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to participate?
My advice for anyone who would like to participate would be to have fun with it and not take it too seriously. Even the quickie rings that I've made from my kitchen drawer have some element that inspires me. For me the challenge is about a commitment to get in the studio every day even if I don't feel like it and do something creative. It's about trying new things and being inspired by materials that I might not have considered before.

Amuck Design, "Elephant" RAD #105

SW: Where can people buy your jewelry online?
AD: I have an etsy shop where my jewelry can be purchased online.

SW: What one idea or thing inspires you most in your work?
AD: I am inspired largely by color and fashion. A nice piece of graffitti is also very inspiring!

Amuck Design, "Victorian Skull" RAD #74

Thanks Andrea for taking the time to give us this interview especially on the eve of preparing a show for The Buyers Market of American Craft!!!

Awarded an Etsy Team Grant!

2010-09-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

RAD 48, Prosperity Ring by Carrie Nunes

We are very happy to announce that EtsyMetal has been awarded an Etsy Team Grant for 'RAD, a Ring a Day for 365 days' at next year’s Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference in Seattle!

The Etsy Team Grant will be used towards purchasing materials (wood, paint, etc) and beginning to build the cases for the exhibition! We are grateful to Etsy for their funding and support! It is an exciting start to our fundraising!

A Visit to the PUNCH Gallery

2010-09-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit Seattle and attend meet with some artist members at Punch Gallery. PUNCH is an artist run gallery in the heart of the gallery district in downtown Seattle. Visiting the gallery helped me see the space to prepare for the show. Artist members were busy setting up the show for the gallery opening and I was able to ask Howard Barlow some questions.

The featured artist for September is Patricia Hagen with a solo show entitled, "Spill". This exhibition features new oil paintings and watercolors by Patricia Hagen. In these works, Hagen continues her investigation into the representation of inter-dependant organic systems.

Here's the official statement from Punch Gallery: "PUNCH was founded in March 2006 by a group of artists eager to participate in the dynamic cultural exchange resulting from the emergence of other artist-run galleries in Seattle. P seeks to exhibit work that is honest, thoughtful, vocal, fearless, and fresh. Applauding individual expression, the gallery’s primary mission is to provide support and encouragement for artists to create and exhibit their work in an atmosphere free from the constraints of commercialism. Committed to excellence on every level, PUNCH promotes the visual arts as a necessary, valid, and worthwhile contribution to Seattle’s cultural growth."

Patricia Hagen, Tower, oil on canvas, 62 x 48 inches, 2010

Ring a Day Artist Interview: Thomasin Durgin (a.k.a. Metal Riot)

2010-09-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Ring a Day Project has been a long journey for most of the artists involved. It is emotional, exhausting, compelling, invigorating, and just plain hard. There are about 20 metalsmiths who are still making their ring daily. Thomasin Durgin was kind enough to give us an interview.

Thomasin Durgin's "Crown of Thorns Cilice Ring" RAD 31

SW: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background in metalsmithing.
TD: I have an MFA in Fiber Art and didn't begin working with metal until three years ago, I am a collector of mid-century modernist jewelry and was finally inspired to make my own pieces. I took a three-week Introduction to Jewelry Making class and have been teaching myself ever since. I am very much a beginner, I have lots of learning and many tools ahead of me.

SW: How did you hear about the EtsyMetal’s Ring a Day project initiated by Nina Dinoff?
TD: Nina is a friend, and we are both members of EtsyMetal. Nina presented her idea to the team and those interested took up the challenge.

SW: What compelled you to participate and persist in this endeavor?
TD: I have a notoriously hard time with daily discipline and maintaining a commitment to long-term projects. I have challenged myself to make something specific every day many times in the past, but never for longer than 31 consecutive days. I thought I'd give 365 a try.

SW: When did you start this project?
TD: On January 6, 2010. Victoria Takahashi talked me into, after 100 rings she dropped out and I still miss her. [Victoria has since rejoined the project].

SW: How many rings have you made to date?
TD: 229 [when this interview was submitted Thomasin's rings were up-to-date, she is now at 244]

Thomasin Durgin, "Ring for Haiti" RAD 13

SW. What is your favorite ring that you made and why?
TD: I don't have a single favorite, but I am really glad I made my Ring for Haiti on the day the terrible earthquake hit that country. That ring led to a fundraiser auction of other rings to benefit Haiti, and I made lots of great new metalsmith friends in the process. We raised $1780 in total and many of the rings auctioned were from the RAD project.

SW: What was your least favorite ring that you made and why?
TD: One day I was out of time, so I cut a ring from a piece of bamboo I had collected from the street while walking my dogs. That felt like a cop out. There are other rings that I made terrible mistakes on - broken stones, bezels that were too large or small, etc. - but they don't disappoint me because at least I tried to create something.

Thomasin Durgin, "RAD 153"

SW: How have you changed as an artist since you began this project?
TD: I've been working as an artist for a long time, this experience has not changed my process or how I approach my work, it's simply another avenue for me. I do think that some of my metal skills have improved since I took on the challenge, possibly more rapidly than they would have if I weren't doing RAD.

SW: Has your involvement in RAD affected your business?
TD: Yes - and not in a good way! I do not care to ever create the same thing twice, yet I have to make those "bread and butter" items to pay the bills. I'd much rather spend three hours on a conceptual piece for exhibition than on boring production work that I can actually sell, and I often do. It's quite a problem, actually.

Thomasin Durgin, "Bad Girl Button Ring" RAD 9

SW: What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to participate? TD: Run! Flee! Save yourself!

Just kidding. For myself, this project is about the long haul, a ring a day for a year, period. If someone takes the challenge that far they will find themselves in a very small and welcoming group of people who support each other on a daily basis. We all look at each other's rings and leave comments every day. Giving feedback and supporting the others has become just as important to me as making my rings, and without all of those special people I would not be able to keep going.

SW: Where can people buy your jewelry online?
TD: I mostly sell in galleries and at art festivals, but I do have an esty shop, and plans to add a shopping cart to my web site thomasin.com soon.

Thomasin Durgin, "RAD 151"

SW: What one idea or thing inspires you most in your work?
TD: I am most interested in making conceptual art, much of my work is political in nature and lately I have been focusing on the Deepwater Horizon spill and the torture at Abu Ghraib prison. I also make wearable jewelry that is firmly rooted in craft and I enjoy that as well, but I consider those pieces to be design and don't refer to them as art.

SW: Would you like to tell us anything else?
TD: Nope.

Thanks Tomi!!! You have been an inspiration to us all!

Thomasin Durgin, "RAD 208"

RAD Press- Handmade in Portland features Shannon Conrad of Rubygirl

2010-08-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to persistant Ring-A-Day-er and RAD Shannon Conrad for the fabulous interview "HiP Creative Spotlight: Shannon Conrad of rubygirl" on Handmade in Portland!

As well as talking about building a handmade business, her family, and the satisfaction of meeting strangers wearing her jewelry there is a lovely feature on the Ring a Day project. Yay! Shannon talks about how the project began, her favourite ring (usually yesturday's) and the wonderful Ring a Day community.

Read an exerp of the RAD press below:

Let’s talk about a Ring a Day. What was the concept behind that? And how is it going?

I’m part of a team on Etsy, called Etsy Metal, it’s the metalsmiths team. And one of the members had this idea. She had taken a class and the instructor had said that she had done this as a creative process, and it stuck in her mind. She presented it to the team and so I decided to try.

Setting out, a lot of people agreed to do it at least for January. But there were those of us that said, if I’m going to do it, I want to push past that. The nice thing about how we set up Ring a Day is that there are no rules. It is up to you. It’s a personal challenge. I could tie a string around my finger and that’s today’s ring. Personally, I try to fabricate as much as possible, because my goal with Ring a Day is to…well, you do things over and over, I see it in production work, I am faster and better at certain things because I’ve done it a hundred times. So I try to fabricate more often and do less conceptual stuff. It’s given me a chance to try things that have been in my head. And some of the things that have come out, I want to do whole lines of.

The whole process is frustrating and exciting and it makes me anxious and there are all of these emotions that go into it. But it has been really good. It has pushed me creatively. It has pushed me to be in the studio every day. There are times when I don’t have orders pending or anything when it would be really easy to flake off a day, and this doesn’t allow that. It makes me think creatively every day.

I think what is really great about Ring a Day is the community it has built. Anybody can do it. You don’t have to be a metalsmith or be part of the Etsy Metal team. We opened it up to anybody. One of the girls posted statistics on her blog. I want to say that 118 people have made rings at some point. It’s down to four of us who are completely on target. Mostly it’s sheer stubbornness on my part.

Do you have a favorite ring?

Probably what I did last night. And if you asked me yesterday, I would have said the same thing. At 200 and some odd rings, I don’t think I do have a favorite.

Read the rest of the article here.

Ring a Day Artist Interview: Evelyn Markasky

2010-08-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Ring a Day Project has been a long journey for most of the artists involved. It is emotional, exhausting, compelling, invigorating, and just plain hard. There are about 20 metalsmiths who are still making their ring daily. Evelyn Markasky was kind enough to give us an interview.

Evelyn Markasky, Ring #182 & #183

SW: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background in metalsmithing.
EM: I graduated from college with a BFA in Sculpture from a small college in Ohio. I took my first jewelry-making classes there and also a metal sculpture class where I learned welding. There was only me and one other woman in the class. We eventually became very good friends, but during that quarter, because of all the safety headgear and clothing we had to wear, our conversation was mostly “Would you pass the striker please?” This was during the 70’s, and we eventually moved on to more bizarre and conceptual types of art. Then I had 3 children and my art took a different turn in the form of a family. After the last one became a teenager I started getting back into metal work and enameling, taking some workshops in the area. I teach a little and sell a little and then I became obsessed with the Ring a Day!

SW: How did you hear about the EtsyMetal’s Ring a Day project initiated by Nina Dinoff? EM: I had been a Flickr member for a while and already a contact with a few Ring a Day people, like Maria. I began to notice this funny code-like number and letters coming up with Maria’s photos. So I asked her about it and she explained about the project and invited me to join.

Evelyn Markaksy, Ring #198

SW: What compelled you to participate and persist in this endeavor?
EM: Well, I had been watching Maria’s rings and photos evolving in just a month’s time. I know that if you do something everyday, almost anything, that you will eventually get better at it and I really wanted to be a part of that process. Also, I have always had a hard time staying committed to any one thing. My mother’s voice in the back of my head from when I was a little girl saying ‘you never finish anything.’ I wanted to do something like this and follow it through to the end, to prove to myself that I could commit!! Ring a Day also makes you accountable. There are people that will see your ring – every day. It motivates me more when I know there are people out there that will know if I did it or not, more so than me trying to think up a project of this length and trying to do it all by myself.

SW: When did you start this project?
EM: I joined the group on February 6, 2010.

SW: How many rings have you made to date?
EM: The more I participated the more I wanted to be able to finish with 365 rings with everyone else, so I became obsessed until I caught up. So as of today, 8/17/10 I have made 229 rings!

SW: What is your favorite ring that you made and why?
EM: Eeee! That’s like trying to pick your favorite child!! RAD gives you that latitude to be able to try and work out many different techniques, so some I like because of the process, some because of the way they look, and some because of the meaning or symbology. But I guess if I had to pick one… I would pick #183, my sick ring! I had had this horrible cold – sore throat and cough – for about 3 weeks and I had to make a functional ring for a RAD spin-off group. So I made a cough syrup cup ring, with words describing the crap they put in medications. It was the first ring in a while that I actually took time to fabricate and think about and it marked a turning point in starting to feel better. I guess I just liked the way it looked and was put together. I know you didn’t ask… but 2nd favorite would be the anticlastic rings with enamel like #198. I am addicted to hammering the form and am enjoying finding new ways to work with it.

Evelyn Markasky, Ring # 37

SW: What was your least favorite ring that you made and why?
EM: That’s hard to say too, because even when a ring didn’t come out like I may have intended, or fell apart, or just looked weird, I still learned something from making it. But if I have to choose, I’d pick #37 (and hope that #37 doesn’t feel insulted!) I like it least because of the craftsmanship. It was lumpy and not filed and sanded very well. However, it was also a turning point, because I started to realize that even if I’m making a quick ring or a simple ring, it should be done well. That’s when I started looking more closely at what I was doing and trying to work harder on the technical aspects. Not that everything I do comes out perfectly, but that I have that more as a goal now. Thank you #37.

SW: How have you changed as an artist since you began this project?
EM: My mind and thinking has been stretched to dimensions I never thought existed! I’ve gotten better technically and have tried things I wouldn’t have tried before. It keeps me fresh, which is sometimes difficult to do when you are isolated working alone in your studio.

SW: Has your involvement in RAD affected your business?
EM: One way it has affected my business is that I’m so obsessed with doing a ring a day, that I have let a lot of my online posting slide! But because of the creativity and new work that has evolved from Ring a Day, I have been accepted into shows and sold more work locally.

SW: What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to participate?
EM: Do it, whether you commit to a ring every day or not. The commitment is personal, no one in the group minds if you post every day or every month or even just once or twice. It’s like taking an intensive college course online. Its not necessarily always fun. Sometimes it hurts to think. And sometimes the frustration of having to make a ring every day when maybe you just don’t want to, is necessary to move to a new level. And the support you get from the other members is phenomenal.

Evelyn Markasky Ring #164

SW: Where can people buy your jewelry online?
EM: I have a website, www.evelynmarkasky.com and an Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/markasky

SW: What one idea or thing inspires you most in your work?
EM: Organic shapes/designs. I love taking a piece of cold, hard metal and turning it into something soft and organic by hammering, folding, forming, and coloring.

SW: Would you like to tell us anything else? EM: I started doing Ring a Day with the idea that I would get better at metalwork and better at taking photos. Both of those things have happened. What I didn’t realize would happen is the camaraderie, friendships, and support through this group. It seems like at some point someone will post that they are uninspired, tired of making rings, wanting to quit, etc. (I know I was one of those people) and then you get these great supportive comments from people loving your work and encouraging you to keep going (whether its ring a day or not). No judgment or negative criticism, just supportive comments from people going through a similar experience, but maybe on a different place in the road. Sometimes it feels like a group of artists gathering and discussing ideas and art and families and health, only instead of sitting in some little café we are on the internet and we live all over the world. I have made friends and connections with people that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t joined Ring a Day. I knew some of these people as contacts on Flickr, but Ring a Day did something that brought people together in a different way and connected them. Thank you Nina Dinoff!!

Evelyn Markasky Ring #222

Win a "500 Wedding Rings" Book by Lark

2010-08-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Rings, rings, rings have been on my mind for 228 days now. I think in rings, I dream in rings. I still love rings--I always have. So if you love rings as much as we do....we have a little something for you! We are excited to announce a drawing for Lark's "500 Wedding Ring" book. All you have to do is subscribe to this blog and we will have a drawing October 15. The winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

Ring a Day SNAG Exhibition Announcement

2010-07-21T01:33:00.001-07:00

Danielle Miller's New Year's Ring, RAD #1

EtsyMetal Ring a Day SNAG Exhibition Announcement

EtsyMetal is pleased to announce that the Ring a Day Project has been accepted as an exhibition for the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) upcoming Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington. The EtsyMetal team has partnered with the Punch Gallery for this exhibition.

“RAD, a Ring a Day for 365 days” curated by Colleen Baran, Shannon Conrad and Sara Westermark will run from Thursday, May 5 to Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Victoria Takahashi's Ring a Day 100

The exhibit will feature 365 rings, representing a ring a day and encompassing the full span of the year 2010. Represented work will range from ephemeral and conceptual art rings to functional jewelry. The layout will also include photographic documentation of select temporary and conceptual art rings.

Rings will be chosen by the EtsyMetal curators and will illustrate the highlights and accomplishments of many hundreds of international members, selected from over 10,000 rings.

Metalriot's Ring a Day 24/365

About RAD

The Ring a Day project (or RAD) is an open challenge to metalsmiths and other artists across the globe to make one ring a day, out of any material, for the entire year of 2010.

The rules?
- make a ring a day
- photograph it
- upload it to Flickr

The genesis of the Ring a Day project is based on an exercise taught by Ellen Wieske at Haystack. The Flickr project, which was initially proposed by Nina Dinoff, was intended as an EtsyMetal team challenge to set a daily routine of exploration and an experiment to see what could develop over the course of a year.

On a daily basis, the rings are created, photographed, and posted to the Ring a Day Flickr photo group by each participant. The majority of the artists represented here have discovered this project through social media networks such as Flickr, EtsyMetal, Etsy, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and of course word of mouth. This project reflects a population of metalsmiths and jewelry makers who are facile with current online technology.

Visit the public RAD group and join the project here.
For more info check back here on the Ring a Day Blog.

Kathryn Riechert's RAD #124 'Take a Dip'