Interview with Dianne Karg Baron Part 2

Viking Knit TorusHaving attempted one of Dianne Karg Baron's tutorials, I can safely say that even the simplest-looking of her designs requires a high level of skill, patience and accuracy,  so I can only imagine the amounts of these that she must possess in order to complete her more intricate work.  After sharing out her thoughts about tutorials and online marketing,  here is what she had to say in her interview about making her jewelry.

Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of my inspiration comes from nature - plants, flowers, trees - but I
also draw from geometry, art, particularly Celtic art, the history of wire
jewellery, and from the narrative of my own life.

Wild Hearts EarringsWhat is your favorite design, and is this your best seller?
Oh well, every new piece I make is my favourite design ;-), at least for a
little while.  Seriously though, I think my favourite pieces are the ones
that are Celtic inspired.  I love knotwork!  My best seller is the Wild
Hearts series - earrings and pendant.  People really respond to the Celtic
influence in the design, and the price point is very good for people
looking for an affordably priced gift.

How did you first get into jewelry art?
I dabble a bit with jewellery while I was in university, but it wasn't
until the mid 1990s that I took it up seriously.  I was walking along the
beach near my home in the early summer 1995, scanning the ground for
interesting rocks.  I was into rockhounding at the time, so it was sort of
an occupational hazard.  I spied one, and pick it up.  It was a piece of
beach glass.  Disappointed, I was about to throw it back into the lake,
when I had the thought that it would make a really cool piece of jewellery.
The only material I could think of to lay my hands on quickly was wire.  So
I bought some wire, and made a pendant with the piece of beach glass.  I
immediately had all kinds of other ideas for pieces, and I was off...

Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls EarringsWhat keeps you motivated?
I'd say it's my need to create. And whatever it is, it absolutely *can't*
be ordinary. Ordinary is boring. I've always done things with my hands:
painting, knitting, writing, jewellery making. I get a lot of satisfaction
from completing a challenging piece.

Can you name another jewelry designer whose work you admire?
On the whole, I admire the work of the Modernists - Alexander Calder, Max
Froehlich, Art Smith, Philip Morton, and to a lesser extent, Claire
Falkenstein. Sir Alfred Gilbert's designs were way ahead of his time, and
he didn't receive the credit he deserved for them. The work of Mary Lee Hu
is a constant source of wonder and joy. She has done amazing things with
wire.

Do you find the process of experimentation frustrating or
inspiring?
Oh both. I love the challenge of trying to work out an idea. Sometimes it
works, and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it takes several tries to work
out an idea. Sometimes I work out the idea, but the PITA factor (pain in
the a**) is so high that it's not worth doing again. I never worry about
wasting wire though. You have to break eggs to make an omelet, and you
have to be willing to waste wire in order to get an inspired design.

If you could have any jewelry super-power to help you with your jewelry what would it be?
I'd love to be able to clap my hands and to instantly have my bench and
studio cleaned and organized. They seem to be in a perpetual state of
mess :-).

Jewelry Featured:

Wild Hearts Earrings
Sterling silver
Constructed, cold joined
L 3 cm x W 1.5 cm
Available from Dianne's Etsy shop, $20
DianneKargBaron.etsy.com

Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls Earrings Tutorial
Instant download file
14 pages, 63 photos, 45 steps, plus design notes
Available from www.wrapturetutorials.com, $10

You can find more about Dianne Karg Baron at her websites:
www.wrapturewirejewellery.on.ca / www.wrapturetutorials.com /
DianneKargBaron.etsy.com / www.twitter.com/DianneKargBaron