Feature Friday -- Catcophony

Welcome to Feature Friday!  Each week we will feature a fellow artist, blogger, shop, or product that catches our fancy.  First on the list is our good friend and fellow Dreamer into Doer, Diane Perry of Catcophony.  Diane makes beautiful, limited edition jewelry!

How did you first get interested in jewelry crafting? A few years ago I decided to try to make the kind of earrings I wanted to wear but couldn’t find. So many pieces were ‘been there, worn that.’ I like simple lines and dramatic statements.

When did you know you wanted to start selling? A friend encouraged me to go with her and share her booth at a local craft show. It went rather well and we did a few more. The following year another friend wanted to join me in doing some larger shows. Since then I have found the venues most likely to attract those interested in artisan jewelry—wearable art.

Where do you get your inspiration for each piece? I keep an ‘idea book’ that I sketch my ideas in—sometimes nature inspires, sometimes it’s another piece of jewelry that I see and want to reinterpret, and sometimes I just sit down and poke around my beads, wire, and gemstones or just start pounding on some metal…I like to work in all sorts of mediums from metal clay to polymer clay, from wire work to ceramic pendants. A little hyper! But I have always been a crafter and willing to take on just about any craft save scrapbooking….

Where do you hope to take your shop from here? I’d like to see it grow and evolve into a successful enterprise. I love working on custom pieces, so I’d love to do more of that.

Which piece is your favorite? It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I would say that currently I love working with copper or brass to create a sort of ‘watercolor’ look for earrings. Until I am at the last stages and putting on the sealer, I don’t know exactly how it will turn out—but it always has the look of an impressionist painting.

What are your hobbies outside of jewelry crafting? I love to garden. I live on 5 acres so we have many areas to putter. I play golf, crochet, do basket weaving, and love puzzles

Favorites:
Movie—any Harry Potter, sci fi, or Mel Brooks comedies
TV Show-Psych
Music-here I am pretty eclectic— anything but rap and hip hop—I am currently listening to il Divo, Nathan Pacheceo, Yanni, but also enjoy Classical music, jazz, Sinatra, heavy metal 
Book- a good mystery from Sherlock Holmes to “The Cat Who….” series
Food-I am very ecumenical—I love most food
Place-Tuscany

Is there any item or shop section that you'd like to highlight? My dragonfly rings have been a particular hit at the shows I have done. I make them with turquoise, malachite, and other semi-precious stones. Each one is ‘one of a kind’

What are you offering your clients this holiday season? Right now I am working on some ceramic and silver pendants that I hope to have ready for holiday shows and for my online store. Any specials or new items coming up just for the holidays?

What is your favorite style to create? Anything simple preferably with silver or copper.

Brag a bit about yourself and your business! I will be participating with The Artisan Group in the GBK Productions Oscars gift lounge for the celebrities and press. I have designed special ‘watercolor’ earrings on copper that turned out better than I could have hoped for. I will also be participating in the gift lounge for the Golden Globe awards.


So that's our friend, Diane!  Isn't her jewelry stunning?  If you'd like to order any of the pieces you see here, just click on the photo and you'll go to her Artfire shop.  You can also visit her Etsy shop, Like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter!  


Well, I'm off for the weekend.  Ricky, Kat, and I are spending tomorrow in Santa Monica with my brother to celebrate his birthday!  Have a great weekend, and we'll see you Monday!


~ Pia