Exciting Announcement: My New Art Studio At The Banana Factory

I'm thrilled to announce that I am a new resident artist at Bethlehem PA's Banana Factory!

Located in the south side of Bethlehem at 25 W 3rd St. in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, the

 Banana Factory Arts Center is a visual arts & education campus run by ArtsQuest that features over 30 resident artists who have studios in the building. The building is also

home to three award winning art galleries and features a ceramics studio, the ArtsQuest 

Glass Studio, and the Olympus Digital Imaging Center. Just minutes from Steel Stacks 

and Sands Casino, the Banana Factory is a true gem of Pennsylvania art and culture! 

Click here to check out the Banana Factory's resident artists 

And yes, it actually was once a banana distribution center, in case you were 

curious about the name...

image via

Even more exciting: First Fridays at the Banana Factory

On the first Friday of every month from 6 pm to 9 pm the Banana Factory and South Bethlehem come alive for a community celebration where local merchants, galleries 

and restaurants open their doors to celebrate Bethlehem's awesome community. During

First Friday inside the Banana Factory, all of the resident artists open their doors to their 

studios to the public and you can stop in and say hello, as well as view and purchase 

wonderful artwork. This coming Friday (May 3, 2013) will be my very first First Friday

as an artist in residence at the Banana Factory, so if you are around town, stop in 

and say hi!

My New Studio - First Floor, room VA-A

Here's a sneak peek at my new space, which I am filling up as we speak!

I love the two large windows...and there's plenty of room for me to teach 

all kinds of workshops right in the studio, which is an added bonus!

I've already started moving in, though it is a little bare right now because I am in the 

process of packing up all of my tools and getting ready to ship them out to Cincinnati, 

Ohio for a week-long photo shoot for my new jewelry instruction book, but I will have the 

space filled up soon enough! I hope one day you will have a chance to stop in on a First 

Friday and say hello, or perhaps take a workshop! 

What do you think?

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful 

china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege 

than an actual profession. After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers 

and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from 

many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful 

patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life 

unlike other ordinary household objects. 

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. 

Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or 

thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly 

recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but mom's plate, 

or grandmother's cup. There is a connection. Often when that connection is 

made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, 

or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the 

sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know the patterns by name.

No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as

valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your

soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 

Someone just like you. 

New Broken China Jewelry In My Shop Today

I haven't had time to make much new jewelry lately because I am 

busy working on my first jewelry instruction book (yay! fun!) but I 

managed to make a few new pieces this week and wanted to share 

the photos with you. Once my work on the book is through, I'll have

 lots of new pieces to share with you. Hope you like! 

What do you think?  

Want to learn how to make your own?
Check out my new book!

New Jewelry Made From Broken China

I've been a busy bee and just last night finished up a brand new batch of 
jewelry made from broken antique china.  I handcraft each piece of jewelry 
from start to finish - each piece starts out as a broken or damaged plate that 
is then transformed into wearable art. The finished result is a beautiful keepsake 
piece of heirloom quality broken china jewelry. Each is a labor of love! 

Check them out! 

Want to see more? 

You can check out all the the items shows above as well as lots more of 

my broken china jewelry in my Etsy shop: Dishfunctional Designs

What do you think?