After many months of reading, researching, writing, and thinking about who I am as an artist, what inspires me, and what I want to pursue, I have finally arrived at some beneficial conclusions to support my emerging practice as a fine art jeweler.
For some time it has been clear to me that my childhood experiences in Japan had a significant impact on my aesthetic development. I’ve enhanced those aesthetic impulses by solid grounding in research on wabi sabi aesthetics and Zen philosophy.
By now you may have guessed that I have a slight obsession with jewelry (of course), fashion design, France, and Jane Austen literature, (her novels are wonderfully nuanced–the frilly movie adaptations? Not so much).
All of these things lend themselves to my pursuit of a name for a new jewelry collection
that is inspired by the textures of the urban landscape. You see, I am in love with Seattle–it is for me what New York is to Carrie Bradshaw. (Spoiler alert: if you click on the Carrie Bradshaw link, you will Not Be Amused by the hints about the new SATC movie. Not Amused.) That is to say, the city of Seattle is a major character in the Story of Me. I have been, for a long time, fascinated with the way surfaces crumble and decay: the rust or verdigris on metal, the crumbling concrete, random grid patterns–the whole schmiel.
So, I’ve been thinking of a name for this city-inspired collection and my Muse (who is hilarious and who always know the right approach to inspire me) suggested See It! Do It! As in see a texture and use it in your art making. I shortened it to See-Do but then thought…um, no. Here’s where the Francophilia kicks in.
One morning while walking to work, I take a new route and discover the fabulous Boulangerie Nantaise, (an organic French bakery–could it be any more perfect!?) I buy an organic croissant (yum!) and continue my journey singing Eartha Kitt’s version of C’est Si Bon. Meanwhile my Muse is still in my head screaming See It! Do It! All this scrambles in my mind to become Cidu, which seems to be a transportation system in Taiwan or Cedu, which seems to be Mel Wasserman’s school system for at risk teens. I’m thinking CiDu (pronounced See-Do)
But my point is, in my searching the internet to see how Cidu/Cedu is used, I found two wonderful links about ways to live cheaply in France. Paris, you see, is another dream city for me–my romanticized version of Paris at least. I thought I should share for others following the same dream of taking a long visit to France.
Private and Student Accommodation in France
Enjoy! And now I’m off to the studio where I am working on a new batch of lovely beads for the CiDu project.
