Life After Dark

Tiaras After Dark: Those Outrageous Elizabethans!

2011-08-05T11:26:00.016-05:00

(singing softly)

"Where, oh where, has wee Dosha gone"?

Traveling the world, My Dears! At the moment, I am spending a glorious summer in Ithaca, New York while Dr. B wraps up a study at Cornell. We will be heading back to Europe for a cozy Medieval winter, then it is off to the Panamanian jungle for a year!

History continues to be a main source of inspiration for the jewelry I create, and I thought I'd break my (blog) fast by sharing some of my recent historically inspired custom work with you. I am entirely obsessed with the outrageously ostentatious Elizabethan Era:

I am incredibly inspired by the Elizabethan lace ruffs so prevalent in the portraiture of that time period. Here is my first finished work based on the lace ruff motif:

My crown is in my heart, not in my head,
Nor decked with diamonds and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen; my crown is called contentment;
A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy.
William Shakespeare

Warmest Wishes (again, at last...),

Dosha

www.afterdarkjewelry.com

Cathedral After Dark: The Munster

2010-11-18T16:54:00.016-06:00

Sometimes, monsters inspire.

Dr. B and I recently spent a long weekend traveling the length of Switzerland and I came home bearing a gift from Bern's Munster Cathedral:

Inspiration.

It will not come as a surprise to most that I have a fondness for Gothic architecture and Medieval history. Nay, not mere fondness. It is adoration bordering on the divine when crossing the threshold of a 1000 years young castle. Tears of joy roll down my cheeks as I sit quietly in an old cathedral pew; trembling in delight, in wonder...

'Thrilled to the marrow' is a phrase reserved for moments such as these.

I brought the above images home to my studio, along with the memories of cold stone and layered varnish; of stained glass and carved wood...

...and began to create.

I'm pleased to announce I've designed my first new piece of jewelry in one long, difficult year. At last.

Quatrefoil Crown Earrings

Inspired by my visit to Munster Cathedral, I've created a version of the beloved quatrefoil motif in swarovski pearl beads. They may be found, along with a hundred other jewels, in my Etsy shop. I plan to design thousands more.

Quatrefoil Crown Earrings - Back View

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put foundations under them.
Henry David Thoreau

Wee steps in an upward direction, My Dears!

Warmest Wishes,

Dosha
www.afterdarkjewelry.com
www.afterdark.etsy.com

Europe After Dark: A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes

2010-11-16T10:31:00.028-06:00

What can I say to make you happy?

I haven't had words I've felt worth saying in a while.

A long-term illness has kept me quiet and in a haze of ineptitude for more than a year. My better half, scientist and problem-solver that he is, whisked me out of the country for the 'European Cure'. Oh, my -- this was THE gift of a lifetime. We are currently settled in Germany in a wee village on the outskirts of the gorgeous Medieval city of Wuerzburg. Before I continue, please allow me to share my new home with you:

The Majestic City of Wuerzburg

A statue on the Old Main Bridge and a bit of local humor

A sleepy hidden chapel nestled inside the Dom Cathedral

Exquisite artwork by the owner of the home we currently rent.
A painter in his spare time, his stunning book of illuminated
manuscripts took 5 years to complete.

The Town Hall

Out and about on a 'Family Walk' -- Inari runs through these fields
on her daily visit to her friends -- the sheep, horses, and chickens
which live nearby.

The city's castle -- Fortress Marienberg

Elegant weathered niches displaying statues of a religious nature
are to be found in every nook and cranny of the city. The above
example is on display just down the street from our cozy little home.

A glimpse of village architecture

The Dom Cathedral Cloisters -- long stretches devoted to the
dearly departed. Ancient tombs line the walls and floor of this
sacred space.

Inari in her element -- basking in the glow of the sun's rays like
the kitty she is at heart.

A castle moat, long since filled in by earth

My favorite work of art in all of Wuerzburg --
Trauernde Maria aus Acholshausen
by Tilman Riemenschneider in 1505.
A photo of Maria resides by my desk for inspiration.

A dragonfly visitor knocks on our door
(Not to worry -- Dr. B is an experienced entomologist and adept at
handling these lovelycreatures in a gentle and considerate manner)

Walking Home

Our new surroundings have influenced my health and happiness in astounding ways. I have found my precious creativity once again (it was hiding under a castle stone in the Mosel Valley) and am more healthy and happy than ever before! My time in Europe has been the most inspiring journey of my life, and the adventures are just beginning. Even now, as we run our fingers over ancient stone in rapture, we are forging ahead. We are wrapping hands around the neck of fate and mapping the next nomadic exploit. Shall it be a year in India? South America? Africa?

If you could grasp the Earth by a string, which world would you choose?

In the meantime, I shall sit down at my studio desk and create -- for you and for me.

Warmest Wishes to All,

Dosha

www.afterdarkjewelry.com
www.afterdark.etsy.com

Holidays After Dark: 25 Percent Sale & New Rings!

2009-12-10T21:00:00.002-06:00

A quick little pre-holiday surprise for my friends:

click to visit www.afterdarkjewelry.com

In addition to receiving 25% off every order placed through 11:59PM Sunday, I am also including a free gift with every purchase!

Every order placed totaling $25.00 and under will also receive a stunning set of fire-polished glass bead earrings with antiqued bead caps in your choice of the following colors:

Jet Black
Bridal White
Cobalt Blue
Ruby Red
Deep Garnet
Emerald Green
Smokey Topaz
Hematite
Royal Purple

Every order placed totaling $25.01 - $75.00 will receive one of the following earring styles in your choice of color (please refer to the drop-down boxes associated with each earring design listed on the website for a complete color listing).

Rhiannon Earrings

Morgana Earrings

Dark Embers Earrings

Drucilla's Mirror Earrings

Canterbury Park Earrings

Every order placed between $75.01 - $175.00 will receive the following custom shard necklace with your choice of image and stone color. This is a pendant necklace so very new that it hasn't even been placed on the website yet! This necklace may be created in an antiqued silver or bronze finish. I will contact you via email to assist in choosing the perfect image for you at your request.

Custom Luna Pendant Necklace Shard

Custom Luna Pendant Necklace Shard Detail

Lastly, every order placed above $175.00 will receive a custom antiqued mixed media ring with the image of their choice sealed inside by a glass dome. I create each ring by hand out of durable polymer clay and antiqued metals. The ring may be created in an antiqued silver, copper or bronze finish. I will contact you via email to assist in choosing the perfect image, as well as to discuss additional pertinent details such as size, color and ornamentation. This is a marvelous option for those with metal allergies, because it is possible to craft the entire ring out of clay!

The following images are examples of past ring creations:

Mucha Fruit Ring

Queen Elenor Ring

Queen Elenor Ring Side View

Young Marie Antoinette Ring

Young Marie Antoinette Ring Back View

Medieval Maiden Ring

Medieval Maiden Ring Back View

Simply type in your request in the message area located in the checkout section of the website. If you are unsure, just leave the area blank and I'll send an email your way to lend a helping hand. You are also welcome to send a separate email through the website with the details of your desired free gift, or to ask any and all questions you may have about the process. I'm here to help!

In other exciting news, you'll find jewelry designs which are in stock and ready to ship at my Etsy shop, where you'll always find free shipping! Such a helpful option for our last minute shoppers. This is also where I will display my one-of-a-kind designs for your immediate enjoyment:

www.afterdark.etsy.com

I've been busy as a bee this past month creating designs for a new holiday show at the Arnold Klein Gallery in Royal Oak, MI. If you reside in the area, please do stop by and view my jewelry in person! The show opened with a large display of my pendants, necklaces and rings, but I've heard word several sold within hours of the opening, so pay a visit soon before they disappear entirely!

I would also enjoy sharing more of my recent creations with you. You'll find these images and many more designs listed on my new Flickr account:

Illuminati Necklace I

Mucha Fruit Necklace

Holy Relic Shard Necklace

Marie Antoinette Glass Domed Necklace

Mucha Byzantine Blonde Necklace

Necklace - Relic of the Cloisters

These and many others on Flickr including all of my brand new ring designs are not on the website yet, so feel free to contact me via email about availability and pricing. And come help me celebrate the holiday season with free rings -- stop by www.afterdarkjewelry.com and save through Sunday, December 13th!

Warmest Holiday Wishes,

Natasha

www.afterdarkjewelry.com
www.afterdark.etsy.com
After Dark Jewelry on Flickr

Jewelry After Dark: A Site Update At Last!

2009-10-02T23:54:00.020-05:00

I have been a quiet girl this Summer.

With my nose firmly placed against the grindstone, I have been forging new paths for After Dark Jewelry while practicing new skills in photography and web manipulation. The outcome: I am FINALLY able to announce the arrival of brand new designs on www.afterdarkjewelry.com! I have spent the past two months elbow deep in photos and web code and have begun the process of posting all of my latest jewels up on the site, with many more to be added daily. I am also enhancing all of the best-selling designs already on the website and am posting new photos as the improved versions are created, many of which have been posted as of this writing. What a massive undertaking this has been! I do hope you enjoy After Dark Jewelry's new and improved website; there are constant additions to come in the following weeks.

However, I have much more to share with you, my friends. It has been a flurry of activity in and out of the bungalow this summer as I was whisked off to New York City for a whirlwind mini-break, complete with behind the scenes action at Christie's Auction House and the American Museum of Natural History! After Dark Jewelry was also a vendor at Austin's 2009 Bat Fest this past August. What could be better than a day with the bats? I have many photos and stories to share with you in the near future.

In the meantime, I shall leave you with my sincere thanks for your continued support; your blog comments, messages and emails are a treasured highlight of every day, especially when I have difficulty seeing around the mountain of photos and web code filling up my wee bungalow on every side.

A small taste of the new collection for your enjoyment, now up at www.afterdarkjewelry.com :

Proserpine Necklace - The Pre-Raphaelites

Ophelia's Heart Necklace

Vanity Necklace - The Pre-Raphaelites

Time in a Bottle Necklace - Anatomy

Spare the Rod Necklace - Anatomy

Dark Embers Earrings

Marie Antoinette in Blue - Louis XVI Necklace

Crux Ansata Earrings

Leading the Blind Necklace - Anatomy

Lilith Necklace - The Pre-Raphaelites

Rhiannon Earrings

Anne Boleyn - Tudor Queen Necklace

Missing You,

Natasha
www.afterdarkjewelry.com

Studio After Dark: The Unveiling

2009-07-24T10:57:00.042-05:00

Creativity - like human life itself - begins in darkness.

~ Julia Cameron

Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath.

Taste the muddled darkness of your mind.

Then...

A spark.

See the tunnel in the distance?

That pinpoint of light so far away?

Can you catch it?

Can you mold it?

Do you have something to say?

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.

~ George Bernard Shaw

In the quiet solitude of my studio I close the door to the noise of the world and attempt to convey with my hands what my mouth often can not. Childhood struggles, spiritual scars, artistic enlightenment and the mysteries of the universe serve as sources of inspiration as I sit at my desk early each morning.

What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit.

~John Updike

There are those who can produce astounding works of art at any time, in any place. I am NOT one of those people. My creativity is sometimes precariously balanced on the head of a pin. However, I have found a key to unlocking my creative potential -- THE STUDIO. Would you please be so kind as to join me on a tour of my creative space?

My studio is like my mind -- eccentric and cluttered and seemingly full of contrasting ideas. Currently I am working on two collections: one is based on anatomy, and the other is inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites. Quite an unusual combination!

Finished anatomical piece - Time in a Bottle

Newly created Pre-Raphaelite jewelry still on the work table

My favorite part of the studio is a beautifully hand-painted vintage cabinet which I use as my clay and paint desk. It is also instrumental in hiding away the massive amount of tools I have collected over the years. Barrett and I found a matching set of these Medieval cabinets sitting abandoned in a warehouse and promptly adopted them. The brother to this piece makes a comfortable home in the living room as our entertainment center.

They need a bit of TLC but are so unique and utterly inspiring.

Inside view of Medieval cabinet

Stuffed with supplies! (My paint drawer)

The working side of my clay desk, with assorted tools and jewelry projects in various stages of completion.

My inspiration board

Front and back view of pendants in progress on the work table

Pile of clay jewelry cuffs that haven't passed the test. I keep my mistakes as visual aides to help remember 'What NOT to do'.

Anatomical illustration hidden inside each cuff -- depicts the physical transformation of the body when strict corsetry is practiced over time.

The artist must summon all his energy, his sincerity, and the greatest modesty in order to shatter the old cliches that come so easily to hand while working, which can suffocate the little flower that does not come, ever, the way one expects.

~ Henri Matisse

My bead station -- always messy! Finished jewelry hangs temporarily from hooks on the wall. I keep all of my findings, beads, and stones in large organizers with drawers for easy access.

The framed prints on the wall are quite difficult to make out -- unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with me this morning and the lighting is not ideal. However, these are two Pre-Raphaelite prints which I've hung for inspiration. I have dozens of frames displayed throughout the house and when it is time to create a new collection, I'll replace those with new prints from the appropriate subject matter. It is a wonderful way to keep things fresh in the studio!

A few of my more interesting book shelves. I also have dozens of jewelry, clay, altered art and mixed media books and find them extremely useful when practicing new techniques. My first piece of advice: research, research, research!

I have a habit of arranging all my books in this manner because I am so inspired by the appearance of antique books as well as cover art in general. What an intriguing painting this grouping creates!

A wall of 'family portraits' near Barrett's desk.

A comfy nook to catch up on my blog reading.

One of my first violins takes its place on the wall, along with a vintage newspaper clipping. I enjoy mixing 3D elements with flat images.

Some of my favorite studio oddities.

Recently completed jewelry still lays on the work table -- just finished these pieces yesterday.

Thank you for taking time to visit my creative space! Ms. Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage organized this incredibly inspiring blog party and I count myself most fortunate to take part in such an uplifting and creative event. I look forward to introducing myself to other creative minds as I wander through the garden of artists before me. Please feel free to say hello; I can't wait to meet you!

Any great work of art... revives and re-adapts time and space, and the measure of its success is the extent to which it makes you an inhabitant of that world - the extent to which it invites you in and lets you breathe its strange, special air.
~Leonard Bernstein

Warm Wishes,

Ants After Dark: The Main Event

2009-06-16T14:32:00.001-05:00

Guest Blogger: Barrett Klein

Allow me to introduce myself. As a relative newcomer to After Dark, and to Natasha's fabulous life, I happily and humbly invite you into my world of embracing science and art. Growing up with a family of artists, it was natural for me to spend time in my father's art gallery or surrounded by my mother's artwork. My identical twin brother is a brain imaging scientist and professor at Columbia University and my older sister is a marvelous musician and luthier at her violin shop, Korinthian Violins. As for me, at five years old I became enamored with insects and have retained a love of insects ever since. Almost everything I have accomplished, from making natural history displays at Chase Studio and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), to teaching and conducting behavioral research, has revolved around insects.

Creating dung beetles for the Hall of Biodiversity. Photo: Denis Finnin, AMNH

Praying mantis in the Hall of Biodiversity, AMNH.

Battling scarab beetles. Photo: Denis Finnin, AMNH

While my dissertation involves SLEEP behavior in honey bees...

Barrett in Germany

Sleeping Bees

Thermal Bees

It is difficult to focus exclusively on my honey bees when so many opportunities arise bringing science and art together. Here are two:

Faux Frogs -- the study of mate selection by female frogs in Panama, using robots. I make the frogs and Joey Stein (of Moey Inc) makes a computer-controlled unit that regulates the singing and inflation of the faux frog's vocal sac.

Faux Frog

Illustrating a damselfly field guide, written by John Abbott:

It was only natural for me to be drawn to Natasha and to After Dark's creations. With an affection and admiration for nature, Natasha shares my desire to uniquely and esthetically incorporate and highlight nature in art. It is a privilege for me to join After Dark and to be able to introduce myself to you, After Dark's international family.

Now that you know who I am, I can share with you one odd evening here at After Dark:

The night we celebrated ANTS.

The occasion? Fellow ant biologist Sasha M. is moving. A festival honoring ants (and Sasha) was long overdue. The venue? After Dark's H.Q., nestled in the pulsating heart of Austin. How to celebrate our ubiquitous neighbors, those six-legged animals with a keen sense of smell, efficient division of labor, and profoundly social organization? We decided that a fitting honor would take several forms through the night, including what must be Austin's very first ANT OLYMPIAD, followed by readings, and potluck film feast! As an entomologist interested in insects' impact on human culture, I had an easy time selecting the haute couture for the phantasmagoria:

Readings, simultaneously in French and English: Bernard Weber's Empire of the Ants.

Potluck: Feast befitting of ants, including Liz M's Ants on Logs.

Films: Our cinematic entertainment included The Naked Jungle, followed by Phase IV.

The Naked Jungle: 1954 classic in which Charlton Heston is no match for either a raiding mass of Amazonian army ants OR the acting skills of his female lead.

Phase IV is a 1974 trippy feature starring an inexplicable (and, for the most part, unexplained) takeover of planet Earth by an unprecedented association of different ant species (led by a spider wasp queen, for good measure). The arms race between a pair of human scientists and their intelligent ant adversaries inspired awe, fear, and respect (if not from some of our audience, at least from the scientists within the film). The classic film THEM! would be left for Ants: The Sequel, to be planned at a later date.

The MAIN EVENT for the evening, however was a test of wits and skills. We set up the equivalent of an 800 meter human sprint competition, but instead of pitting one political regime against another, we set up a single elimination tournament across SPECIES of ants.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Collect ants from front yard. Upon cursory examination, you might naively assume that a tiny ant is a tiny ant and that your front yard consists of one species of tiny ant. Take a closer look. We used vials, a magnifier (20x with LED light), and gathered five species of ants belonging to four different genera within minutes of starting our search. (If you don't have an expert ant biologist on hand, distinguish species by gross anatomical differences, being careful not to race one member of a colony against her larger sister).

Step 2: Ant wrangling. Insert one ant from each genus into one end of a clear PVC tube, small diameter preferable. Pinch tube both behind and in front of ant until the racing gun goes off. Dramatically fling currency on racing table (for effect), choose sides, and feel the weight of imminent victory or defeat in the air.

Step 3: Once a victor has been determined for each heat, continue until one champion obliterates her competition, then allow your adrenaline levels to drop, and carefully return each ant to her respective point of collection in the front yard.

THE PLAYERS:

THE CARPENTER ANT (Camponotus sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Tree-dwelling, common predator of unusual size and uncanny ability, the carpenter ant is able to surmount vertical surfaces with aplomb. This ant is known to unmercifully chomp wood.

THE ACROBAT ANT (Crematogaster sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Twisting, weaving, and evasively maneuvering, the acrobat ant dances with unpredictable grace. She holds her rear end high over her body while on the run.

THE FIRE ANT (Solenopsis sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

The bane of many humans, this fiery mound-builder should serve as a harsh reminder that this ant is not to be trifled with.

THE ROVER ANT (Brachymyrmex sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Miniscule, will this tiny adversary overcome her larger competition? Before you dismiss her, remember Bruce Lee's sage advice when locals were betting on fighting mantids in Enter the Dragon.

Who was our Austin ant CHAMPION?

Stay tuned for the answer in the next blog installment...

and feel free to cast YOUR vote!

Hope After Dark: The Welcoming

2009-06-02T15:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, you just KNOW you've made the right decision. A pivotal fork rises from the ground and splits your life into two potential paths, and a choice must be made. Night sweats and daymares persist through the first tentative step into new territory. Only then, when you are in your most vulnerable state -- when there is no turning back and you've plunged head first onto the asphalt, hoping to escape the transition with only a skinned elbow or two -- do you you actually find out if you've chosen the correct path.

And then the sun comes out and slaps you on the ass. The planets align, the tiki gods grin in your direction, and you realize you should have moved to Austin six months ago.

Hope no doubt faced similar angst when driving cross-country to work for an eccentric accessory designer she'd not yet met, leaving her fiance, family and friends to spend three months in After Dark Jewelry Land. Wanting to leave a sunny first impression, I whisked her off to Mayfield Park for a picnic with the peacocks.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Warmth and Love,

Life After Dark: A New Beginning

2009-05-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

My Dear Friends,

I have been out of touch with much of the world for quite some time due to an attempt to re-evaluate, re-organize, and prioritize my life. This period of necessary change has been a daunting climb and a humbling journey -- one in which creativity was lost and found several times along the way. There are two distinct aspects of my personality which seem to be forever battling for control.

I am Natasha: fun-loving, friendly, over-the-top artist!

Photo: High Art

I am also Kristie: bookish, bespectacled hermit who flees from the first whiff of conflict.

I am learning to control and diminish my less-than-desirable personality traits, but will forever be a work in progress.

Despite these flaws, I'm sharing ME for the first time, with you.

My new blog, Life After Dark, is a very personal exercise in vulnerability. I must learn to accept myself, my surroundings, and my artistic ability as they are right at this moment instead of hiding myself until perfection is obtained. This is a very public kick-in-the-ass, and all fingers are pointed straight at me.

So, the good, the bad, and the artistically ugly will be up for all to see, and I'm going to learn to love it...

Just as I am.

This blog is for my Mama and for my gigantic family who are hundreds and thousands of miles away.

This blog is for my neglected friends whom I love and cherish even though many think they've been forgotten.

This blog is for those who think I dislike them because of my infrequent or non-existent communication. I'm sorry.

This blog is for those of you who have an internal war raging between Can & Can't, Will & Won't, and Do & Don't.

This blog is for Ba't, my muse.

And, this blog is for me.

Life evolves, and so have I. A 1920's bungalow situated next to an abandoned carousel in Austin, Texas is where I now call home. I work full-time once again from my home studio, and have the most loving and selfless assistant imaginable -- 'The Goddess' Minerva.

Hope, After Dark's remarkably talented new intern joins us for the summer, and she has already blown me away with her skill and her eye for design. Hope designed the blog layout and has created a collage filled to the brim with my favorite things. Thank you, Hope!

I'm elbow-deep in After Dark Jewelry's new anatomical collection, which is far removed from past designs. the website and logo will change to reflect the aesthetic of the new collection, so it's going to be an eventful and challenging summer! I'm feeling more creative and inspired than ever before. You will hear from me again.

Warmth and Love,