Artist bio

I have long been a woman of passion & faith; I express myself through decades of art classes I feel blessed to have studied. My first love is glass. I learned all I could about cold then warm & then hot glass. I learned the European removal technique for painting glass with fine glass powder; as well as the easier way of using paint. I continued my glass studies at Red Deer CC in Alberta Canada. There, I learned how to make glass beads using glass rods, torch & kiln. The several glass sculpture classes I took introduced me to three different casting techniques. I was excited to find myself using a branch & twig that I had cast with bronze & brass for this submission. These pieces became integral to the fowlers snare. Recently taking a silversmith & wire wrapping class has rekindled my desire to create. It’s compact. Currently my studio is an end table in my living room. Now I have the knowledge to apply sunlight, to the many glass sculptures that require hanging. A couple years ago I was diagnosed with MS. My life changed completely, without my consent. My job of over 20 years, driving city transit bus was taken from me.one if the things I miss most about my job, is the gift of prayIng for others I meet along the way. Since then, I have learned to accept, change & see the opportunities God has placed before me; my gifts. Today, for the first time in my life, i can create art full time! Making myself available to God, to use as long as He needs me.

Title

I Am Protected.

Medium/Genre

Mixed Media

Artist Statement

The necklace required over 15’ of varying copper gauge & over 25’ of 16g & 14g 925 silver. This was used to create the jump rings. Several sheets of both 925 silver & bronze were used.

Each breastplate scale was cut by hand. Then filed, hammered & attached to chain maille with silver jump rings. Fine bronze & silver gauge was also woven into the back of the armour. Adding security & a smooth touch.

God is represented by silver. Satan is represented by copper. Free Will is represented with bronze.

I deliberately made the copper chain
with no pattern or reason. The chain itself twisted a bit. I wanted to show how unreliable & inconsistent Satan & his minions can be.
A small black mamba snake is seen attached to the copper chain & is described with the fourth & fifth pictures. The snake appears to be hiding and intentionally is insignificant. Due to size, it is easily overlooked. That’s why its so important. Satan is always around.

In contrast, there is a continuous silver chain that’s smooth, reliable, strong, this chain symbolizes my faith in God.

A running theme of threes has been used throughout this piece. Adding spiritual strength to my armour. This same theme can be seen in copper.

To create the fowlers snare, i organically cast, both bronze/brass branch and twig; from which I fashioned the foundation for the snare.

The arrows were made by cutting copper wire in half with a fine blade & adding a metal feather.

The metal medium lends itself to the historical air of this theme. The fowlers snare brings the battle to the present, 2020, with so many distractions, thereby fulfilling the modern art requirement.

The main theme: Ephesians 6:10-20 will be introduced first. Psalm 91:1-6 follows with pictures four & five.

Several times while creating the armour, things would go missing. I would search for a bit, then start working on some other part of armour. Eventually it would reappear right in the open.

How it fits into contest

FIRST PIC: FULL NECKLACE
My art submission allows me to literally follow the directions laid out for me in Ephesians 6:10-20, I can actually wear my necklace. My full Armour of God.
The first picture shows a necklace laid out on black . A darker copper area is found around the bottom half of the necklace & under the silver chain. The copper chain symbolically will never go higher.
Looking at my necklace, or armour, I notice my Breastplate of Righteousness is worn. Reminders of battles past & won. My breastplate is connected to my armour by a simple silver chain. An olive branch, carved out of silver is used to connect my armour comfortably & completely.
SECOND PIC: BREASTPLATE
I used the olive branch, a symbol of peace for my Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. The two leaves work by sitting comfortably within the round clasp. The branch is also home to three tiny olives. The Holy Trinity. On the breastplate, I wove seven roses of silver into my neck line, for Mary, for beauty, for added protection.
THIRD PIC: HELMET of SALVATION
When not needed, my helmet sits comfortably on my back. I am protected from all angles of attack. A silver cross with a white clear crystal deflects & repels all that is not of God. Which is good, because now comes Psalm 91:1-6.
FOURTH PIC: THE FOWLERS SNARE
The bait used by Satans minion in this fowlers snare, is a clear quartz crystal rock. So powerful, the name alone can trigger at least four different evils, successfully trapping & killing people all over the world today! The crystal is bound by three braided strands of wire. Silver, copper & bronze. Choices! Delicately holding the crystal is a hand. Upon closer inspection, the hand is covered in disease & pestilence. It’s all over the copper! A black crystal ring sits flamboyantly on its baby finger. Trying to mimic? Entice? The hand is chained to something. A stick? What’s it for? Following the chain up, it’s further attached by more chain that’s attached to shiny copper wires. Stop! It’s a trap! It’s designed to kill me. Crafted out of deception & lies, these minions, knowing my personal temptations, have taken each one & attached them to a different snare. Dangling my weaknesses in front of me, they wait patiently for the sound of the snap of the snare! When physically, emotionally or spirituality sick, I am more vulnerable to attack.
But not on this day.
Continuing up past the snare, is more copper riddled with dis-ease, offering only confusion & dead ends. More illness & death. I continue to walk through, I have to. The fowlers snare is chained to one of Satans minions, three ways. Yes, of course there is mockery within the copper chain! Follow the chain up to find hiding at the end of one of these three chains, under the hand, (Top RHS of this photo), the tiniest black mamba snake. Coiling around, he’s not letting go. Satan himself seems to have a vested interest in this minion. Or is he just keeping score? Curiously watching, waiting.
LAST PIC: FULL NECKLACE ON BLACK
Both readings give me what I need to protect myself during my every day, very real Spiritual Battles. All i have to do is pick it up, put it on & believe!
The Shield of Faith I wear on my right side. Alpha & Omega. Resting on top of my shield, as promised, wings made of white fluffy feathers! I am blessed! I am never alone. My shield has blocked many arrows in my life. They arrive daily, in the form of negative energy thrust upon me by others, or random thoughts that waft through my mind. Today three arrows fall back to where they came, bent, dark & full of disease. I am protected on this day. My Sword of the Spirit rests on my left. My Belt of Truth, wrapped freely around the Word of God, flows with ease. I love my belt! The truth has set me free!
The minion, so important to the black mamba snake, Satan, still has a grasp on my sword. It’s weak, just the tip and only with a couple fingers. What’s his motive? Change of heart? Does he seek the Word of God? He must know, he cannot win, it is written. Flames are cut into its hand. All I can do is pray & give thanks. Thanks for the opportunity to practice wielding my full armour today, while praying for those who still suffer.
The day has ended. I am now home. I am happy. Thank you God.

Credits

Cindy from POCO taught the a silversmith class i took just before the pandemic. She also made it possible for me to purchase the necessary supplies needed to creat this necklace during lockdown.
Art photographer Dave Swiecicki.
With many thanks to Jordan Miller from Cre8ery Gallery in Winnipeg for the connection.
My instructor Lorraine, she taught me jewellery making many years ago. It was in her class that I made the organic casted branch & twig for the fowlers snare. She also showed us that it is possible to cut a nail in half with a fine blade. So I made arrows!
Father John. He was instrumental in furthering my spiritual knowledge, faith & action.
Nan, beautiful Nan was kind enough to proofread for me.
Me. I kept my project fluid. If there is one thing I have learned. When it comes to art, God sometimes changes His mind.

How to Purchase this Artwork

One of a kind work of art inspired by Engage Art 2020! Ephesians6:10-20 & Psalm91:1-6
This necklace is for sale. Weighing 14.5 ounces with a length of 27”
It required over 15’ of copper gauge & over 25’ 925 silver gauge. Plus several sheets 925 silver & bronze to complete. From start to finish it took me three months.
I am asking $7,000.00 USD

Other Goods & Services Available from this Artist

I am open to direct commission projects.
Yes, it would be nice to share my knowledge of glass, smithing & casting with our youth.
I am open to discussion on both topics.

Submit Your Artwork Today!

Curious? Interested in submitting artwork to our contest? Know someone who might be? Through April 14th, 2022, the Engage Art Contest is open to the whole world! Get your foot in the door by claiming your Artist Page now!