Tis the Season!!!!

I keep thinking there is more the line of jewelry can do to pay it forward in this world. The only way I can create is to know that what I create is doing more than one thing. I pray that the pieces bring comfort, healing, protection, and beauty...but if they could do even more...help spread the word of peace and love...help others create. Well this morning as I was driving the kids to school lamating the fact that they don't get art until High School...Well an idea popped right into my head. What if the jewelry could pay it forward and start up art after school for the elementary grades, and art for arts sake for the high schoolers???HMMMM, Now I just need to figure out how to take a step a day to put it into work. You see where we live is a poverty area, we are very rural, and on the border of Mexico. Most families are just above or on the poverty level...The school gets very little state money so there is no music, art or language programs, let alone sports. We have an excellent phys ed teacher, he has the whole school-bless his heart. So now I will put on my thinking cap and see what steps I can take to start an art after school program at the school, and a percentage of the sales of the jewelry will go to fund that program. Does any one have any ideas how I can make this a reality, any helpful hints? with love and blessings this holiday season. Marie

Hello again..A peek at the goodies I brought to Alpine Art Walk

Here is a quick peek at the items i brought to the Alpine art walk. It was great fun with visiting, new galleries, music, and lots of sales...thanks everyone!!!!

new items.....

retablos

Retablos are magic lil paintings, small remembrances of gratitude painted as a thanksgiving for miracles granted, and petitions answered..Each small tin retablo is painted with the intent of thanksgiving for prayers answered...I will gladly paint one for you...just let me know your prayer or petition...and allow me the time to gather my prayers,and paint brushes..soon to come retablo jewelry....

Marie French Bio

My jewelry is a blend of the eclectic, a mixture of the rugged Southwest with the magic realism of the Spanish colonial period. I mix pearls, rhinestones, southwestern hand stamped conchos, with heavily wrought silver, hand cast vintage and antique crosses, medals and milagros. Each piece is a wearable intention, a shrine of beauty, and a stimulus for affirmative change. In some of the pieces I include secret messages, and others I make to serve specific ends...Each has a bit of magic, because I believe magic is seeing the beautiful in life and living it....

The pieces are available in fine galleries, hotels,and retailers in the southwest, and north east. I have been written up in the New York Times for my Prayers for Peace exhibit, and have shown my work in museums, and galleries in the Northeast and Southwest. For a full bio, or to contact me please email me at: frenchvert@hotmail.com

new work...already sold!!

these pieces can be made to order, however the originals were sold yesterday to The Piasano Hotel in Marfa...Take a peek..if they are still there. Some of these pieces will be at The Alpine Art Walk on Nov. 20th and 21st...Stop by and say hi!!!

southwestern design elements

Here are some elements I have used to incorporate a feeling of southwestern spanish colonial design in my home...these tend to give the flavor of the border. What are your favorite south of the border accents?

Los Dias De Muertes....

Spooks, kooks, but mostly amazing memorials to the dead, and a feast of visual ideas for the living!!!

Wow things are moving....Yipee...Art shows, vendor nights, workshops...Here are some more new pieces. I hope you like them. Most can be made to order, some are limited editions, and one of a kind pieces as they use one of a kind vintage pieces...It all depends on what treasures I am able to unearth. SO please join me...xoxo

more jewelry....whew

the creative fire roars

new items going to galleries and mariefrench.etsy.com