Featured Artist: Paula McCullough, Found Object Art

I ran into Paula's work on etsy about a year ago and just love what she's doing with found objects, old metal bits and pieces and all kinds of cast off junk. She and I ended up as invited members of the Artisans Gallery Team on etsy which has allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation of both Paula, and her approach to making art! All of her pieces are done using cold connections, no welding involved. And everything is a one of a kind treasure.

Paula's clocks are probably what first drew me to her. I swear she can look at anything and see a clock in it!

you can check out and purchase these clocks at PaulaArt.etsy.com

PaulaArt is currently having a Father's Day sale with a variety of clocks and other very cool and very unique items specially priced for Dad!

Mixed media wall art...

rustic candle holders...

Take a look at Paula's website  for more cool stuff!

...'McCullough assembles photographs, puzzle pieces and metal mesh into cohesive works that bridge contemporary life with its industrial past" '....These works mark a new era of artistic innovation, as discussed by Ric Kasini Kadour, Vermont editor of Art New England. Kadour believes these works are uniquely collectible, as they mark a defining moment - the intersection of the Industrial Age and the Information Age.'

Artisan gallery team on etsy

Paula's etsy store

Paula's website

Paula's blog

Thanks to Renee at decoratethediva for including me in such a beautiful front page treasury!

Fossilized Coral

Fossilized coral makes a beautiful stone, especially when it's BIG! I've set these 2 in sterling silver.

Nevada Boulder Turquoise!

I buy this lovely material from my favorite stone dealer whenever she gets a batch in. I'm crazy about it! It's turquoise from Nevada, dug and cut by one particular guy and this pair is mostly matrix with a horizontal  vein of turquoise running through it. I've built sterling bezels and added 14kt gold elements such as the gold balls placed at the edge of the turquoise vein on either side and the connection at the bottom and the bale of each pearl. The posts are also 14kt gold for added strength. The silver has been textured and oxidized and all the metal lightly sanded for a nice matte finish which contrasts nicely with the light polish on the tops of the stones.

Colorful Sterling and Glass Bracelet

Flattened glass cabochons snug in sterling bezels. This bracelet measures 8 1/4" long and has been textured and oxidized creating a lovely matte finish setting the glass off nicely. betsybensen.etsy.com

Yipee! My bracelet was featured on etsy's front page last night in a beautiful treasury made by ZionShore!
                                                              Thanks Zepur!

Pearls!

I've just finished some lovely pearl studs. Just a couple of pair from a wonderful large group of pearls I recently purchased. Large 12mm gray pearls and 20mm white Keshi pearls, both very lustrous and totally elegant! 14kt gold posts and large sterling ear nuts. Available from my etsy store! betsybensen.etsy.com