Today we are sitting down with artist “Deborah Wright” from the place known as Artistic Rite. She makes beautiful handcrafted jewelry pieces that are quite lovely and full of detail. Hope you enjoy the interview:
How did you get involved in your craft?
I spent most of my career as a sculptor, making toys, scale models and large themed projects for movies and casinos. I have sculpted mannequins and zipper pulls, dragons and an oversized Mr. Potatohead. One of my last large projects was making lovely little sculptors for a model going to Disneyland Tokyo, for the Mythica show.
I was sculpting a tiny Dragon head out of Sculpy, no larger than a dime, when a fellow sculptor walked by and laughed. Crouched as close to the desk lamp as I could get, I had my jewelers visor on, as I hunched over the itty bitty details. He mentioned that I should consider doing jewelry. This made me think, “yeah, but how?”
Not but a few weeks later, my love and I were scouring garage sales one bright Sunday morning and lo and behold! An old jewelers bench, hand tools and some books for sale. It was kismet. I bought the lot and immediately enrolled in a community college course for basic jewelry making…
and then the crash of 2008 hit, and my industry was annihilated.
I had to recreate my life.
The rest is a natural progression.
How did you come up with the name of your business Artistic Rite?
I feel that often what Is done as an artist is similar to meditation and practicing ritualistic acts. Most of the work I have done for others has been financially driven, made to be mass produced. In the case of Artistic Rite, being designer and creator, I have full liberty to imbue the work presented with the kind of imagery and thoughtfulness necessary to satisfy my need for making meaningful adornments. Unique, daring, and all with a nod to ancient techniques and mechanics that stand the test of time and design. Working with air, fire, water and the metals of the earth is similar to the alchemists trade too, and that kinda tickles me.
One of the things that really intrigues me about your booth is the sign you’ve created above your booth space, what did you utilize to create it?
I have had the pleasure to work as a sign maker in my career and I love to use multiple disciplines, I’m kind of a technique junkie. Airbrush is such an ethereal mode of painting and used gently, it can invoke a unique impression. It is fluid and misty, much like magic. Utilizing lights to accent the night sky is the unexpressed stage designer coming out. I was the one who was happiest being the set designer and director when we put on our little neighborhood plays. Back then I discovered that a little lighting can make such a big impact.
The imagery of a night sky with moths and ferns is a old memory of gazing into the night sky, seeing the little night critters wing their way along on nocturnal business. The moth represents intuition, psychic perception and heightened awareness, all attributes I hope to bring to my wares. My mother had huge, Australian ferns outside her bedroom and I always thought they looked so romantic and exotic. The fern is known to have the proportions of the “golden mean” , a mathematical ratio, considered to be most aesthetically pleasing, and said to hold the essence of the sublime and divine. Building on this sacred geometry of a balanced spiral, I also look at the Celtic tradition that says the fern encourages rejuvenation, riches and supports perseverance….all necessary to help a little business grow!
Do you have any favorite items that you’ve created?
Yes, I love to create custom sacred, talismans for individuals. When a client brings a stone or family heirloom to be reworked, I am inspired not only by the item but the offer to co-create with the individual. It is also quite satisfying to create pieces that are grand and iconoclastic and having them find the “right” home to go to. I name a lot of the works simply because I spend so much time with them that they seem to develop a personality.
And, in one word, how would you describe your business?
Relationship
And now my fantastic readers you have a chance to win this beautiful handcrafted piece by Artistic Rite:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Other examples of her work can be found below:
Other examples of her work can be found below:
Disclosure: I was given a beautiful necklace on behalf of Artistic Rite, but I love her work and it’s a honor to feature her on my blog.
