sasha + max studio

I never tire of making necklaces. Sometimes one can take months or even years -  I hand make the beads, leave them aside for while, play with layouts and pairings, set them aside and forget about them, rediscover them, rearrange them and finally finish and photograph them.  Here are some recent favourites.  The first pairs my beads with 3 Samunnat-made large features. Such a happy necklace. .  This one has been a long time coming - I made the beads about 8 years ago when I weas learning clay techniques with translucent clay - not sure I could ever re-cerate these beads. I love the terracotta pairing.  I hope to post a bit more frequently again and slow down for some creative time......

I am always looking for new ways to create both pattern and where possible with polymer clay, texture.  The bargello technique where you cut a patterned sheet into stripes and reassemble fits the bill nicely, whilst also helping me use up my rather big stash of canes I've made over the past few years, particularly all those stripes. I love the quilt look but with a modern edge. I'm also finding with all these on line meetings that I'm wearing studs a lot so I always try to include some in each collection.  It is a very limited range - it is quite time intensive to produce.   We are about to enter week 15 of lockdown / working at home in Sydney, so my brain doesn't cope with too much fiddly design at the moment, given my day job is also design. These have taken a while to get from studio to the store. I hope you like them as much as I do.   

  Dots pendants range  Have been having a few flat weeks of late, I think it's the day-in-day-out routine without a lot of long term planning or outings, and it kind of zaps the creative mind. .   So I decided to play with some colours that were mood lifting. When it comes to my beading and clay work I'm not much of a detailed planner - I just see where it takes me on the day. I dug out a digital art image that I'd saved to Pinterest a long while ago that had a palette that jumped at me - this was the inspiration for my colour mixes for my 2 slabs. I find slab work very time consuming - I agonise over placement which is a bit silly as its going to be cut up anyway, but that's just how I am.  It was worth it as these pieces make me very happy.   Several of these pieces sold quickly, with a couple of pairs of earrings on their way to the US to a dear repeat customer.  I'm always so excited when my work sells - even after all this time I st...

Wow, what year, hey? Pinch myself as I never say this, but I'm really looking forward to Christmas. I always love getting together with my small family. I have been making 2 "semi-Christmas" style ranges - saying that, they are not overtly Christmas so can be worn year round, as versatility and lots of wearing of what you love is my thing.  This is the first range, rather originally named " Gold+White".. I know, hey, you're asking how did she come up with that name ?!!  There are lots of styles and patterns, all hand printed by me on my own mix of Premo gold and pearl clay, which gives a beautiful subtle shimmer without too much bling. As always, a very limited edition.   I've added to both my stores so you can find a selection at  Sasha+Max   and the made it store   www.madeit.com.au/sashaandmax Next up, the green and white range - maybe I can come up with a more creative title? 

  Hello there  This recent work from the studio is subliminally about mid century modern influences. As an interior architect/designer I get exposed to a lot of design ideas. Last week I attended a great talk by  Modernister  man Tim Ross, a comedian and man who is passionate about ensuring that modern Australian architecture of the past endures. Tim reminded us of the existence of some great small scale significant architecture, many mid century modern, as he took us through his individual films and interviews. Highly recommended.    Likewise, I like to think that one of a kind jewellery is something that is owned for the long term which is why I take time to hand make each individual piece. These new pieces using the Dan Cormier Single Slice Mokume technique are made with a strong mid century modern take, pairing form and colour and retro patterning. There are only 4 pieces in this range so it is certainly exclusive.        T...

It's been a weird and strange time across the world. Australia is in lock down like many countries. Whilst I'm typically home based and in and out of my studio / home office for both my business as a commercial + workplace interior designer and my jewellery work, like many of us I'm now 100% at home - I'm going a bit stir crazy as I am missing my social interactions, but it is so important that we all stay home at this time.  New pendants  The future impacts of the post lockdown world will be interesting - perhaps all this working from home time produces more creative and strategic thinking on how to interact whilst being able to spending more time with loved ones? My cat certainly is very happy with the new regime. For me with a senior parent at her home alone, and loved ones in essential services, I know the worry will continue for a while yet. Sasha taking over the office  At Sasha and Max I am still creating pieces and the online store...

As a new week continues, I've been playing with red and rust tones, and adding very subtle textures. I've named this mini collection 'Red Carnival' as the colours have a retro circus vibe. I've made pendants with some large round pieces that have the multi angled stripes. Pendant Here are the unassembled components: And the earrings Have  good rest of the week !

Well hi there, happy Sunday to you, hope you have been well! Spring has arrived in the Southern hemisphere today - a beautiful sunny day. Life has been hectic, but it feels like I'm gaining some control having recently opened my own commercial Interior Design Studio, Texture Collective ,  after many years working for other firms. I thought I'd say hi after way too long, and share some recent work with you as my clay work skills have developed. Today is the black and white work, playing with canes and textures.  My work is available in 2 locations, www.sashaandmax.com which is all polymer clay work, and Madeit, http://madeit.com.au/sashaandmax which is a mix of polymer and beaded pieces. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!

As 2018 draws to a close (what a year, phew!), wishing you and your families lots of love and happiness. A long time ago, I took up beaded jewellery making to make gifts. Ten years on, whilst I'm selling online as Sasha + Max , the making of gifts for family and friends still happens, and maybe a few for me too....   It's of huge satisfaction to now make most of the beads as part of my polymer obsession, and tailor accordingly. The black and white necklace is for my sister-in-law, who hails from Denmark and has a wonderful modern aesthetic. The beads are my early cane work - stripes a a bit wonky but generally it hangs together, do you think ? The green necklace is for my Mother - a very stylish 80 something. I was inspired by the some of the one base colour / many shades work of polymer artist Judy Belcher . All the beads are polymer, paired with a Saki Silver clasp  As luck had it, my mother wore a matching modern shift dress on Christmas day that worked pe...

Teardrop I have been playing with polymer clay this year, wanting to put a lot more of my own handmade into my pieces, and totally enjoying this new direction. So much to learn, so many gadgets one could buy!   Building your own patterns, making canes, adding texture, creating beads - the world is limitless. So many great artists to learn from whilst wanting to work with my own style. The journey continues...  

Spring is here in Sydney! Hope you have had a lovely weekend. I've hit the beading table after a small break. Here are a couple of new creations.  I love the feature beads in this necklace - made by Graceful Willow beads- they are so unique and work well with the bayong and czech copper beads. I've also gone a bit mad for Golem Studio's chunky beads, and have made one pair for the shop and a spare pair of the below Crackle earrings for me too. You can find both at the Sasha and Max Studio store

Well hello, long time no see, and a belated Happy New Year to you. Hope you and your families are well, had a good break, and for Australian readers that you are succeeding in staying cool in this hot humid weather. We talk about weather a lot, don't we? It's a weird obsession of mine since school days. Here's some new pieces created over the holidays - some very colourful pieces and one very neutral. These will be added to the shops over the next few days. Woodland Sunshine Days Circuitous Circuitous Lots of bead shopping was done over the break, and little packages now keep arriving (got to love that)  - a bundle of Graceful Willow beads came just in time for weekend beading. Look at those colours ! Cindy makes amazingly unique beads, might need to go back for more. Enjoy the week. Earrings made with Graceful willow beads - great colour and pattern !  The Sasha+Max Studio shop links are Etsy Madeit.com

It's a long weekend in Sydney - a good time for reflection and creative pursuits. My sister-in law Grace suggested that I join her for the Frida Kahlo Diego Rivera exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. What a wonderfully curated show it was, telling in detail about their tumultuous life, the world at that time and the stories behind each work. Photo by Nickolas Muray Self Portrait with necklace Frida was an amazing women who dealt with some very tough health issues, and died tragically young in her mid 40's. She was a total ground breaker for women in art, never playing by rules.  I felt totally inspired both by her work and use of colour, and particularly by Frida's very individual look.  Photo by Edward Weston Her way of wearing chunky jewellery paired with authentic Mexican clothing was enough to get me back to the jewellery studio to make the below, and online to build my chunky bead stash. Frida Get in fast as the show at AGNSW...