2022 Year in Review

Just like that, it’s 2023!

It took me a whole month to catch up with everything since we returned home from our trip to Taiwan in mid Jan. Now I can really figure out the goal for this year.

So much happened in 2022 and I still can’t wrap up my head around how time flies these days. The biggest accomplishment is that I survive the first year of motherhood and yet also working full time in my studio (pat on my shoulders)! Last year is all about learning and adapting our new life with a baby. She brings us so much joy and love……and those sleepless nights…..lol

Here are couple projects I did in 2022 that I’d like to share with y’all!

If you are thinking starting a custom project with me this year, now it’s a perfect time to start! Feel free to reach out via my email!

A versatile ring for a firefighter that wants to share his love of flowers and nature in his wedding band. Hand carved 18k rose gold band with color sapphires.

A sweet boyfriend wants to recreate this pendant in a modern style that his girlfriend lost as a surprise gift. Hand fabricated and engraved in sterling silver.

Just love how stunning this sapphire is! Such a natural beauty!

A memorial pendant of puppy foot print and his birthstone for my client to cherish the life of her deceased puppy.

A hand-carved Blue Ridge mountain wedding band for a musician that loves NC mountains and bluegrass.

A chic “Push Present” from a sweet husband to his wife, celebrating their first baby boy by using baby’s foot print, their initials, and birthstone.

Hand engraved matching wedding bands inspired by their heritage and roots.

Counting down 2020

2020, what a year!

I’m reading my 2020 New Year Resolutions that I wrote down back in December, 2019 without knowing the pandemic was coming 3 months later will turn everyone’s life completely up side down. I had a really decent 2019, both personally and professionally, I was ambiguous and ready to keep the momentum rolling for 2020.

But then the pandemic hit, I have to put a pause on so many things, I have to learn how to live with uncertainty, be grateful, and be content. I’m grateful that even my business was impacted drastically by the pandemic but at least my hubby still has a stable job that can provide for both of us in my down time. We couldn’t do much travels so we shifted our time and energy to home remodeling and finally finished the outdoor projects that’s been putting off for years and provides us a backyard oasis to relax and connect during the quarantine and stay-at-home order. I moved my home studio to downtown Raleigh Artspace to gain more exposure to metro RTP clienteles, and it has worked, I’m starting to getting more custom orders from people finding me on Google. We even rescued a kitty cat “TC” during the lockdown back in May, it was trapped in a giant tree at a grocery store parking lot during a bad storm, we helped him climb down the tree and brought him home with us, this energetic kitty bounced back only within a day or two, he sure brought us so much joy and laughters. Most importantly, we are healthy and alive, so as our family and friends, that’s really all that matters.

One thing I learned this year is that love still happens no matter what, I’m fortunate enough to continue help my clients to celebrate their life journeys. I want to share one of my favorite custom projects that I did this year, this engagement + wedding ring set was design for this sweet couple, the Rococo motif is inspired by their love story. The moment when they realized they are meant for each other was when they found out they both have a half one dollar bill in their wallets on music concert date, it’s like they finally find their missing half, literally. She wanted to integrate this one dollar bill love story to the ring design, it took me a couple days to figure out how to do it without being cheesy or too literal, eventually I came up with the idea to combine her love of ornate design jewelry with the rococo motif designs in the one dollar bill as the main design element of her ring. I re-purposed 11 of her heirloom diamonds for the engagement ring center diamond and accent diamonds, I also added two custom cut sapphires in the engagement ring and three pear shaped diamonds for the wedding band. I’m not bragging, but I’m so happy how it turned out, I have to pat on my shoulders for this one, because she LOVES IT! Many congrats to K & W!!!

I have so much mixed feelings about 2020, I’m just glad we made it (almost) in one piece, that’s all I can ask for! Cheers to a better 2021 and thank you for your continuous support!!!

Happy Holidays!

Signing off,

Hsiang-Ting

Adapting to the New Normal

As we are rolling into the third quarter with Covid this year, I’m still learning to adapt just like everyone else one day at a time, and today I have two exciting news I would love to share with you!

1. CenterFest 2020 is going “Virtual“ this year!

Have you heard of “Virtual Art Show”? This is a new alternative way that many show organizations are offering this year, instead of going to the craft shows in-person, now you can still support the artists by attending the virtual shows in the comfort of your own home! (p.s. It’s never too late to get ready for the holidays!)

September 19, 2020
Virtual Broadcast starting at 6:00pm
Visit CenterFest2020.org for all virtual event programming

CenterFest 2020: The heart of Durham in the comfort of your own home

For 45 years, the Durham Arts Council has proudly presented the CenterFest Arts Festival on the third weekend in September, attracting up to 35,000 attendees to downtown Durham for a lively weekend of visual arts, performing arts, a showcase of community organizations, plus food and fun for all ages. CenterFest is nationally ranked in the Top 100 Fine Arts Festivals in the United States and is North Carolina’s longest running juried outdoor arts festival. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the in-person downtown festival cannot take place in 2020. Instead, the Durham Arts Council is creating a lively online virtual CenterFest that will feature visual and performing arts, memories and highlights of CenterFest over the years, plus sponsor highlights and special interactive features.

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Stop by my studio 201 to say hi : )

2. Artspace is reopening on Sep 18!

Artspace has been closed to the general public since March due to the pandemic, but with state of NC is moving into phase 2.5, Artspace is finally easing some of the restrictions and starting to offer shorter hours of open hours to the general public next week!

Starting Friday, September 18, Artspace will reopen to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 11am-5pm. Artspace is open to visitors by appointment Tuesday-Thursday from 11am-3pm. Appointments must be made at least one week prior to visiting. We will continue to monitor recommendations and guidelines issued by the CDC and the State to determine when it is safe to expand our operating hours. Face covering is required for everyone and Artspace is providing access to hand sanitizers throughout the entire building.

I’m so excited about this progress, that’s one of the main reasons why I decided to move my studio to downtown Raleigh and I’m really hoping it will work out for everyone, we all need this!

I’m still accepting private appointment for all my custom jewelry orders, and it can also be done virtually, you can schedule your consultation today!

Signing off & stay well,

Hsiang-Ting

PJ Meets the Pros featuring HTY Jewelry

PJ was one of my favorite professors when I was studying in SCAD, and we’ve became friends after my graduation. I’m always inspired by her passion to share her jewelry knowledge to all her students, I know could always count on her. She relocated to Michigan several years ago, and besides teaching jewelry program in College for Creative Studies, she also started her own YouTube jewelry teaching tutorial channel. When she invited me to be one of her guests for her new program “Pj Meets the Pros”, I was so honored and said yes right away to the interview.

This interview was recored when I was still in Provence for my SCAD Atelier artist in residence fellowship, I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since the trip, the world has turned to a whole different place now, I don’t even know when we can all be able to safely travel internationally again like pre-COVID world. I’m still optimistic that we will have some solutions soon, we all have to look at the bright side, right?

Anyway, here is the link to this interview, I hope you can enjoy it! Stay well!