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After Dark Jewelry



Last Updated: 7/8/2009

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Gender: Female
City: Austin
State: Texas
Country: US
Signup Date: 9/6/2005

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Saturday, October 03, 2009 
I have been a quiet girl this Summer.

With my nose firmly placed against the grindstone, I have been forging new paths for After Dark Jewelry while practicing new skills in photography and web manipulation. The outcome: I am FINALLY able to announce the arrival of brand new designs on www.afterdarkjewelry.com! I have spent the past two months elbow deep in photos and web code and have begun the process of posting all of my latest jewels up on the site, with many more to be added daily. I am also enhancing all of the best-selling designs already on the website and am posting new photos as the improved versions are created, many of which have been posted as of this writing. What a massive undertaking this has been! I do hope you enjoy After Dark Jewelry's new and improved website; there are constant additions to come in the following weeks.



However, I have much more to share with you, my friends. It has been a flurry of activity in and out of the bungalow this summer as I was whisked off to New York City for a whirlwind mini-break, complete with behind the scenes action at Christie's Auction House and the American Museum of Natural History! After Dark Jewelry was also a vendor at Austin's 2009 Bat Fest this past August. What could be better than a day with the bats? I have many photos and stories to share with you in the near future.

In the meantime, I shall leave you with my sincere thanks for your continued support; your blog comments, messages and emails are a treasured highlight of every day, especially when I have difficulty seeing around the mountain of photos and web code filling up my wee bungalow on every side.

A small taste of the new collection for your enjoyment, now up at www.afterdarkjewelry.com :



















































Missing You,

Natasha
www.afterdarkjewelry.com
7:07 AM 
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Tuesday, September 08, 2009 



Creativity - like human life itself - begins in darkness.
~ Julia Cameron


Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath.

Taste the muddled darkness of your mind.


Then...

A spark.


See the tunnel in the distance?

That pinpoint of light so far away?


Can you catch it?

Can you mold it?

Do you have something to say?



Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.
~ George Bernard Shaw



In the quiet solitude of my studio I close the door to the noise of the world and attempt to convey with my hands what my mouth often can not. Childhood struggles, spiritual scars, artistic enlightenment and the mysteries of the universe serve as sources of inspiration as I sit at my desk early each morning.




What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit.
~John Updike


There are those who can produce astounding works of art at any time, in any place. I am NOT one of those people. My creativity is sometimes precariously balanced on the head of a pin. However, I have found a key to unlocking my creative potential -- THE STUDIO. Would you please be so kind as to join me on a tour of my creative space?


My studio is like my mind -- eccentric and cluttered and seemingly full of contrasting ideas. Currently I am working on two collections: one is based on anatomy, and the other is inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites. Quite an unusual combination!

Finished anatomical piece - Time in a Bottle



Newly created Pre-Raphaelite jewelry still on the work table





My favorite part of the studio is a beautifully hand-painted vintage cabinet which I use as my clay and paint desk. It is also instrumental in hiding away the massive amount of tools I have collected over the years. Barrett and I found a matching set of these Medieval cabinets sitting abandoned in a warehouse and promptly adopted them. The brother to this piece makes a comfortable home in the living room as our entertainment center.




They need a bit of TLC but are so unique and utterly inspiring.






Inside view of Medieval cabinet



Stuffed with supplies! (My paint drawer)




The working side of my clay desk, with assorted tools and jewelry projects in various stages of completion.



My inspiration board






Front and back view of pendants in progress on the work table




Pile of clay jewelry cuffs that haven't passed the test. I keep my mistakes as visual aides to help remember 'What NOT to do'.



Anatomical illustration hidden inside each cuff -- depicts the physical transformation of the body when strict corsetry is practiced over time.



The artist must summon all his energy, his sincerity, and the greatest modesty in order to shatter the old cliches that come so easily to hand while working, which can suffocate the little flower that does not come, ever, the way one expects.
~ Henri Matisse




My bead station -- always messy! Finished jewelry hangs temporarily from hooks on the wall. I keep all of my findings, beads, and stones in large organizers with drawers for easy access.

The framed prints on the wall are quite difficult to make out -- unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with me this morning and the lighting is not ideal. However, these are two Pre-Raphaelite prints which I've hung for inspiration. I have dozens of frames displayed throughout the house and when it is time to create a new collection, I'll replace those with new prints from the appropriate subject matter. It is a wonderful way to keep things fresh in the studio!



A few of my more interesting book shelves. I also have dozens of jewelry, clay, altered art and mixed media books and find them extremely useful when practicing new techniques. My first piece of advice: research, research, research!



I have a habit of arranging all my books in this manner because I am so inspired by the appearance of antique books as well as cover art in general. What an intriguing painting this grouping creates!


A wall of 'family portraits' near Barrett's desk.




A comfy nook to catch up on my blog reading.




One of my first violins takes its place on the wall, along with a vintage newspaper clipping. I enjoy mixing 3D elements with flat images.




Some of my favorite studio oddities.




Recently completed jewelry still lays on the work table -- just finished these pieces yesterday.


Thank you for taking time to visit my creative space! Ms. Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage organized this incredibly inspiring blog party and I count myself most fortunate to take part in such an uplifting and creative event. I look forward to introducing myself to other creative minds as I wander through the garden of artists before me. Please feel free to say hello; I can't wait to meet you!


Any great work of art... revives and re-adapts time and space, and the measure of its success is the extent to which it makes you an inhabitant of that world - the extent to which it invites you in and lets you breathe its strange, special air.
~Leonard Bernstein


Warm Wishes,


Natasha
2:47 AM 
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Thursday, June 18, 2009 

Ants After Dark: The Main Event
Guest Blogger: Barrett Klein

Allow me to introduce myself. As a relative newcomer to After Dark, and to Natasha's fabulous life, I happily and humbly invite you into my world of embracing science and art. Growing up with a family of artists, it was natural for me to spend time in my father's art gallery or surrounded by my mother's artwork. My identical twin brother is a brain imaging scientist and professor at Columbia University and my older sister is a marvelous musician and luthier at her violin shop, Korinthian Violins. As for me, at five years old I became enamored with insects and have retained a love of insects ever since. Almost everything I have accomplished, from making natural history displays at Chase Studio and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), to teaching and conducting behavioral research, has revolved around insects.

Creating dung beetles for the Hall of Biodiversity. Photo: Denis Finnin, AMNH



Praying mantis in the Hall of Biodiversity, AMNH.



Battling scarab beetles. Photo: Denis Finnin, AMNH


While my dissertation involves SLEEP behavior in honey bees...

Barrett in Germany


Sleeping Bees


Thermal Bees

It is difficult to focus exclusively on my honey bees when so many opportunities arise bringing science and art together. Here are two:

Faux Frogs -- the study of mate selection by female frogs in Panama, using robots. I make the frogs and Joey Stein (of Moey Inc) makes a computer-controlled unit that regulates the singing and inflation of the faux frog's vocal sac.

Faux Frog


Illustrating a damselfly field guide, written by John Abbott:



It was only natural for me to be drawn to Natasha and to After Dark's creations. With an affection and admiration for nature, Natasha shares my desire to uniquely and esthetically incorporate and highlight nature in art. It is a privilege for me to join After Dark and to be able to introduce myself to you, After Dark's international family. 

Now that you know who I am, I can share with you one odd evening here at After Dark:

The night we celebrated ANTS.

The occasion? Fellow ant biologist Sasha M. is moving. A festival honoring ants (and Sasha) was long overdue. The venue? After Dark's H.Q., nestled in the pulsating heart of Austin. How to celebrate our ubiquitous neighbors, those six-legged animals with a keen sense of smell, efficient division of labor, and profoundly social organization? We decided that a fitting honor would take several forms through the night, including what must be Austin's very first ANT OLYMPIAD, followed by readings, and potluck film feast! As an entomologist interested in insects' impact on human culture, I had an easy time selecting the haute couture for the phantasmagoria: 

Readings, simultaneously in French and English: Bernard Weber's Empire of the Ants.

Potluck: Feast befitting of ants, including Liz M's Ants on Logs.

Films: Our cinematic entertainment included The Naked Jungle, followed by Phase IV.

The Naked Jungle: 1954 classic in which Charlton Heston is no match for either a raiding mass of Amazonian army ants OR the acting skills of his female lead.


Phase IV is a 1974 trippy feature starring an inexplicable (and, for the most part, unexplained) takeover of planet Earth by an unprecedented association of different ant species (led by a spider wasp queen, for good measure). The arms race between a pair of human scientists and their intelligent ant adversaries inspired awe, fear, and respect (if not from some of our audience, at least from the scientists within the film). The classic film THEM! would be left for Ants: The Sequel, to be planned at a later date. 

The MAIN EVENT for the evening, however was a test of wits and skills. We set up the equivalent of an 800 meter human sprint competition, but instead of pitting one political regime against another, we set up a single elimination tournament across SPECIES of ants.


INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Collect ants from front yard. Upon cursory examination, you might naively assume that a tiny ant is a tiny ant and that your front yard consists of one species of tiny ant. Take a closer look. We used vials, a magnifier (20x with LED light), and gathered five species of ants belonging to four different genera within minutes of starting our search. (If you don't have an expert ant biologist on hand, distinguish species by gross anatomical differences, being careful not to race one member of a colony against her larger sister).


Step 2: Ant wrangling. Insert one ant from each genus into one end of a clear PVC tube, small diameter preferable. Pinch tube both behind and in front of ant until the racing gun goes off. Dramatically fling currency on racing table (for effect), choose sides, and feel the weight of imminent victory or defeat in the air.


Step 3: Once a victor has been determined for each heat, continue until one champion obliterates her competition, then allow your adrenaline levels to drop, and carefully return each ant to her respective point of collection in the front yard.

THE PLAYERS: 

THE CARPENTER ANT (Camponotus sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Tree-dwelling, common predator of unusual size and uncanny ability, the carpenter ant is able to surmount vertical surfaces with aplomb. This ant is known to unmercifully chomp wood.



THE ACROBAT ANT (Crematogaster sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Twisting, weaving, and evasively maneuvering, the acrobat ant dances with unpredictable grace. She holds her rear end high over her body while on the run.


THE FIRE ANT (Solenopsis sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

The bane of many humans, this fiery mound-builder should serve as a harsh reminder that this ant is not to be trifled with.


THE ROVER ANT (Brachymyrmex sp.) Photo: Alex Wild

Miniscule, will this tiny adversary overcome her larger competition? Before you dismiss her, remember Bruce Lee's sage advice when locals were betting on fighting mantids in Enter the Dragon.



Who was our Austin ant CHAMPION? 

Stay tuned for the answer in the next blog installment... 

and feel free to cast YOUR vote!
4:20 PM 
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Monday, June 08, 2009 


Ever hungry for more inspiration, I scour the Internet daily for tidbits of delicious fodder for After Dark's upcoming anatomical collection.

THIS is not what I had in mind. Every time I look at this frosted monstrosity my body wages instant war: with face contorted in disgust, I alternate between belly laughs and slight retching. As hilarious as it would be to give to someone else, how many of you would really line up to nibble on one of those pretty little toes?

I'll pass. Ewww.


Nibbling aside, I will freely admit my life-long obsession with foot binding. I clearly remember stepping up to the help desk in the Youth section of my local library at the tender and impressionable age of 9.

"May I help you"?

I should have asked about Little House on the Prairie.

Or Charlotte's Web, or Little Women.

But, I didn't.

Instead, I asked if she had any books on Chinese Foot Binding.


And, in the moment of comprehension which followed her reaction, I first understood that I was different.

Today, evidence of my obsession is still alive and well on the walls of the After Dark Bungalow. Why, just a trip to the powder room is all you'll need to catch up on the latest style of lotus wear!

The desire to radically alter the human form to gain greater acceptance is endlessly fascinating as the subject hits so close to home -- albeit on a smaller scale. My 'golden lotus' shoes are a gentle but firm reminder:



Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
- Denis De Rougemont



The creepiness continues... complete with video! Jen's delectable Cake Wrecks blog is one of the funniest on the net and has quickly become a favorite. Eat up!


Warmly,
3:05 PM 
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Wednesday, June 03, 2009 



Sometimes, you just KNOW you've made the right decision. A pivotal fork rises from the ground and splits your life into two potential paths, and a choice must be made. Night sweats and daymares persist through the first tentative step into new territory. Only then, when you are in your most vulnerable state -- when there is no turning back and you've plunged head first onto the asphalt, hoping to escape the transition with only a skinned elbow or two -- do you you actually find out if you've chosen the correct path.

And then the sun comes out and slaps you on the ass. The planets align, the tiki gods grin in your direction, and you realize you should have moved to Austin six months ago.

Hope no doubt faced similar angst when driving cross-country to work for an eccentric accessory designer she'd not yet met, leaving her fiance, family and friends to spend three months in After Dark Jewelry Land. Wanting to leave a sunny first impression, I whisked her off to Mayfield Park for a picnic with the peacocks.














I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Warmth and Love,


5:23 PM 
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Monday, June 01, 2009 
My Dear Friends,

I have been out of touch with much of the world for quite some time due to an attempt to re-evaluate, re-organize, and prioritize my life. This period of necessary change has been a daunting climb and a humbling journey -- one in which creativity was lost and found several times along the way. There are two distinct aspects of my personality which seem to be forever battling for control.

I am Natasha: fun-loving, friendly, over-the-top artist!

Photo: High Art



I am also Kristie: bookish, bespectacled hermit who flees from the first whiff of conflict.



I am learning to control and diminish my less-than-desirable personality traits, but will forever be a work in progress.

Despite these flaws, I'm sharing ME for the first time, with you.

My new blog, Life After Dark, is a very personal exercise in vulnerability. I must learn to accept myself, my surroundings, and my artistic ability as they are right at this moment instead of hiding myself until perfection is obtained. This is a very public kick-in-the-ass, and all fingers are pointed straight at me.

So, the good, the bad, and the artistically ugly will be up for all to see, and I'm going to learn to love it...

Just as I am.

This blog is for my Mama and for my gigantic family who are hundreds and thousands of miles away.

This blog is for my neglected friends whom I love and cherish even though many think they've been forgotten.

This blog is for those who think I dislike them because of my infrequent or non-existent communication. I'm sorry.

This blog is for those of you who have an internal war raging between Can & Can't, Will & Won't, and Do & Don't.

This blog is for Ba't, my muse.

And, this blog is for me.


Life evolves, and so have I. A 1920's bungalow situated next to an abandoned carousel in Austin, Texas is where I now call home. I work full-time once again from my home studio, and have the most loving and selfless assistant imaginable -- 'The Goddess' Minerva.



Hope, After Dark's remarkably talented new intern joins us for the summer, and she has already blown me away with her skill and her eye for design. Hope designed the blog layout and has created a collage filled to the brim with my favorite things. Thank you, Hope!

I'm elbow-deep in After Dark Jewelry's new anatomical collection, which is far removed from past designs. the website and logo will change to reflect the aesthetic of the new collection, so it's going to be an eventful and challenging summer! I'm feeling more creative and inspired than ever before. You will hear from me again.





Warmth and Love,

5:57 PM 
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Friday, December 05, 2008 
The After Dark Jewelry annual Holiday sale is upon us again, and it is our largest sale in history! Save 40 percent off every item on the website! We have also added a Gift Certificate feature to our website. Simply purchase a certificate in your chosen amount and the gift certificate will be emailed directly to you. After Dark Jewelry makes the perfect gift for any woman -- we have designs that are sure to be cherished always, a magical and dark gift to fulfill her holiday wishes. Every After Dark Jewelry item is wrapped in a black gift box or velvet pouch with our logo. This 12 day sale ends Monday, December 15th, so don't delay!


www.afterdarkjewelry.com



Holiday Shipping Deadline Information:

Thank you for allowing After Dark Jewelry to be a part of your Holiday celebration! We have a few tips for our customers who are planning to purchase gifts for loved ones during the Holiday Season:

Due to the hand-made nature of After Dark Jewelry designs and the Holiday rush we must receive your order by December 15th in order to have it in your hands by December 23rd. Please note: mail-in payments will not be processed in time for the holidays.  Feel free to pay via credit or debit card, or Paypal. Choose "Priority Shipping" when completing your order. We carry many of our best-selling designs in stock and ready to ship if last-minute arrangements are required, as well as gift certificates that are emailed to you the same day you order! If you have a special request or need overnight shipping, please feel free to contact us for assistance.

Enjoy the Season!

Natasha Frost and the After Dark Jewelry Family
5:19 AM 
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Sunday, October 28, 2007 
My Dear Friends,

Throughout my travels via MySpace, email, and events over the years, I have had the privilege of corresponding with many of my clients on a personal level. I have had the opportunity to align faces with names, view likes and dislikes, and have been given a glimpse at the lives and personalities of those who purchase the jewelry I create. What a marvelous gift this has been! Not a day goes by in which I do not receive a kind word of encouragement, inspirational artwork, or exposure to something new and intriguing. You are talented, creative, and uniquely beautiful -- I am honored and so very pleased to be creating jewels for you.

With this in mind, our webmaster is busy creating a new section on the After Dark Jewelry website and MySpace page featuring our gorgeous clientele! Please send in photos of yourself wearing your After Dark Jewelry to be displayed in our customer gallery. Feel free to send in your own personal snapshots; professional photos are not required. We welcome photos of you with friends, on vacation, or out for a night on the town. You may be as creative and artistic as you choose; it is entirely in your hands!

Please send all photos to:

Include your name (or alias) and photographer's credit (if applicable).


Also, Darlings -- this is the last day of the 25% storewide sale! It ends at Midnight, October 28th (today), so don't delay!



Warm Wishes,

Natasha Frost
www.afterdarkjewelry.com

2:12 PM 
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Saturday, October 27, 2007 




Model: Victoria Sinister
Photo: High Art (Nadyia)

9:17 PM 
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Monday, October 22, 2007 
At last! Almost 60 new designs have been added to our online catalog with the release of our Fall Collection, including several one-of-a-kind necklaces! To celebrate this new collection and our favorite time of year, we are offering a week-long 25 Percent store-wide sale! This sale includes all of the designs from our brand new Fall Collection and our one-of-a-kind designs as well as your cherished favorites, all at www.afterdarkjewelry.com! Discounts have been applied to each product; no discount code is required. We are also pleased to announce a continuing feature to our sales: a free gift with every order!

Natasha has spent the past six months diligently focusing on new techniques, finding her inspiration for much of the Fall Collection through her love of illustration, 'dark art', and the Middle Ages. Although these arcane influences are a definite departure from the light-hearted Spring Collection, they still retain elements of the designer's 'signature look'. These new additions are completely customizable -- please view their descriptions for details.

We have added a brand-new Opera necklace length to many designs in our online catalog. The Opera length feature may be worn as a single 30" strand which hangs below the bosom or as a two-strand necklace, held in place with an ornate toggle clasp. This is a marvelously versatile necklace option!

Additionally, new colors have been added to several of our best-selling designs. You may now purchase the Arachne's Web Set in 11 separate colors! The Dangling Spider Set and the Dark Age Necklace also have additional color options, as well as several other designs throughout the website!

We have also added a new necklace to our Drucilla Collection, entitled 'Drucilla's Fire', with accompanying earrings.

Please enjoy the new additions; your feedback on our designs is always welcome!

The 25 Percent storewide sale ends Midnight, October 28th, so don't delay! Simply click on the photo below to see the Fall Collection on the After Dark Jewelry website. Happy Halloween!



Model: Victoria Sinister
Photo: High Art (Nadyia)

3:56 AM 
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