Kalaya Steede

I was told to find a "common thread" in my work.  In other words my work cannot be all over the place.  How does one do this?  How does one find your voice? I am convinced that it just does not happen over night.  It takes time and a lot of work following your bliss. My brain is literally aching over some things like, f ind your common thread creating a brand and designing a booth. So what is the secret? It is to make something EVERY DAY . That is what I have been doing for the past two weeks.  In between taking care of Cosmo, social media, art markets, art exhibits, taxes, photography, teaching, and submissions. It is a miracle we can create anything! But enough of that.  Let us take a look at what is going on with me the next two days. Fertile Ground I want to thank the Arts Council of New Orleans for all of their support and all that they do for us artists here in NOLA.  Their Artist as Entrepreneur pro...

Hello beautiful people! I know it has been a long time since I posted anything.  I swear I have been a busy bee. I had homework and then one thing led to another.  I really do not know where the time went but I am back.   I had a post all ready to go but I just had to share what I completed today. I am working on a new design and talk about STRESS! Back in the day when I was in Africa I killed a snake.  On accident mind you.  So we ate the meat and let the bones dry and ended up with this... Just kidding! I did not kill a snake but I acquired these from a very cool dude. Anyway, I was going nuts and ended up with this as a design yesterday. I was not feeling the design  AT ALL!!! But my friends voice kept saying to me.   Kalaya you have to finish it no matter what! Does not matter if you do not like it, just finish it. I tell you what.  It is hard to finish something you are not liking.  So I...

This is what my studio looks like after I exhibited  at the  New Orleans Mini Maker Faire . What a colossal mess, huh? So now you know what I will be concentrating for the week besides homework. Yes you heard me right. HOMEWORK!!! I am participating in a workshop offered by the Arts Council of New Orleans   called Artists As Entrepreneur . I am gaining new insight to so many different things and it is kind of  mind blowing.   For instance last night we learned about CV's, Bio, and Artist Statement from Deputy Director, Nick Stillman.   During his talk I was pushing my statement, bio, and cv under a rock. Really though I have new eyes and thoughts on how to work on all three to  make IT BETTER. I leave you with these questions to ponder over. Can we just make art? Is it necessary to put our art out there? Does it still exist if no one sees it? AND Why are you making the art you are making right now? ...

My latest and greatest. This cuff was inspired by my friend being in a group called The Amazons . So... what would an Amazon woman wear as part of her battle outfit? That's when I came up with this cuff bracelet. The design was rolled on to the metal using a rolling mill with another piece of textured brass. I used my metal stamps, handmade by me, for the border.  The two pieces are held together with my hand made copper rivets. Inside I drew a labrys, or double-bladed axe, a symbol of the ancient Amazon tribes, with an engraver along with other symbols. Is it original? Ummm....not completely.  I'm sure... no I know I was influenced by someone or something.  The thing is I just couldn't tell you from where or from whom. Some people would like to tell you that a piece is original but         is it? The eyes and the mind are like cameras.   Storing and then filed away whether we want it to or not.  ...

It's Friday and a good one at that. Mardi Gras is over and now I can finally relax and get back into the studio. Yesterday I saw a post from a friend by Ira Glass that I would like to share. Who is that, you ask? Google and Wiki tells me he's a radio personality.  That is as far as I got. Anyway listen to his YouTube video. I am totally on board with what he said except would like to add something to it. Something that I have experienced. For me the gap is constantly closing and re-opening. I can make something were I'm like WOW now that was NICE and then there are days when I say, WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING? AND that is after 7 years of being a metalsmith. LOL! So the gap never seals shut for me. The best advice anyone gave me and still gives me is to just keep making stuff. Regardless if I like where a piece is going or not I must complete it. Sometimes those are the pieces people like the most.  Whaaaat? I wish I coul...

This week I've been working on a gift to give for Valentine's Day but my mind gets in its way and says things like... it's more stuff, more clutter, and I don't want to give something to someone for it to become their burden. GET OUT OF YOUR WAY ALREADY! Now I'm stuck on my own ideas, and my own judgments.  What's really going on here? Hahahaha!!! Okay anyway, I came up with this design satisfying two needs.  One, the need to give, and second, the need to let go. My partner in crime needed something to send in to a race called the BIGFOOT 200 . So I designed this key chain.  He can decide to keep it or send it away. Either way my feelings won't be hurt.  It was a way not to attach myself to a piece or even an outcome. If that makes any sense at all? Here is the process if anyone is interested. I think you can get it all from the pictures. Cut it all out, AND THEN just put it all back together. Kind of like Humpty...

Hi everyone! I know it has been a long time. It's the new year and time for me to reflect and decide where my place is on this journey. I've decided to breathe and what a relief it has been. The studio is lukewarm but it's okay. No pressure on myself and just to move right along with the flow. I made some earrings for my friend's birthday. Stephanie is from here and hope she doesn't mind me saying, didn't learn to drive until she was 17 or 18. How in the world did she get around in this city? Well, she catched the bus of course! We have always talked about our future and how our kids (if we had any) will hang out with each other and we will grow old here in New Orleans but then Katrina hit and  she had to move away which broke my heart.  So I thought it was fitting to make her some of my token earrings. Simple with so much connection to the city and to me. Turquoise for protection... brass for healing... and  coconut ...