Inside Etsy: Store Owner Interviews: Ox Original Art Jewelry

Patsy Ox, owner of Ox Original Art Jewelry, can claim her store's name with pride. Her jewelry is original, because it is her very own artwork. In some of her pictures, you can see the sketched image as the backdrop.

From her profile:

My bronze jewelry begins with Bronzclay, a true bronze consisting of 11% tin and 89% copper (not the brass form seen in commercial jewelry). Each piece is created from my sketchbook designs, then sculpted into works of art.

What color(s) would you say turn out the richest after going through your enameling process?

Enamels, like acrylics, are naturally rich and vibrant. I sometimes have to tone them down for special effects – (or to keep them from looking like little piñatas!) Blue and green transparents over a silver base are particularly lustrous and beautiful.

As is the case with most Etsians, I am versed in other art forms besides what I actually have for sale. In my pre-mom days, I used to show my skills with good ol’ pen and paper portraits/drawings. Do you still find time to paint?

I still paint many of the backdrops for my web pages. That way I can illustrate the precise mood and color coordination that I had envisioned for my jewelry. In the home I paint things like floral wreaths over arches, and I developed a technique for painting with texturing mud to create pop-out scenes on various walls. I have also committed to doing a wall mural for a garden at the local Hospice.

Even though I’m a die-hard Texas fan (for the state, not for the sports), I know that Colorado is known for its breathtaking beauty. Do you hike or participate in other nature-loving events?

Like you, we also enjoy traveling to the real Colorado whenever we can get away. You see, we live in the hot, windy, dusty "Kansas" part of Colorado. Here in the Southeastern corner we enjoy long walks and bike rides to seek out nature wherever it can be found; along dry stream beds, cottonwood groves, and in nearby canyons laced with petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks. This time of year we just sit in front of the picture window and watch it blow by.

Concerning the seedpod that you use for your seedpod pendant—does the tree produce a fruit or just more of these seedpods? Are they edible? (Read her wonderful blog post about the seedpod and its journey into a pendant.)

Thank you for asking! The Earpod tree is truly fascinating. It is the national tree of Costa Rica, and a member of the pea/bean family. In Hawaii and Florida the seedpod is wasted, but the cattle of Costa Rica eat it. The tree produces a ‘powder-puff’ flower in the spring.

What’s up next in your mini-Americana line?

The Americana pieces that have sold quickly are those with which individuals seemed to make a personal connection – those that represent some iconic location or memorable event in their lives. I have been amazed how a little pig pendant with a heart on its rump, or an artist palette pendant with dabs of multicolor paints will sell quickly on Etsy. So I will continue looking for uniquely personalized designs with which someone may form a bond. With these kinds of pieces, it almost needs to be love at first sight.

These kinds of pieces sometimes attract attention in unusual ways. The day after I listed a piece of enamel art showing the Coors Beer logo, I received an e-mail from their legal department demanding that I remove their name from the item’s description!

Obviously, Coors Beer and I have a big differing point. I'm all about some free advertising! And, while it would be nice, my cord covers aren't addicting, lol.

I want to personally thank Patsy for being an outstanding Inside Etsy team member. She is a frequent commentor, not only on the blog posts here but on our team threads as well. It's people like her that make Etsy the wonderful community that it is!

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