My name is Alicia McGloon, and I am a watercolor artist/jewelry maker. I currently live on campus at the New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, where my husband Ryan is a full-time student. I have my degree in Fine Art and a DBA as Simply Divine Details, the brand I have created for my watercolor jewelry. I also work full-time as a bank teller (I know, working both sides of the brain).
After graduating, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my art. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted my work to be a part of other people’s lives in a practical and affordable way.
I stumbled upon the idea of putting my watercolors into jewelry settings. Through research, I taught myself how to adhere glass to small paintings, work with the metal and jewelry findings, and where to buy good quality components and supplies.
Some artists creating similar jewelry use prints of their larger works, shrunk down to fit the jewelry. I paint each small painting individually to make every piece unique and one-of-a-kind. Of course, in going this route, I have ruined quite a few little paintings when something goes wrong during the post-painting process. Sometimes the resin doesn’t want to cooperate, or a piece of glass is chipped after adhering it to the painting.
Still, every successful piece is worth the risk, because in the end it’s more than just a painting. People wear my art knowing that each one is irreplaceable because it is not mass produced.
After cutting out and cleaning up the glass, I use the resin to glue the piece into the setting. When that is dry, I finish by adding the additional findings, such as a chain for a necklace, or the wires for earrings.
One of the greatest highlights of my work is how personal it can be. I have many customers who see my work and immediately have ideas of how they would make it their own. People get excited as they tell me their thoughts. I have had such fun creating custom orders, from favorite animals to tiny portraits of loved ones. Painting such small portraits has really pushed my limits artistically.
I really feel that I have finally found who I am as artist and look forward to growing in my art and seeing where my passion takes me.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read a little about me. You can stop by the Main Street Arts Gallery Shop to check out a selection of my jewelry. I am also on many social media sites where you can keep up to date with my jewelry, including the Simply Devine Details website!
Check out our last Inside the Artist’s Studio post, by abstract painter Bradley Butler.
