Dan Dye Designs

Lasting Impressions Open Garden Show

Once again, I will be participating in a Spring garden show on April 23rd in Raleigh.  It will be held again at Amelia & Richard Lane's home, located at 4904 Hermitage Drive in N.W.Raleigh , from 9 AM to 4 PM.  The gardens will be beautiful and some amazing art and craft will be available for purchase.  I hope you will join us!

  

Lasting Impressions

16th annual

OPEN GARDEN & ART SHOW

 

Saturday, April 23, 2022

9am – 4pm

4904 Hermitage Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612

 

Hosted by:

Amelia Lane and Beth Jimenez

 

Featured Artists:

Cynthia Aldrich – Function Pottery

Sue Aldworth, Laurie Cochran, Carol Williams –

Art & Wood Turned Bowls

Jean Cheely – Jewelry & Glass

Dan Dye – Silversmith

Robyn Johnston – Mosaic Garden Art

Amelia Lane & Beth Jimenez -

Concrete leaves, Hypertufa Troughs, & Plants

Lisa Mathias– Mixed Metal Trinkets

Laurie McNair – Pottery

Dona McNeill–Pottery

Miriam Sagasti– Artist & Illustrator

Leigh Salmon – Jewelry & Glass

Janet Wallace & Lisa Bartholomew–

Woven Baskets & Ornamentals

Wayne Webb – Metal Sculpture

 

Come and celebrate Spring with us!!

Welcome to my 2020 website!

  Welcome to my 2020 website.  If you have just discovered my site, you need to know that everything I make is totally made by me by being hand built from solid sterling silver wire or sheet.  Nothing is mechanically cast.  I am now using Argentium Sterling, which is an alloy, consisting of 93.5% silver, 1.2% germanium and 5.3% copper.  While being slightly more expensive, it is hypo-allergenic and does stay shiny better than the usual Sterling alloy of 92.5% silver with the balance of copper or nickel. 

  There are listings on the right side of my site of new, current jewelry for sale.  On the left side, you will find an archive of all work, both current and past (sold) pieces.  If the design is totally made from silver, I can usually create another piece of jewelry like it.  However, many of the stones that I like to use are "one of a kind" gems that inspire my designs.  I can sometimes get a similar stone, but never the exact same stone again.  If you see a particular piece that you are interested in, please contact me immediately to inquire.  You can send me an inquiry at "[email protected]" or call my studio phone at 919-876-0609.  Please do leave me a message and I'll get back in touch ASAP. 

  In addition to making custom pieces, I do participate in several public shows during April & May in the Raleigh area.  And my longest show is an 11 day show in October in the Village of Yesteryear at the NC State Fair in Raleigh.  This year will by my 35th showing there and is the 70th anniversary of the organization!  In that amazing building, you will watch over 80 artists and craftspeople as they create their work!  I will post announcements of the days that these events will take place.  Please check back here for future details.

 

 

    

2017 NC State Fair, Village of Yesteryear

  The 2017 State Fair opens on October 12 and the Village of Yesteryear will be open for visitors at 4 PM.  I have been busy for many months, designing and hand-constructing my latest jewelry and Christmas ornaments. In June, I traveled back to Albuquerque and Santa Fe and I bought a good variety of local gemstones, which you can see in my necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings.  The jewelry that features these stones is all "one-of-a-kind" and will probably sell fast, so come early for the best selection! 

 I have also just added a new piece to my Nativity set, a Wise Man, carrying a treasure box.  

 This will be my 32nd year in the Village and I hope you will take the time to come see me!  Thanks - - Dan

 

New turquoise from Santa Fe area

I am back from a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico where I stayed with friends and visited a favorite small town named Cerrillos. There I buy local turquoise, mined, cut & polished by Andy Brown (pictured).  He laid out an amazing collection of turquoise that he had mined from 4 different areas for me to choose from....my only problem was not buying all the stones!  Now I will be making new jewelry from these stones.  If you see a stone that you want a custom piece made with, please let me know quickly!

Lasting Impressions Open Garden & Art Show - April 23, 2016

Please come join me at the 10th annual art and craft show, hosted by Amelia Lane & Beth Jimenez.  It is located in Amelia's beautiful gardens at 4904 Hermitage Drive in Raleigh, NC.  Take West Millbrook Road (just west of Creedmore Rd ~ 1/4 mile) & turn south on Winthrop Drive, then turn right onto Hermitage Dr.  Show hours are from 9 AM to 4 PM.  Seventeen artists & craftsmen will be there, selling handcrafted pottery, jewelry, cards & prints, metal art & sculpture, concrete garden art and more.  Hope you will join us!  

2015 NC State Fair

I will be returning to the Village of Yesteryear again on October 15th, for my 30th year.  Our building opens to the public from 4 PM until 9:45 PM that Thursday and then for the next 10 days from 10 AM through 9:45 PM.  I have been very busy building up my jewelry and Christmas ornament collection.  Some of the jewelry features turquoise & other stones that I bought on a trip to Santa Fe, NM this past June.  I also have pieces that showcase a variety of stones cut by a local friend, Chris Whitley.  I hope you will come for a visit to this wonderful assembly of master artists and craftspeople!  - Dan'l

June 2015 edition - "Our State" magazine

  I was invited to submit 2 photographs of my handcrafted sterling silver jewelry for the June edition of Our State magazine.  They are doing a story that celebrates wedding anniversaries and silver is the traditional gift for the 25th anniversary.  One of the editors found my website on the computer and especially liked the dogwood flower pin that I make, since it is the NC state flower.  I brought one that I made especially for this story and also a trillium pin that I had made for my wife, Nancy, for our 25th anniversary in August 14, 1996. Both pieces are featured on pages 174 & 175.  

   I was so pleased and honored to be selected by this beautiful magazine!!  Readers from all over North Carolina & subscribers from elsewhere in the U.S. will now see some of my finest work!

Larkspur Party - 2016

  Come help celebrate the 21st Annual Larkspur Party on June 4 & 5 at 6401 Litchford Road.  As always, the Alvarino-Norwood gardens are beautiful and a wide assortment of 37 talented regional artists & craftsmen will be showing (and selling!) their work. Be sure not to miss this show because it will be the last Larkspur Party!  After 21 years, Frances and John have decided that it is time to simplify their lives!

  The gates will open at 10 AM on that Saturday & Sunday.  I will have my latest collection of sterling silver jewelry, including pieces with beautiful turquoise stones from trips to Santa Fe.  I will also offer for sale new dogwood and trillium pins that I made this Spring and a dramatic calla lily open front necklace.  

  For details of the show go to: www.larkspurparty.com .  I hope to see you there!      -   Dan

 

2015 Platelet Hall of Fame Award

http://www.wral.com/regular-blood-giving-places-raleigh-man-in-donation-hall-of-fame/14193283/

This is another side of my life that I wanted to let folks know about.  I hope that by sharing this story, you will be inspired to donate blood and/or platelets.  The need is huge & more donors are constantly needed!  Thanks!  - Dan

NC State Fair!!

It's almost State Fair time again!!  This year, I will again be showing my latest collection of jewelry and Christmas ornaments  in the Village of Yesteryear.  I have over 20 silver ornaments available & ready to sell, all made from Argentium Sterling, a new alloy of silver that is naturally resistant to tarnish.  I also have new jewelry, made from the same silver & featuring beautiful stones from all over the world, but especially from New Mexico.  The bracelet shown is set with a piece of White Angel Variscite from Cerrillos, N.M.  The Village opens on Oct. 16 at 4 PM & closes on the 26th at 9:45 PM.  I hope to see you!!

The Larkspur Party - 2014

   Please allow me to invite you to join me and 35 other regional artists & craftsmen for the 19th annual Larkspur Party on May 31 and June 1.  It will be held at the Alvarino-Norwood family home and gardens, located at 6401 Litchford Road in Raleigh, NC.  Gates open at 10am - 6pm on Saturday and 10am - 4pm on Sunday.  For details of the featured artists, check out www.larkspurparty.com.  The gardens are beautiful & the art is wonderful....I hope to see you there!

Welcome to 2017!

  Welcome to my website!  If you have visited before, you know that available jewelry is listed by category on the right side of the page while "archival" work is on the left side.  I like to show items that have been sold so you can see the range of my creations.  Since I make everything by hand (not cast), my production is limited.  Pieces that are all silver or silver & gold can usually be replicated, but pieces with stones are "one-of-a-kind".  Prices may be different from what is listed, especially if the posting is from several years ago, due to changing metals markets.  I will give a current price upon request.  

  I am making most of my jewelry now with an alloy called "Argentium Sterling Silver".  It was developed about 20 years ago and replaces the copper in the alloy with another metal called Germanium.  Germanium is naturally resistant to oxidation and helps the jewelry stay shinier than the copper/silver sterling.  To be stamped "Sterling", jewelry must be at least 92.5% silver.  Argentium has one percent more silver in the alloy, being 93.5% silver & 6.5% germanium.

  In addition to selling my work on the web, I continue to sell at various shows and festivals during the year.  I will post details as the events arrive.   

  I hope to hear from you or see you soon.  Enjoy your browse of my work and feel free to contact me at 919-876-0609 or better yet, send me an e-mail to: [email protected].  Thanks!             - Dan

NC State Fair - 2013

  I will be returning to the Village of Yeteryear at the NC State Fair on October 17, 2013 for my 28th year.  The Village opens at 4 PM until 9:45 PM that day and then from 10 AM until 9:45 PM on the 18th through the 27th.  I have been creating a new collection of jewelry for this show, including turquoise from the Santa Fe, New Mexico area and beautifully colored natural opals from Ethiopia.  I have also designed a new Christmas ornament for this year.... a Rudolph reindeer head with gracefully curving antlers.

2013 Larkspur Party

  It's almost June and the 18th Annual Larkspur Party is just around the corner!  This will be my 6th year as a participant and I'm looking forward to it.  I have been assembling a collection of creative and beautiful sterling silver jewelry; many pieces inspired by Nature.  Some items incorporate stones that I bought on a trip to New Mexico in early May.  I hope you will join me and 26 other talented artists and craftsmen on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd in the Alvarino-Norwood gardens.  They are located at 6401 Litchford Road in Raleigh.  The show starts at 10 AM each day.

Lasting Impressions Open Garden Art Show

I will again be showing my jewelry at this 7th annual art & craft show on April 20, 2013.  Amelia & Richard Lane's gardens are beautiful at their west Raleigh home, located at 4904 Hermitage Drive.  Also participating are 12 area artists, displaying a variety of cement, wood & metal sculpture, pottery, glass, paintings, and Beth Jimenez & Amelia's concrete leaves and hypertufa troughs.  A marvelous collection of plants for your garden will also be available for purchase.  The show runs from 9AM until 4PM.  This year I will be showing my latest collection of jewelry on the patio in Amelia's shady backyard.  Please join us for a delightful day in the garden.

Star of Bethlehem story

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/11916532/#/vid11916532

   This epiode of the TarHeel Traveler was broadcast on Dec 26, 2012.  It was recorded at the Roundabout Art Collective in Ralegh, NC.  I hope you enjoy viewing it.

2012 N.C. State Fair

  My next show will begin on October 11, 2012 at the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh.  I will return to the Village of Yesteryear for my 27th year.  As a participant, I will be displaying my latest sterling silver jewelry and Christmas ornaments, as well as demonstrating the techniques and tools that I use.  The Fair runs through the 21st and the Village is open from 10AM until 9:45PM.  I hope you will stop by for a look!

2012 Larkspur Party

  Come visit me at the 17th annual Larkspur Party on June 2 & 3 in Raleigh.  It is being held once again in the beautiful Alvarino-Norwood gardens, located at 6401 Litchford Road.  Featured are 29 regional artists, displaying a wide range of amazing work.  Go to www.larkspurparty.com for a full listing of participants.  The show opens at 10AM both days & parking is all up & down Litchford Road.  Be sure to allocate several hours to see everything.  Hope to see you there!!

Lasting Impressions Spring Open Garden Art & Plant Sale

  Again this year, I'm showing my latest jewelry at this outdoor garden show.  It takes place at Amelia & Richard Lane's home, located at 4904 Hermitage Drive, Raleigh 27612.  The show is open to the public from 9AM until 4PM on Saturday, April 21.  Amelia and her friend, Beth Jimenez have spent countless hours in putting together this show where 12 areas artists will be selling their work.  Please come see us!

Welcome to 2012!

  Welcome to my website!  I have arranged my work into functions, such as "earrings" or "necklaces" or "table decorations".  The listing on the right side of the page is work that is currently available.  The work on the left side also includes "archival" (i.e. "sold") items.  As I make new pieces, I will be adding them to the site, so I hope you will come back regularly to see what I have been doing.  Prices listed may change at any time, due to volatile silver market changes.  If you are interested in the current price of a piece or just want to get in touch with me, either e-mail me at [email protected] or call 919-876-0609. 

  I am very excited about the art gallery that I joined last year, the Roundabout Art Collective.  We are opening in a new location, 305 Oberlin Road in Raleigh, NC. on January 11, 2012.  It is an interesting bungalow style house that was built in the 1920's, which has a big front porch and 5 good-sized interior rooms and a gallery hallway.  There is a spacious front yard, ample parking in the backyard and a handicapped ramp into the back entrance.  When you enter that back door, my display case is directly in front of you.  Each room has an interesting grouping of art from 24 talented artists and craftspeople.  For details, please connect to the RAC site, a link which is found on the lower left side of this page.

Dan Finch Pottery Show - Nov. 13, 2011

  Once again, I will be joining my friend, Dan Finch, for his annual pottery open house at his farm in Bailey, NC.  A wide variety of pottery, from over 80 area potters, will be offered for sale.  Dan has invited me to show (and sell!) my jewelry at this 2nd Sunday in November event for over 25 years.  Bailey is located about 35 miles East of Raleigh off Hwy 264.  The show will be open from 10 AM until 5 PM.  I hope you will come for a fun afternoon's visit.

September 2011 Events

  Two very special events are coming up for me in September!  The first one starts on September 2nd with an opening of a show titled "Earth, Wind and Fire" at the Roundabout Art Collective, 2110 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh.  It features new works by my friends, Linda and Randy Marcuson, Sarah Cawn and myself.  It is the First Friday celebration this month in the gallery, where we are all members and the display will last until late in the month.  The Roundabout is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM until 6 PM, but will have extended hours for First Friday until 9 PM.

  The next event is the Second Annual Art in the Gardens show, taking place in the beautiful gardens of the Duke Raleigh Hospital on Old Wake Forest Road in Raleigh.  It will open on Friday, 9/23 at 5:30 PM ('til 7:30) and on Saturday, 9/24 from 10 AM - 5 PM.  Twenty-five area artists will be selling a wide variety of art and craft, including jewelry, paintings, glass, pottery, photography and fiber art.  Funds being raised from this show will benefit the hospital auxillary.

The Roundabout Art Collective

  The Roundabout Art Collective is opening its doors on April 1st at 2010 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh with a kaleidoscope of offerings from 25 Raleigh area artists and artisans.  These include paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, turned wood and glass.  As the renovation and restoration of Hillsborough Street continues, the Roundabout Collective wants to become a fresh new artistic venue for visitors to the campus and to downtown Raleigh. Its location directly across from N.C. State University's Bell Tower will be a key to its sucess. 

  I am delighted to have been invited to join this group.  For years, as I meet people at area art and craft shows, I am asked where I have jewelry for sale during the year.  Now I will have a gallery where visitors can see my work, as well as the work of other artists, throughout the year.  Please come for a visit!

Fighting Fish Pendant - Design Notes

  This pendant is sold but I wanted to describe how I designed this piece.

I had the Crysacola stone first and the color made me think of blue/green Caribbean water.  The curve of the fish tail and of the waves in the foreground of the piece suggests movement through the water.

The back is sculpted to show the fish's eye and scales.

Dogwood Pin - Construction photos

				Step 1: I trace the petal shape on 20 gauge .999 fine silver and then saw with a 2/0 blade in my jewelry saw.
				Step 2: I arrange the two heart shaped petals and two elongated petals to check for accuracy and size.  I like to have an actual blossom in a bud-vase on my workbench to check the details.  This also helps me to get the correct curves of each petal as I hammer and shape them.
				Step 3: Using a cross-peen hammer and a leather covered cedar stump, I hammer a striated texture on the backside of each petal.  This leaves a more realistic veined appearance to the face of the petals.  I also further indent the notch on each petal by hammering into one of the cedar stump's natural intentions.
				Step 4: I make the center from a melted "button" of sterling silver wire and smaller .999 fine silver beads.  I solder the beads to the button with #75 hard silver solder, totally covering the surface to mimic the florettes of the dogwood.
				Step 5: I solder each of the two pairs of petals together with #75 solder, then solder them together with the heart shaped pair on top.  Next, with #70 solder, I solder on the beaded button and attach a stem of sterling wire to the back.  To this wire stem, I solder stems for leaves and then sterling leaves that I have sawn and textured in a similar manner.  A hinged pin and lock are then soldered on the back and the whole piece is hand polished with a course and then a fine polishing compound.

Ordering Ornaments

I will accept orders for Christmas ornaments until November 15th.  Some of my ornaments can be personalized with a name or date, such as the Stocking with 2007 or Noel, the Rocking Horse ("Thad" shown here) or the the Angel (with a name running across the bottom). 

Contact me for a price estimate on these.