Mystic Angel Creations - The Galveston County Daily News

GALVESTON — One of Sandy Forrest-Hartman’s childhood memories growing up in San Antonio in the early 1960s is of playing dominoes with her grandmother.

Decades later, she retains that fascination while transforming the smooth, rectangular playing pieces into jewelry.

Forrest-Hartman had tried needlepoint and had taught some calligraphy classes in the 1980s, but didn’t dabble in jewelry art until 2000 when she tried her hand at wire sculpting. Two years later, a boutique-owner in Rosenberg showed her some domino jewelry pieces.

“It was very nostalgic for me,” recalled Forrest-Hartman. “My grandmother had a beautiful set of dominoes.”

After much trial and error, she found the right kind of paint and glaze to color the blank side of the domino pieces.

Some have a faux stained glass or antique gold crackle finish, upon which an image is imprinted using a custom stamp and permanent alcohol-based ink, followed finally by a spray-on fixative.

“I know I’ve improved my technique since I first started, finding the right kinds of inks that wouldn’t fade,” she said.

Forrest-Hartman, who now lives in Houston, uses copper wire to affix beads and crystals to the finished broaches, pendants and bracelets. She will be in Galveston on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to display her work at the ArtWalk festival, along with 10 other artists at Simply Art Gallery, 2425 Strand.

“When I first started off, I used the plain dominoes from the dollar store, but the last six months I’ve found some vintage Bakelite dominoes and some antique Chinese dominoes,” said Forrest-Hartman. “At first I kind of felt bad about altering them.”

Of course, the ornamental jewelry using the hard-to-find dominoes fetches a higher price than the regular variety. Forrest-Hartman sells most of her pieces for between $25 and $50, though a bracelet using the Chinese dominoes sells for as much as $90. She has also done some work using Mahjong tiles.

Forrest-Hartman recently opened her home studio to TV cameras for an upcoming segment on “That’s Clever,” a Home & Garden Television program that features artisans from around the country.

Her most valued set of dominoes is the set passed down to her by her grandmother, Johanna Kraft. When asked if she might ever turn some into jewelry pieces, Forrest-Hartman concedes she has been tempted.

“She was always so industrious and resourceful,” said Forrest-Hartman. “You know, I think she might approve if I did it.”

Visit Ms. Forrest-Hartman's sites at:

www.MysticAngelCreations.com & www.ArtToWearJewelry.com

ArtWalk Participants

Here is a listing of official participating galleries and other spaces taking part in Saturday’s Galveston ArtWalk, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. For details about each exhibit, visit:

http://galvestonartscenter.org

Galleries

• Anne Zaring Gallery, 2417 Strand

• Barbin Studio, 2521 Mechanic

• Buchanan Gallery, 2120 Postoffice

• Designworks, 2119 Postoffice

• Galveston Art League Gallery, 2117A Postoffice

• Galveston Arts Center, 2127 Strand

• Nonus III Gallery, 202 Rosenberg, Suite 101

• 2411 Strand Gallery, 2411 Strand

• The Market, 2510 Market

• The Water’s Edge Studio & Gallery, 1302 21st St.

Other Spaces

• Dark at Heart, 2415 Market

• Mosquito Café, 628 14th St.

• Nest, 2427 Market (fashion show at 7:30 p.m.)

• Old Galveston Square Artists’ Lofts, 2211 Strand, 2nd floor

• The Front Parlor, 2111 Strand

• The Tremont House, 2300 Ship Mechanic’s Row

• 1861 U.S. Custom House, 502 20th St.

• Moody Mansion, 2618 Broadway

• Studio 22, 424 22nd St.