About

Elizabeth Watson & Pam Yearout

Elizabeth’s Story
I have always fantasized being a painter. However I didn’t actually start painting until I retired at the age of 64. Pam took me on a plein air outing to Alpen Cellars Winery in Coffee Creek CA, where I painted my first watercolor, of the vineyards. While I have taken several good workshops over the years, I have never received formal training in painting. I work exclusively in watercolor, as I intend to continue until I feel I have mastered that medium. That may never happen, however I do enjoy the process.
I agreed to take part in a 20 in 30 show at Mickey Theobold’s studio in Redding, CA. We were to pick atheme for our paintings, and I chose Cats at the Beach. Why? I guess I’ve always had an affinity for the whimsical and different. I thoroughly enjoyed creating simple paintings of cats in various situations on beaches, and I even sold a couple. I continued with my theme of whimsy, painting a series of Walruses in Gardens, and Morning Coffee with the Masters’ great paintings, as I learn alot about structure, color, contrast, and balance by copying the painting itself., or the painting’s style. I also enjoyed a project where I painted two horses from a phot in Best Friends magazine, then duplicated them, one using as inspiration a Matisse, one a VanGogh and the third as a pen drawing with a tie-dye type background.
I began making jewelry after visit to a relative of Pam’s in Tucson, AZ. I became attracted to the gemstone beads, and bought a few strands. I wondered what I would do with them, went to sleep, woke up and said “gemstone and wire jewelry!” That day at the Gem Show I found and purchased a book on making wire jewlery. And thus Earthdance jewelry was born. I have enjoyed making and selling this jewelry for the past 15 years. I particulary enjoy creating my line of Chakra jewelry, which is healing as well as beautiful.

Pam’s Story
EarthDance was ‘born’ more that 40 years ago out of a necessity for more income in my life. My first show was the Humbolt Arts and Music Festival in Eureka, CA., where I shared a booth with my dear friend Mary. At the time my art was fractal designs in colored pencil. Mary’s was soft sculpture ornaments. We were a team for several years. From colored pencil I moved to decorative folk art [tole painting], acrylic on wood. I still colored my fractal designs [over 700] to relax. I continued painting in acrylic until my retirement, when I promised myself I would study watercolor, the medium I enjoy today. I have a passion for the smal [tiny, really], therefore most of my paintings are in miniature.
In the years nearing my retirement, my life partner, Elizabeth, a fellow ‘rockhound’, started playing with beads and wire. I also became drawn to the new art form, got my own tools and began exploring the many ways I could bend wire to enhanceand support the stone. EarthDance became known for our gem art. Once a year we travel to Tucson, AZ for the world’s largest gem market where we pick new and un usual gems and learn their origin. Every year we bring to our table an exciting new variety of gemstones which we form into wearable art. For years we have been selling EarthDance gemstone jewlery in galleries and art fairs, and are looking forward to expanding this business at our new venue – EarthDance Art Studios & Gallery, Weaverville, CA.