Learn To Bead…At Land of Odds
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Posted by learntobead on May 12, 2011
The DESIGNERS GAZETTE
Spring, 2011
Now Posted Online
Click Here
Poetry In Motion, Spring, Rejuvenation.
The contrast of Spring green against winter brown.
The unfolding of a bud, the gradual opening of a flower,
the capturing of sunlight and moisture and nourishment.
Securing the essense in quartz and crystal and glass.
Creating pathways and fences and sign-posts with wire and metal and clay.
Nothing beats Spring for inspiration and jewelry.Articles, Events, Classes, Ideas…..
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: beadweaver, beadworker, jewelry design, jewelry designer | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on April 3, 2011
Australian Jewelry Topos
http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T-AA5JW01
http://www.galleryloupe.com/exhibitions.php?sn=0&exhibit=35&p=5
A recent lecture and discussion by Robert Baines on the relationship of jewelry to place in Australia.
“This exciting exhibition brings together eighteen young Australian artists, all graduates of the Gold and Silvermithing Department at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. The theme of topos, place, is explored through a diverse and fascinating group of jewelry objects. Place includes locations in the physical world, such as homes and public squares, crowded cities and untouched forests. Place can also refer to states of mind, webs of memory and association, and other metaphorical spaces. Drawing on traditional and non-traditional materials and techniques, the artists featured in this exhibition challenge viewers to deepen their understanding of places we inhabit.
Participating artists are Katherine Brunacci, Robert Baines, Elfrun Lach, Anita Van Doorn, Dougal Haslem, Julie Mitchell, Karla Way, Dr. Kirsten Haydon, Lucy Hearn, Mel Miller, Natalia Milosz-Piekarska, Nicholas Bastin, Nina Oikawa, Penelope Pollard, Renee Ugazio, Linda Hughes, Christopher Earl Milbourne and Nicole Polentas.”
““Jewelry is a bearer of cultural and historical meaning and memory. In particular it is concerned with the relations of those meanings with the personal and urban settings, acting as a way of defining and interpreting ‘topos’ (meaning ‘of place’, Greek). The concern of this jewelry research is to recognise and explore the ways the jewelry artefact opens our engagement with, and understanding of, the personal and external places we inhabit. Jewelry conveys settings of human identity and presence as well as external settings such as urban spaces and ‘topos’ takes on a broader significance as place itself becomes an expanded notion. Jewelry Topos explores the ways jewelry engages with our understanding of the physical and metaphorical places we inhabit.” Professor Robert Baines
The design question here is to what extent is an artist able to create a piece of wearable, fashionable jewelry that also conveys the artist’s personal relationship and understanding of a place? Can the artist accomplish this without, either bursting way outside the boundaries of something “wearable”, or reducing the “meanings” to such a symbolic level that they no longer convey what was on the artist’s mind?
How familiar does the viewer (or wearer) have to be of the Australian place references for the artist and his or her jewelry to be judged successful? Or does it not matter?
Looking at these pieces, what do you think? How successful or satisfying are these pieces? I think all of these have artistic merit, but not necessarily “artistic jewelry” merit. Jewelry as art is only art as it is worn.
How has the artist manipulate the aesthetic to achieve a sense of place?
How has the artist manipulated materials to achieve a sense of place?
How has the artist manipulate techniques to achieve a sense of place?
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: anita van doorn, australia, christopher earl milbourne, dougal haslem, elfrun lach, jewellery design, jewelry design, julie mitchell, karla way, katherine brunacci, kirsten haydon, linda hughes, lucy hearn, mel miller, natalia milosz-piekarska, nicholas bastin, nicole polentas, nina oikawa, penelope pollard, renee ugazio, robert baines, topos | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 9, 2011
ador(n)ed
February 3 – March 12
Exhibit of new jewelry by: Baharal-Gnida, April Higashi, Christy Klug, Erica Schlueter and Jan Smith
Each of these jewelry artists have established themselves in unique ways. With studios that span the country, The Gallery presents a collection of high-caliber jewelry tied together by geometric forms and eye-catching focal pieces. With a range of styles and techniques there is something for everyone, including oxidized silver, bouton pearls, felt accents, and non-precious metals like copper and steel.
It’s well-worth a visit to each of these artists (above) website to check out their artistry and craftsmanship.
Posted in Art or Craft? | Tagged: april higashi, baharal-gnida, christy klug, erica schlueter, jan smith, jewelry design, jewelry exhibit, museum of contemporary craft | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 27, 2011
The Fuller Craft Museum in Boston presents The Legacy of Atelier Janiye and the Legacy of Master Jeweler Miyé Matsukata celebrating the work and legacy of Boston-based jewelry artist Miyé Matsukata (1922–1981).
This exhibition open January 22, 2011 – July 24, 2011, presents together for the first time a retrospective selection of Matsukata’s work, alongside the work of her colleagues Nancy Wills Michel, Alexandra Solowij Watkins, and Yoshiko Yamamoto.
Atelier Janiye is a jewelry design house, representing goldsmiths who excel in manipulating the metal into very naturalistic and organic forms. Their pieces are associated with fine craftsmanship. Each artist has a very strong sense of style.
Miye Matukata (1922-1991)
Born in Japan, lived in Boston. In 1968, Miyé Matsukata said, “I would like to maintain a spirit of design that is quiet and free. I feel metal can have a life if it has motion and less rigid confines.” With the layering of fluid shapes, this bracelet assumes the lightness she hoped to achieve.
Nancy Willis Michel
Alexander Solowij Watkins
Yoshiko Yamamoto
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: alexander watkins, atelier janiye, fuller museum, goldsmiths, jewelry design, metalwork, miye matsukata, nancy michel, yoshiko yamamoto | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 20, 2011
VOTE FOR ME
I entered my jewelry work in a contest called ARTISTS WANTED: A YEAR IN REVIEW. There are many judging levels to the contest. One of them is a public review. The public is asked to judge and rate the collection online. If you have the opportunity, I would appreciate if you would visit the website. At the top right corner, are a five star rating system, with 5 as the highest score. Voting ends around February 8th.
Go to:
http://www.artistswanted.org/oddsshop
Thanks — Warren
Posted in Contests, jewelry design | Tagged: handmade jewelry, jewelry art, jewelry design, warren feld | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on December 2, 2010
nOir Jewelry – Capturing a Fantastic Style
www.noirjewelry.com
blog.noirjewelry.com
nOir Jewelry is a phenomenal hit among the celebrity set, and a visit to their website shows you why. Fantastic, imaginary pieces.
Leeora Catalan is the owner and designer of this 14 year old company. She produces jewelry that is glamourous, fun and edgy at the same time. She has produced special pieces for various clothing designers, musicians and actors.
From a marketing standpoint, how do you capture the excitement and thrill her pieces generate?
Let’s look at some of her pieces, and then look at one of her marketing ads, and compare.
And now the promotional ad:
Now, I’ve only presented a sample of her pieces, so it may not be fair to compare what I’ve shown to the ad-copy. However, to me, the ad seems to showcase nOir as art deco jewelry. But it seems to be so much more than that. Her jewelry has power and artistry beyond deco.
What do you think? How would you begin to get ahold of noir jewelry, from a marketing and ad-copy perspective?
With or without the marketing, it’s clear that Talent has found Talent.
Posted in business of craft, jewelry design | Tagged: advertising copy, art deco jewelry, jewelry advertising, jewelry design, marketing jewelry, noir jewelry | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on December 1, 2010
Natural Materials and Embedded Gemstones
More of Lionel Aubert’s Work
After posting some of Lionel Aubert’s jewelry, he wrote me, and sent me more images of his pieces, which I share here.
Lionel wrote:
Passionate about gem stones, I realized that nobody had encrusted gemstones from natural materials without glue. So I developed my work and creativity on this combination of materials. I created this embedding method in order to propose new jewelry and objects that are innovative, not by the material but by their marriage. The idea of embedding gemstones with no glue is unique. It is made from natural materials like wood, bamboo, horn, seeds, bones, etc..
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: eco jewelry, embedded gemstones, jewelry design, lionel aubert | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 19, 2010
Edges, Fringes, Straps, Surface Embellishments
Should these be Critical to the piece,
or, merely Supplemental?
In our Bead Study group, (full discussion notes posted here) we began a unit on learning what I call “turns of the needle” techniques. These are small, bead-woven shapes and forms that you make with seed beads and needle and thread. You can adapt these shapes and forms to use as edging, surface embellishment, straps and fringes.
Classical art theory would say that these kinds of elements in jewelry should be supplemental to the core piece, such as a pendant. The pendant is “art”, and any fringe, strap, edging or extraneous surface embellishment would merely supplement this.
In painting, these kinds of components would equate with the “frame.” In sculpture, these kinds of components would equate with the “pedestal base.” Neither the frame nor the pedestal should be required to appreciate the painting or sculpture as art. Nor should these detract. Or compete. Or take center stage. Or overwhelm.
If our goal is to elevate beadwork and jewelry to the realm of art, rather than craft, we need somehow to accommodate, confront or revise this concept which is central in art theory, if we don’t agree that edges, fringes, straps, and extra surface embellishment are as important to the jewelry as it’s core.
Should these be supplemental, or complimental, or incidental, or critical to jewelry?
Is adornment and embellishment “art”?
What makes a piece of jewelry an “art” piece?
Is there a design element to creating fringes, edges, straps and surface embellishment? That is, are there a set of principles that we can follow and share, so that we don’t over-do, or don’t compete with the central part of any piece of jewelry? Are there a set of rules of construction that we can learn and adapt?
What is the value of decoration? What principles regulate this?
Ornament Magazine , one of my favorites, uses the image below in their promotional materials. I love this piece as is, but, based on our bead group discussions, the piece begs the question whether the fringing and straps are helpful or hurtful to the core piece. Appropriate or inappropriate? Dragging jewelry back to a craft-base, or elevating jewelry into an art-form?
What do you think?
The discussion continues here.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: art vs. craft, edges, edging, fringes, fringing, jewelry design, straps, surface embellishment | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 10, 2010
Read the current issue of:
THE DESIGNERS GAZETTE
Fall, 2010
http://www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/pdf/fg111510/fall2010pdf.pdf
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: business of craft, jewelry design, jewelry making | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 22, 2010
Michael Zobel
Combining the wearable with the theatrical
http://www.atelierzobel.com/
Can you the artist ever be appropriately flamboyant, sensitively flaming, “out-there” yet still “in-here”?
Michael Zobel is an artist known for his dramatic works. How successful do you think he has been, walking that line between wearable and costume?
What does it mean to walk that line?
Something showy?
Something evocative?
Something which shows the materials (metals and stones) off in unusual ways?
Something that has your friends running towards you, rather than away from you?
I find it interesting that the many pieces he has on display seem much more dramatic than the pieces he has on his website for sale. What does this observation mean, when thinking how dramatic to get with your own pieces?
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: dramatic jewelry, evocative, jewelry design, michael zobel | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 22, 2010
Lionel Aubert
Artisan Eco Jewelry
It is truly amazing what kinds of jewelry can be made from wood and other similar natural materials, encrusted with gemstones held in place by the force and shape of the wood. No glue or prongs here.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: eco jewelry artist, jewelry design, lionel aubert | 2 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on September 21, 2010
Your Personal Style
It’s always important to develop a personal style within your jewelry creations. Something that helps people recognize that the jewelry was made by you, and not someone else. A signature, or signifying element.
This can be a certain choice of colors. It can be the addition of a special bead to each piece, or special dangle, or special tag. It can be the use of a custom made clasp. Or a certain style of construction. Or the use of certain images, forms or motifs.
Carolyn Morris Bach is a jewelry artist from southern New England. She has a very strong signature motif she uses: tiny creatures with solemn or half-smiling, ovoid or moon-shaped faces carved from ivory or gemstones and the like. Her pieces are mythical and allegorical, yet very contemporary.
She makes it very easy to associate her pieces with her. This, in marketing terms, is a kind of branding. When people see these motifs and styles, they automatically begin to associate the jewelry with Carolyn Morris Bach — even if someone else had created the piece.
Here are some of her pieces:
The piece above would be beautiful without the owl. Or the “owl” element did not have to be a bird motif per se, but could have been anything. By making that element an owl, and styling the owl as she did, her jewelry comes with her signature. That’s important for all jewelry designers to do.
You can visit her website:
http://www.carolynmorrisbach.com/
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: branding, carolyn morris bach, jewelry design, jewelry signature, marketing, personalize | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 21, 2010
JEWELRY FUNDRAISER
For The Museum of Art and Design
In New York City
LOOT!2010
Oct 20-26, 2010
http://madmuseum.org/DO/Calendar/201010/loot_2010.aspx
Cutting edge jewelry designs, ranging in price between $300. and $30,000, with an average of $2700.
LOOT is MAD’s biennial juried exhibition and sale of one-of-a-kind contemporary art jewelry, created by acclaimed American and international artists. This year’s event – the first LOOT in the new 2 Columbus Circle Galleries — will be held October 20th- 26th. It will open with a Gala evening preview on Wednesday, October 20th to benefit the Museum’s exhibition and education programs.
A full weekend of programs will accompany the exhibition and sale in the second floor design galleries including curatorial lectures, panel discussions with experts and designers, artists’ talks and workshop demonstrations in the MAD artists’ studios. Special family focused hands-on workshops will be held on the weekend.
For further information please contact Rebekka Grossman at 212.299.7712 or rebekka.grossman@madmuseum.org.
The exhibition and sale continue from Thursday, October 21 to Tuesday, October 26 during regular museum hours. LOOT will also be open on Monday, October 25 from 11am – 6pm.
Whether you can attend this fund raiser, here are some of the types of pieces you might see.
Emerging Dutch artists
Beppe Kessler
http://www.beppekessler.nl/
Iris Nieuwenburg
http://www.droog.com/aboutus/designers/iris-nieuwenburg/
Truike Verdegaal
http://www.truikeverdegaal.com/
Native American Artists
Gail Bird and Yazzie Johnson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Bird_and_Yazzie_Johnson
Richard Chavez
http://collectionsouthwest.com/html/rchavezpage01.html
Verma Nequatewa
http://www.americanmastersofstone.com/Biographies/Verma%20Nequatewa.htm
Charles Loloma
http://www.americanmastersofstone.com/Biographies/Charles%20Loloma.htm
Other Emerging Contemporary Jewelry Artists
Pat Flynn
http://www.patflynninc.com/
Jennifer Trask
http://www.jennifertrask.com/Site/Home.html
Anastasia Azure
http://www.anastasiaazure.com/
Jocelyn Kolb
http://dailyartmuse.com/2009/09/04/jocelyn-kolb-computer-aided-design-jewelry/
Giorgio Vigna
Kiwon Wang
Posted in jewelry design, Stitch 'n Bitch | Tagged: contemporary jewelry design, jewelry design, jewelry with an edge, museum of art and design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on August 31, 2010
How Sparkle Enters People’s Lives
New post under How To Bead A Rogue Elephant.
“… And as in other situations in life, the jewelry designer must be very sensitive to how sparkle enters people’s lives.
Jewelry may help people feel attached to their surroundings, Be more aware of themselves. Their status. Their situation. Their power. Their sexuality. Jewelry may serve to open up a whole new world for someone. Jewelry may signify how people may safely interact, and not interact. It may start conversations. As well as end them.
The jewelry artist designs jewelry. She or he selects materials to use. An order or arrangement is decided upon. A hypothesis is formulated about how best to assemble the pieces. And the hypothesis is put to the test. And hopefully the finished piece is more than the sum of its parts. Because it has to add sparkle to people’s lives.” …
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: anthropology of jewelry, jewelry design, jewelry designer role, psychology of jewelry, sparkle | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on August 10, 2010
“THINK AGAIN: NEW LATIN AMERICAN JEWELRY”
Exhibit at Museum of Arts and Design, New York City
Oct 12-Jan 11, 2011
This exhibit will feature the latest trends and movements through works by 50 jewelry artists, representing some 23 Latin American countries.
There is a history of relationships between jewelry worn and the culture within which it is worn. This is as true in Latin America, as elsewhere. So it is important to question the artist and his or her pieces, as to what the wearing of their jewelry would signify about their understanding of contemporary Latin America.
You would look at their choices of materials. Their use of pattern, form, image and theme. Their choices of colors. Their techniques.
Some artists use traditional techniques and/or materials with modern references. Others use modern techniques to express the interconnectedness of traditional and contemporary life. Some are abstract; some literal.
There is always tremendous pressure on artists and fine craftspersons from traditional and developing societies to work within and preserve traditional images, motifs and techniques. It is difficult to break out of and from those expectations. Yet the artist wants to be able to express their artistic selves, their psychological, sociological and cultural beings, as members of contemporary societies that don’t bear as direct a connection with the past as outsiders would have it.
The relationships between contemporary Latin American society and traditions is much more complex today. Will outsiders, like we in North America, ease up on these expectations, allow a contemporary jewelry artist scene to succeed? The situation is no different than how we impose expectations upon our own contemporary Native American artists. We make it so difficult for them to break from the past, and make some kind of living from their art, as they experience their world today.
Here are some of the Latin American artists, and images of things that might be on exhibit.
Mirla Fernandes (Brazil)
http://www.mirlafernandes.com/
Dionea Rocha Watt (Brazil)
http://dionearochawatt.blogspot.com/
Claudia Cucchi (Brazil)
http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=5286
Valentina Rosenthal (Chile)
Elisa Gulminelli (Argentina)
http://elisagulminelli.blogspot.com/
Francisca Kweitel (Argentina)
http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=859
Silvina Romero (Argentina)
http://silvinaromero.blogspot.com/
Jorge Manilla (Mexico)
http://www.jorgemanilla.com/
Mariana Shuk (Columbia)
http://marianashuk.com/blog/
——-
If we are to judge these pieces with the added burden of the label “LATIN AMERICAN JEWELRY”, then I’m not sure how successful most of these pieces are. If we are to judge them as simply “Contemporary Jewelry”, then most of these are very successful.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: alcides fortes, andres qunones, claudia cucchi, dionea rocha watt, eduardo graue, elisa gulminelli, francisca kweitel, jewelry design, jorge manilla, latin american jewelry, linda sanchez, mariana shuk, miguel luciano, mirla fernandes, museum of art and design, silvina romero, valentina rosenthal | 2 Comments »
