Sharon Massey Jewelry

 Since when does someone use rust as

part of their jewelry design?

Metalsmith Sharon Massey has decided that

rust is a necessary component of her vision.

She creates jewelry that celebrates the old,

 the worn, the layers of history that

reside in her surroundings.

 Rust fits perfectly into this vision.

It reflects the idea that things gain more

personality and character as they age.

Her work is made primarily of non-precious

materials - things like iron wire and

cotton muslin. The structures of her pieces

are based on ornamental patterns

 of ironwork as found in bridges, buildings

and other symbols of industrial life.

It's softened with cloth that is manually

inserted into the metal, and

then to celebrate the discolorations

and the flaws inherent in all things,

this artist uses self-initiated rust.

 

It's a vision that she defines

simply and eloquently on her site:

 

 

 

 

My work is a response to things I find beautiful. . .  I am drawn to rusted steel, peeling paint, and faded fabric—images in a state of decay that suggest layers of history and personal stories.  Living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a rich source of inspiration for my work.  The history of the steel industry in Pittsburgh is evident throughout the city, which is why steel and iron are the primary materials in my work.  I appropriate the ironwork designs that I see everyday, and I allow my pieces to rust, hoping to give them the aged quality that is so attractive to me. . . I’m not interested in merely recreating these things—that would be easier with a camera.  I’m trying to capture the essence of the beauty of Pittsburgh, make it tangible, and share it through jewelry.

 

The more we ponder her ideas, the more we

appreciate her work.

This bracelet is a perfect example of her

use of iron wire, white cotton muslin and rust,

 with the techniques she

uses to create her pieces.

We especially admire that while it

looks as though it would be heavy

and dense, in reality it's lightweight -

as are all of her pieces.

These Pink Cuffs are made with

similar materials. We like their daintiness

and subtle colors.

This necklace is called, My Version of a Pearl Necklace

and it includes pearls, silk, and gold.

Here we see a brooch that features the

concave side of her pieces - and it's

equally intriguing. Entitled Cameo Brooch

it also uses iron wire, cotton muslin, rust,

silver and gold.

We appreciate and admire

jewelry that features unusual materials

used in unconventional ways to express

a point of view.

We find it to be inspiring.

Enjoy!

Nirit Dekel Jewelry

Flameworked glass is amazing.

The process of sculpting glass by twirling and

melting slender rods of glass by hand over

an open flame has produced some of the most
exquisite pieces of jewelry we've ever seen.
We specially love designs featuring intricate details
that look as if they are painted on the glass.

A glass artist we admire is Nirit Dekel.  
 Using an extensive color palette,
 her designs range from intense to delicate.

Here are a few examples

of work that Nirit creates.

We love the intense icy blues

in these pieces.

Metallic embellishments on these beads
provide a lovely sparkle.

This necklace makes us feel like we've just

ransacked grandma's jewelry box.

All these ruffles are so dainty and sweet.

We love the contrast these

transparent beads bring to this piece.

Luscious colors and elaborate swirls

produce jewelry with grace and charm.
The artist creates a lovely vase-shaped bead
that adds additional pizzazz to her designs.

This artist creates richly textured

work with intriguing details,

and each piece is prettier than the last.

It's exactly what

we love - intricate, vivid
and eye catching.

Enjoy!

Mary Donald Jewelry

Every so often an artist's writing

and their work mesh seamlessly to provide

a clear picture of who they are

in relation to their work.

 Mary Donald is such an artist.

That's how I felt while
meandering through her website.
Viewing her images - and seeing

her point of view ever more clearly,

it was rather interesting to observe
 the progression of her work over the
course of more than a decade.

She uses a broad range of non-traditional
materials from wood and paper to
rubber and plastics. And while re-use has
become popular, it's the uncommon use
of common (and rather mundane)
materials that inspires us.

Her thoughts are described

in part as follows:

   . . .  I collect a variety of materials and even detritus plus remnants and miscellany from natural and other resources, carrying it back to the studio where it’s examined and then used to create body adornment, objects and sculpture. It’s hard to say sometimes, exactly, what this work is all about. It’s about so many things and nothing at all; I’ve come to think of it as a meditation on aesthetics, with a particular regard for the natural world. .  . I've discovered a kind of poetry in every day materials, images and objects that often seems absent in traditional jewelery. The subversive act of rescuing materials destined for the dumpster motivates me further . . . it satisfies a curiosity regarding the material world, a penchant for experimentation that sustains my creative impulse and a sensitivity to the natural world.

 Our favorite pieces

revolve around her use

of rubber and plastic that
were destined to be trash.

Let's take a look at the pieces that

cause our most intense reactions.

Here is a gorgeous bracelet made
using mixed plastics with oxidized silver.
It looks so light and airy.

This lovely brooch is also made with mixed plastics.
It has a sophisticated flair.

These organic cuffs are made with rubber, nylon and

nylon-coated steel cable.



And here is an intriguing
bracelet made from discarded rubber.

We find Mary's work to be inspiring, creative and imaginative.


Let us know what you think.

Suzan Rezac Jewelry

Some artists are renowned for their
meticulous, detail-oriented work.
Suzan Rezac is one of these artists.
She is best known for her
metal inlay work but all
of her various collections of jewelry
exhibit the highest standards of detail,
precision and quality.

Her metal inlay work features a
smorgasbord of metals and alloys,
and each contributes its own
beauty and charm to the whole.
Her jewelry can feature silver,
various carats of gold to achieve
multiple nuances of color,
bronze, brass, copper, and
alloys such as shakudo which is
comprised of roughly
4% gold and 96% copper,
and shibuichi which is usually
comprised of
25% silver and 75% copper.
These alloys are easily patinated
to allow for an increased range of
color and effect.

All of these metals are combined by the
artist and her pieces are often
comprised of several hundred
individual pieces of inlay.
The sheer amount of labor
is astounding.
The results are fantastic.

 

Her "Wreath" necklace is an excellent example
of the variety of metals that are inlaid. 
It features shibuichi,
18K red, yellow and green gold,
shakudo, copper, brass, and bronze.

 

 

 

Her "Hibiscus" pendant/brooch features silver,

shakudo, shibuichi, and 18K gold.

This necklace entitled "Seafloor" is another
of our favorites.   It features
shakudo, 18K gold, shibuichi, and silver.

This work is even more amazing when one
considers that each design has to be
created twice - once to create the
negative spaces and once again
to fill those spaces with individual
pieces of inlay.

It's a mind-bogglingly laborious
endeavor and lovely beyond measure.

We're inspired!

Sonia Beauchesne Jewelry

Lately we’ve been seeing alot of
nature-inspired jewelry.
Maybe it’s the approaching springtime.
Maybe it’s a need
to feel closer to Mother Nature when
so much that surrounds us is
industrialized and harsh.

Whatever the reason, we find ourselves
gravitating towards a lovely collection
of organic jewelry offered by metalsmith
Sonia Beauchesne that features feathers
in many shapes, sizes, and range of details.
It’s a collection called “ If I Had Wings.”

Sonia has other collections and one-of-a-kind work
as well but it’s her "If I Had Wings" collection
 that seems to inspire us the most.
There is so much exquisite detail in each
piece and each is surprisingly
different from the others.
Embellished with pearls and 18K gold chips,
the richly detailed sterling silver
pieces evoke a closeness to nature that
we find appealing.

Here are some of our favorites.


This necklace is quite a
show stopper.

 

 

This brooch shows some of the detail

found in each of her pieces.

 

We find this one to be breathtakingly lovely.

 

We adore the richly textured work

with amazing details.

Meticulous detail, charming subject matter,

and an opportunity to get closer to nature.

We enjoy it all and hope

that you do, too.