Judith Kinghorn Jewelry

It's very easy to feel drawn to

Judith Kinghorn's jewelry.  Her work

is fabricated using a combination of techniques

 including fusing, embossing, die forming,

and granulation. Using a traditional

goldsmith's tool, a mouth-blown torch, she 
creates highly-detailed jewelry by working with
layers of sterling silver and high-karat gold.

 Using the power of one's breath as part

of the process of creating is a
thought-provoking concept.
She literally breathes life
into her work.

Her botanical pieces are enchanting.

The warmth of gold can be hypnotic,

 and the sharp metallic details

provide a vivid contrast to the gentle

blending of luminous color.

Her pieces are often comprised of hundreds

 of individual components that meld together

 exquisitely. Those separate elements seem
at first to be identical to the all the others
but each is distinctly unique.

 

 

 

Each strand is so similar yet different from the others.

 Multitudinous components are a defining
feature of this artist's work.

These surfaces create a delightful play

of darkness and light.

 We love the luminosity of the gold.

Texture and depth of color produce

a spectacular effect.

There is so much detail and
craftsmanship in these
contemporary designs.
It’s obvious the artist has a talent for
creating work of exceptional beauty.
Not only do we see the hand of
the artist in her work, we sense her
spirit is also ingrained in it.

We hope you enjoy it
as much as we do.

Eliana Arenas Jewelry

Over the years we've developed an appreciation
for jewelry that features alternative and
nontraditional materials.
Personal adornment can be more
art than jewelry and we like the idea of using the
human body as a pedestal.

Eliana Arenas has a series of brooches created
with aluminum and clear plastic spoons.
The spoons have been cut and melted
to transform their original shape.
We find the scale and proportion of each piece
establishes a sense of presence - so while
the collection itself is called Absence, these pieces seem
filled with a presence we find intriguing.
Meant to be decorative they actually seem to present
themselves as personal amulets designed to protect
 the wearer against negative energy.

The collection has a breezy cloud-formation vibe.
It magnificently showcases volume, structure
and texture. And we like how she punctuates
the designs with negative space.

Take a look and see for yourself.

 

Each variation draws the eye inward.

 

Similar yet so different.

 

Repetitive elements create movement.

 

 

The variations are never ending.

Jewelry can be many things to many people.
We're glad to have you join us as we continue to explore
what jewelry is and what jewelry can be.

Enjoy!

Marta Mattsson Jewelry

The first time we saw

jewelry created by Märta Mattsson

we felt intense curiosity.

She incorporates things like dead insects and
animal skins along with metal, resin,

 gems and stones into
her handcrafted work.

This jewelry is inspired by the artist's

childhood memories of the animal

and insect world around her. Things that

once caused fear or revulsion

have now become a source of inspiration

and creativity for her work.

She translates her memories and fantasies
into jewelry and invites people to experience

and marvel at the transformations.

She describes her work as follows:

Sometimes I see beauty in things that other people find strange or are even repulsed by. I become fascinated when there is something you do not want to see and the feeling you get when you do not want to look at something, yet you still do. My jewellery deals with the tension that lies between attraction and repulsion. I take seemingly inappropriate materials, making ordinary and familiar objects seem extraordinary and unfamiliar.

Her Rebirth series is fascinating and

eerie at the same time.

Here is a brooch made with a cicada, cubic zirconias,
silver, lacquer, resin and steel.

This brooch incorporates laser-cut calfskin and silver.

The delicacy is remarkable.

This necklace includes

butterflies, goatskin, nylon thread and gold.

Fascinating, disturbing, gorgeous.

This jewelry elicits many emotional reactions.

The craftsmanship is impeccable.

The creativity is amazing.

The final products are works of art.

What else can one say?

Exhibition - Kate Cusack, Margaux Lange, Sissi Westerberg Jewelry

There's a new exhibition at Facèré Jewelry Art Gallery

called "ABeCeDarian."  It runs from May 18

through June 4 and is described as a "contemporary

jewelry art exhibition and ABC book

featuring the work of twenty-six artists,

each producing a piece that

corresponds with a letter of the alphabet."

OK, sounds interesting.

The participant list is comprised of: Julia Barello,

Ken Bova, Jana Brevick, Kathy Buszkiewicz,

 Melissa Calohan, Nancy Mēgan Corwin, Kate Cusack,

 Donna D'Aquino,  Laurie Hall, Tom Hill, Trudee Hill,

 Melissa Huff,  Margaux Lange, Kristin Lora,

Bruce Metcalf, Marcia Meyers, Ted Noten,

Kait Rhoads, ROY, Cindy Sumner,

Anthony Tammaro, Carolyn Tillie, Cynthia Toops,

Kiwon Wang, Sarah Wauzynski, and Sissi Westerberg.

Let's take a look at just a few of the 

delightful one-of-a-kind

jewelry included in this exhibition.

Here we have Sissi Westerberg's piece using the

letter 'D' for Drip.  This imaginative item is called

"Something Inside" and is made of acrylic. Some

ideas are so simple yet so elegant.

We love the eye-popping color;

it may be monochromatic but it certainly

 makes a statement.

Then we have Margaux Lange illustrating the

letter 'K' for Knees.

Many art jewelry followers are familiar

with work by this artist.

Whimsical and nostalgic her designs incorporate

salvaged Barbie doll parts, and the jewelry she has

provided for this exhibition

is no exception. Her piece is 

called "Cross-legged Brooch."

Lastly, let's look at a piece offered by Kate Cusack 

using the letter 'Z' for Zippers.  This spectacular

necklace is called "Elizabeth."

With roots in costume design and

a flair for the theatrical,

it's easy to classify every one of her pieces

as a production - an amazing

visual spectacle. Every time we see her

work it's always lavish and luxurious.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

There are so many other

beautiful pieces of jewelry

on display.
Plus, the opportunity to get the
ABC book that accompanies
this exhibit.

Enjoy!

Constance Wicklund Gildea Jewelry

Over the years, we've fallen in love with a

technique called keum boo - a technique

where thin pieces of 24K gold are fused

directly to the surface of silver

using heat and pressure.

Each piece of jewelry made by

Constance Wicklund Gildea 

is a work of art. We are especially

intrigued with her pieces that feature

the keum boo technique using shapes and
textures from actual leaves.
She has other collections of work
that feature techniques such as
 engraving and embossing,
and they are equally as lovely.
But it's the keum boo pieces
that consistently draw our attention.

Here are some of our favorites.

Each shows the intense effect that 24kt gold

can have when it's fused on silver.
And we especially love the oxidation on
these particular pieces; it enhances
that striking contrast
between the gold and silver.

Here is her oxidized Leaf Cuff.

 

This alternate version of her oxidized Leaf Cuff

is studded with diamonds.

 

We love her oxidized Leaf Earrings from this collection.

 

And this pair of earrings is studded with diamonds.

Here's an example of a bead from this series.

This artist has developed very controlled methods

of pattern and design development, and

her focus on mixed metal pieces

produces gorgeous work.

We admire it for the imaginative designs,

creative use of materials and techniques,

and superb skill of the artist.

We are inspired!

Jaclyn Davidson Jewelry

Hand forging is an ancient art

that Jaclyn Davidson uses to

create her jewelry.

The image of a metalsmith who uses

extreme heat to hammer and shape

metal leads to the image of this artist who

takes that energy and effort to

create pieces that evoke an impression

of delicacy and softness.

By directly manipulating the metal with pliers,

hammer and heat, the artist bends, stretches and

shapes the metal to do her bidding.

Her botanically-themed

jewelry resembles the soft tendrils and

delicate curves found in nature. Her work seems

to have life imbued into each piece.

Hand forging is time consuming. Working with

gold, sterling silver or steel, each piece must be

created and completed before moving on to

the next piece.  And so each has to be

different in some way from all the others; even

repetitively making the same thing over and over

one can't help but make them all unique. 

Let's look at some of her charming pieces.

This is exquisite. 

So delicate and strong at the same time.

Here we have more sweet tendrils. 

  

 These gingko leaves seem so fragile.

  Lots of detail work can be seen in this piece. 

 

Much of the charm and warmth of handwrought

jewelry come from the subtle variations in form,

shape and feel that hand crafting offers.

The true beauty of hand-forged jewelry is that

you can see the hand of the metalsmith in each piece.

That's what we love about handcrafted work -

it's obvious when an artist loves what they do.  

 

Enjoy!

Linda MacNeil Jewelry

The stunning glass jewelry made
by Linda MacNeil is noteworthy for
its streamlined contours,
bold colors and sleek designs.
The pieces we are drawn to most
are reminiscent of Art Deco design with its
stylized geometric and linear patterns
made with technical precision.
As light travels through each piece of glass
it creates a luminous effect
that is rich and opulent.
Each piece is a sculpture
made in glass and looks like
it's illuminated from within.
Some glass is cut while others are cast
and the overall effect shimmers and sparkles.


Here are some examples of our favorites.

This piece is so sleek and tailored.

This floral necklace shimmers with soft,
subdued colors; the combination of glass and light
creates a sense of vitality and energy that
we find so appealing.

This pendant is utterly charming.

We are always intrigued by designs featuring intricate

details that look as if they are painted on the glass.

 

Here's another gorgeous pendant.
We love its extraordinary detail and luminosity.
It really looks like it's illuminated from within.

This is such a perfect example of
the Art Deco style - sleek,
modern and precise.

There is an old-world elegance to these
contemporary designs
It’s obvious the artist has a passion for
 geometric shapes, bold colors
and formal designs.
 She uses a variety of types of glass, along with
various finishing techniques and types of metals
to create pieces that are elegant and lustrous.
We are inspired by her passion,
craftsmanship and eye for color.

Enjoy!