Zen Inspired Beauty - Tish Collins Jewelry

There is alot to experience in the zen-inspired jewelry created by Tish Collins.

Whether in her polymer work or her metal series, most of her pieces depict a tableau of images and words that seek to describe universal experiences and emotions.

Her colorful and thought-provoking designs are based on shape, color and pattern. Her use of her collages within her jewelry evoke symbols and imagery from various cultures.

 

Her metal pieces are hand fabricated from etched, patterned and oxidized metals, and each component adds so much to the overall effect.

Each piece is an experience to enjoy.

For more images and information about her work, visit Tish Collin's website.

Sculptural Wire Jewelry by Kathy Frey

We've long admired the sculptural wire jewelry created by Kathy Frey.

Her work ranges from the stylishly simple to one-of-a-kind elegance, and each piece seems to come to life under her careful and meticulous artistic skills.

For instance, one can see the smooth, undulating shapes of stones in her Riverstones collection,

and her Cages collection delicately captures various types of gemstones,

while her Nests collection alludes to the delicate wispiness of bird nests.

There are many more delightful collections to see.
For more images and information about her work you can visit Kathy Frey's website. 

Exhibition - Crafting Modernism: Midcentury American Art and Design

There is an interesting exhibit currently on view at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.

Entitled, "Crafting Modernism: Midcentury American Art and Design," it features work in all of the craft media (clay, fiber, wood, metal, glass, and alternative materials) that blossomed across the United States during the postwar era.

Spanning a 25-year period that begins in the mid-1940's and concludes in 1969, the jewelry artists that are included in this exhibit are not necessarily as well known as they might be.


Some of the pieces that caught our eye include:


this necklace by Betty Cooke that is fabricated in sterling silver and silver wire -

and a necklace by Elsa Freund that is forged and assembled with sterling silver, glazed earthenware and fused glass -

and one by Linda Watson-Abbott, aptly called Landscape, that is fabricated and uses lost-wax castings of sterling silver and enamel -

and this piece called Shaman's Necklace by Ramona Solberg that is fabricated and assembled from silver, Alaskan ivory and found objects -

and this cocktail ring made by Ruth Radakovich that is cast and forged with 14k gold, titanium, rutile and cubic zirconium -  

These selections are only a small tip of the iceberg!

To see more of this exhibit, you can visit the MAD website.

The exhibit runs from October 12, 2011 to January 15, 2012.

Beauty in Metal - Ornella Iannuzzi Jewelry

Sometimes it's love at first sight.
 Jewelry created by Ornella Iannuzzi
 is contemporary and dramatic.
And eye catching.
All the qualities that I love
to see in jewelry.

Over the years, her collections have drawn
inspiration from nature, such as
forest motifs and the ocean
and they continue to do so.

Her strong design skills allow for
a great deal of innovation and exploration.
 She uses all kinds of
 metals and gems in her work -  
from gold and silver, to copper and bronze;
from pearls, quartz and pyrite, to diamonds and opals.
Her designs range from the
quasi-primordial to the
ultra elegant.

The pieces are expressive, creative
and at times, surprising.
It's all beautiful.

Many of her pieces are incredibly adventurous
 and decidedly individualistic.

 

Her meticulous methods

create harmonious compositions
of color and texture.

While some of her designs seem serendipitous
one realizes she's truly controlling each
technique to create these 
complex sculptural forms.

Unusual settings are her forte

and each suits the featured gem.

This hand-carved opal includes a
tiny quartz crystal on the corner,
 and seems to capture
all the colors of the rainbow.

 

The never-ending creativity
is inspiring and provides an
incredible array of variety.
With a body of work filled with such
 variety one can never be bored.

 You can see more of this innovative work
at the artist's website.