If I said that I adore the jewelry created by
Mary Lee Hu it would be an understatement.
Noted for her work with 18K and 22K gold wire
she creates pieces that could easily pass as cloth.
As one of the leading artists in the field
of contemporary jewelry, she applies
fiber art techniques to metal.
The results are truly remarkable.
One of the best things about a retrospective
exhibit is the broad collection of work
gathered for the event. Spanning 40 years of
innovative experimentations in weaving metals
Bellevue Art Museum in Washington
is now showing an exhibition of jewelry
created by Mary Lee Hu entitled,
The exhibition describes her work as follows,
Using wire the way hand weavers use threads, Hu has blazed a trail both as artist and innovator, exploring the nexus between metalsmithing and textile techniques over the past 40 years. Her graceful and apparently effortless creations, formed by intricate twining, twisting and knotting, investigate both the possibilities and limits of wire as they fuse fiber art and jewelry, structure and pattern, light and line.
Using only her hands to create these pieces
she can take hours to complete just
a few inches of woven metal.
It's a slow, meditative process that she enjoys.
Graceful, sinuous movement is a hallmark of her work.
She uses textile techniques of braiding, weaving,
wrapping, and twining to create each piece.
Known for designing intricate patterns
and surface textures, her work evokes
a sense of sophistication and elegance.
Some of her work is massive yet delicate at the same time.
This exhibit explores the evolution of her work
and features over 90 pieces borrowed from many
public and private international collections.
The exhibit will run from
February 7 ‐ June 17, 2012.
