Exhibition - Put A Ring On It

I’ve been carrying a romantic torch

for rings for quite a while.

Big or small, ornate or simple,

as long as it's made with

thoughtful craftsmanship and amazing design

I'm interested.

 

Taboo Studio in San Diego, California

has a cure for me –

an exhibition called Put A Ring On It.

They're describing this show as,

“ . . . extraordinary and unique rings by

23 accomplished artists.

Designs will include silver rings with

bezel set cabochons, animal rings,

gold and diamond stacking rings,

architectural rings, flower rings,

bee rings, and Damascus steel rings 

. . . a virtual ring extravaganza!”

 

Artists include: Brooke Battles • Steven Brixner •

Jim Cotter • Christine Simpson Forni • Diana Hall •

Barbara Heinrich • April Higashi • Deanna Jacobsen •

Dahlia Kanner • Ananda Khalsa • Janis Kerman •

Christy Klug • Kristin Lora • Sydney Lynch •

Victoria Moore • Rebecca Myers • Brigid O'Hanrahan •

Christina Y. Smith • Julia V. Turner • Myung Urso •

Donna Veverka • Jeff and Susan Wise

  

 

These are just a few of the incredible rings 

currently on display at Taboo Studio.
 

Luckily for us

Put A Ring On It will continue until March 22, 2013.

Enamel Fascinations - Liz Schock Jewelry

A friend recently sent me a link

to Liz Schock's jewelry.

I found several collections to admire then

realized her enameled bracelets alone can

provide hours of delightful exploration into the

depths of nuanced color and amazing form.

 

Here are some pieces I find

especially absorbing but I will include a note of

playful caution - wearing them

at work could be distracting!



 

 

 

Visit Liz Schock's website and Facebook page to see
 all of her collections
of handcrafted jewelry.



Exploring Wabi Sabi - Mariko Sumioka Jewelry

Mariko Sumioka combines aspects of Japanese 
architecture with the Zen concept of Wabi Sabi 

to produce intriguing, colorful jewelry.

Inspired by temple architecture
 (especially rooftop shingles)
this artist works with materials like bamboo, 

gold, silver, copper and pearls.  She explores textures
 and colors using techniques like enameling,
soldering and patination to achieve a delicate blend of
wabi sabi and urban sophistication.

The distinctive aesthetic of wabi sabi (finding
 beauty in the impermanence, imperfection 
and incompleteness of all things), is
precisely what attracts me to her work.

 

Here's an example of bamboo with pearls.

Reminds me of ice crystals.

 

 

This artist has also collaborated on several projects with

fashion designers as seen with these unique
bangles and neckpiece.
I love the patination on the bangles.
 

 

See her entire collection at Mariko Sumioka.

Inspired Enamels - Carly Wright Jewelry

Inspired by sedimentary rock formations and their

sometimes subtle, sometimes bold colorations

Carly Wright creates champlevé enamel jewelry

using a theme of abstract

windows and doors to serve as the

settings for the luscious colors.

Champlevé enameling can be a tedious process,

requiring painstaking attention to surface preparation

and firing times. This artist will make as many as

thirty firings of colored transparent glass

before the recessed areas hold sufficient enamel.

Only then can she complete the process by

oxidizing the sterling silver setting and

burnishing its surface.

The results are certainly eye catching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's alot more information
and photos to see at Carly Wright's website.
 

 



Making a Statement - Francisca Bauzá Jewelry

Statement jewelry is meant to make a statement.

Necklaces created by Francisca Bauzá

make a bold statement - both in terms

of color and size.



First, let's talk about the colors.

Simply stated, they are beautiful.

 This artist's collection features enameling

 on copper and silver.

Some of the colors are 

 gentle and muted.

They look like gently brushed

watercolors - a mere whisper of color.

Then there are the deep jewel tones

that almost vibrate with intensity.

It all works together in visual harmony.

Now let's talk about the size.

The separate components

are fabricated in a range of sizes

and when all the components come

together the result is a

gorgeous, oversized

statement piece that

can take your breath away.

The combination of size and color

creates a necklace that makes

an audacious statement.

It's a perfect combination.

Here's an example. 

This floral necklace uses a range of

warm tones from the

 palest shades of blush, carnation and rose

to deeper shades of ruby, magenta,

scarlet and russet.

This pleasing palette provides luster and depth

that is wonderfully captivating.

 

And the effect when worn is bold and strong.

It's a real show stopper.

Other pieces in this collection feature

colors like topaz, amber,

goldenrod and mahogany.

Again, each component blends
harmoniously with the others.

Working with a cooler range of color

also provides

interest and visual intrigue.

Here's a gorgeous example of her work in blue tones.

 From the tiniest hint of robin's egg blue and aquamarine,

to dabs of cerulean and splashes of turquoise,
each color adds depth and interest to the necklace.

This necklace is stunning.

The play of light and color

in each translucent color creates

luscious, glossy surfaces with mottled effects.

Creating variegated hues and patterns

on each metallic component allows

the artist freedom to combine

color and effect in endless combinations.

The final result is eye catching.

As I said earlier,

statement jewelry is meant to make a statement.

If you make a statement be prepared

for a reaction.

These pieces will

always spark a conversation.

And attract lots of attention.

x

Don't say I didn't warn you.

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For more photos of this

collection you can visit the artist's website.

Enamel Flowers by Linda Darty

The rich color of transparent enamels fired over

polished metal is delicate and fascinating.

One of our favorite enamelists is

Linda Darty.   This artist, author, and teacher
does it all and does it wonderfully well.

Her current collection features a broad range

of recurring floral motifs, but they're

 not just simple flowers.

Her jaw-dropping silver settings are designed as 

flowers, leaves and branches which are

then matched with delicately

enameled blossoms.

She is a master of champlevé and cloisonné

enamel techniques and it is these particular pieces in her

collection that we love the most.

But sometimes it's difficult to decide which are

more beautiful - the settings or the enamel centerpieces.

As one examines her work in the light the viewer

notices different colors

begin to appear more pronounced.

It's mesmerizing to turn it in the light and

enjoy its richness and depth.

 The enameling medium is demanding and unforgiving.

Yet when done well the effects can be spectacular.

Her painterly approach to enameling

 produces irresistible gemlike surfaces, brilliant colors,

extraordinary depth and varied textures.

Luckily, for those who love her designs

 there will be an opportunity to see some of her

work in person this month.

Linda will be participating in the annual Signs of Life

contemporary jewelry art show being exhibited

at Facèré Art Jewelry Gallery.

One of her contributions to this event will be

a multi-dimensional brooch created with 

her trademark champlevé and cloisonné

enamel techniques.

It's called Santa Maria del Fiore.

Signs of Life 2011 showcases work by only nine jewelry

artists paired with nine writers in a unique

publication that celebrates both

literature and jewelry art.

This exhibition will run from

October 5 - October 26, 2011.

For more information about the

Signs of Life exhibition you can visit

Facere Art Jewelry Gallery.

And for more info about the artist
you can visit her website.

Exhibition - Wendy McAllister Jewelry

There's something about the enamel jewelry

  created by Wendy McAllister that

makes me smile every time I see it.

She has the ability to translate her ideas into

delightfully delicate and intricate compositions.

But there's more to her work than that.

Her enamel work expresses an optimistic

 point of view - there's so much

color and motion in her jewelry -

 it positively dances with joyful exuberance!

These pieces are so reminiscent of the pinwheels

we played with as children.

Her sculptural enamel brooches and pendants

showcase her avid interest in the colors and formations

of the natural world around us.  She explains

on her website,

"My jewelry refers to the botanical world with its riotous clash of cobalt, chartreuse, and crimson. I am drawn to the lush blossoms . . . All that sumptuous, unabashed beauty is purposeful, and it sweeps me away . . . ."

Many of her pieces are geometrical in design

yet exude an organic feeling and
her botanical inspiration can

 be seen in each piece.

And at times her bright enamels create a

kaleidoscopic effect.

This artist's work will be included in an exhibit at the

Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts

from September 13 until November 12.

This exhibit is called,

"Objects of Status, Power and Adornment:

 The Studio Jewelry Movement 1950 - 2011"

and features the work of 100 international

 artists working in diverse materials

and techniques, and explores the history of 

studio jewelry over

the course of more than 60 years.

Some of the artists represented at this

exhibit include:

Marianne Anderson, Donna Barry, Donna Brennan, Sharon Church, Lisa Cinelli, Petra Class, Margot di Cono, Betty Cooke, Marilyn Cooperman, Valerie Jo Coulson, Susan Cross, Jenny Deans, Cristina Dias, Cindy Eid, Arline Fisch, Christine S. Forni, Emily Garfield, Lydia Gerbig-Fast, Joanna Gollberg, Elizabeth Goluch, Anna Gordon, Laurie Hall, Mary Lee Hu, Reiko Ishiyama, Janis Kerman, Daphne Krinos, Rena Koopman, Linda MacNeil, Wendy Wallin Malinow, Elizabeth McDevitt, Leah Meleski, Nancy Michel, Joan Parcher, Jeanie Pratt, Suzan Rezac, Kamilla Ruberg, Mary Ann Scherr, Joyce Scott, Helen Shirk, Marilyn da Silva, Christina Smith, Brooke M. Swanson, Beverly Tadeu, Manya Tessler, Rachelle Thiewes, Linda Threadgill, Cynthia Toops, Jennifer Trask, Donna Veverka, Mallory Weston, Heather White, Karin Worden

You can find more information about this exhibition

at the Mobilia Gallery website.

Innovative and Experimental: Stacey Bentley Jewelry

Innovative and experimental.

These are the words that come to

mind when viewing work created

by Stacey Bentley.

Using iron, wire, silver 

and enamels this artist is changing the

face of enamel jewelry and 

exploring a method of expression that

breaks away from traditional

ideas and processes.

Her work in enamel is unconventional.

Going beyond standard procedures

she creates pieces where the enamel rises

above the surface of the metal rather

 than fusing onto it.

By underfiring the enamel she

 produces gritty textures and matte finishes

that evoke the urban landscape.

This helps us understand her

fascination with the raw industrial

contrast of life, corrosion and decay.

Each framework she creates is also unusual.

 Shapes are organic, layered and

have varied thickness. Each contributes

additional interest and texture to her designs.

 Here's are examples of her work that emphasize

 rich colors and unusual textures.

It gets even more intriguing when she

removes some of the enamel to reveal

the metal framework beneath.

Geometric shapes are occasionally

 combined with her asymmetrical designs.

We like how she experiments with each

aspect of the metalsmithing process

 as well as the enameling process.

Each structure seems haphazard yet

controlled at the same time.

For those familiar with the smooth velvet surfaces

 of enamels and the painterly aspects of

its application these pieces might seem

unusual and disconcerting.

We are inspired by this artist's willingness

to push the boundaries of what jewelry should

look like and how enamels should feel.

We admire her innovations

and experimentation.

What do you think?