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.

Raw and Rugged - Elisenda De Haro Jewelry

Asymmetrical shapes and variegated colors
dominate jewelry by Elisenda De Haro.

The textures tend to be
 the first thing one notices.
She has created several collections but it's
her 'Arrecifes de Rubi' (Ruby Reefs) Collection that
easily captures my attention.

Made with oxidized silver, gold, and various
gemstones this jewelry is reminiscent of the
coarse, unrestrained formations of
 rocks, canyons and sea cliffs.

This jewelry evokes a spirit of
spontaneous, raw impulse.
And by oxidizing the metal, an unexpected
colorful patina helps to soften the surfaces.

Here are examples of her work that emphasize

 rich colors and unusual textures.

 

     This work is created thoughtfully and meticulously
yet the results appear spontaneous and raw.

I admire her innovations and experimentation

to push the boundaries of 

what jewelry should look like.

More can be seen at

Elisenda De Haro's website.

So Many Rings, So Little Time - Nora Rochel Jewelry

Sometimes it's all about

combining a love of vibrant texture with a

passion for botanical design.

Jewelry created by Nora Rochel

overflows with textural elements.

And it celebrates her vision of hidden gardens

 and botanical domains. 

Her exploration of these themes leads to

jewelry that, as the artist says,

"turns one‘s hands into small landscapes and gardens."

These are like country gardens where the

vegetation is allowed to grow with

wild abandon in secret corners.

Secret corners of those unkempt gardens

tend to shelter the most exquisite

specimens. Discovering those hidden gems is where

curiosity meets delight. That sense of

discovery exists in her jewelry.

 

 

The golden warmth in this ring

is almost luminous.

She uses different metals and several types

of patination to achieve

different effects.

The key to

 expressing one's inner vision

is to experiment and play.

And throw caution to the wind.

This artist definitely succeeds.

This work has a sense of playfulness

and discovery and enchantment

that's not easy to resist.

Each piece holds a tiny treasure within

its recesses

that begs to be explored.

It's jewelry that's off

the beaten path - where

being an adventurous tourist can be

rewarding.

You can explore more of Nora's

work at her website.

Caroline Viene Jewelry

Some people follow their own internal compass.

Caroline Viene unleashes her inner visions

by creating wonderfully decorative jewelry.

Drawing upon her on metalsmithing

background, and utilizing techniques

such as reticulation, fusing,

embossing and roller printing

she purposely sets out to explore 

her own processes in patination,

surface texturing and patterning on 

 metal. 

Her vision is then set free to create

pieces that are richly textured

with strong coloration.
And each piece is more
appealing than the last.

Multiple layers of metal and processes

produce complex pieces filled

with visual and textural interest.

These pieces highlight the techniques she

masterfully incorporates in her work.

True to her training, she uses traditional

metalsmithing techniques to display

her distinctly unique vision.

Color and texture are deftly handled

by this artist who creates not just a piece

of jewelry but a sculptural piece of art.

We believe that the key to

creating art jewelry is

to find a way to express

one's inner vision.

This artist definitely succeeds.

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!

Clare Hillerby Jewelry

We love the swirls and flourishes

of old-fashioned handwriting.

Old letters and manuscripts,
worn and outdated, are quaint
relics from a different time.

Jewelry made by Clare Hillerby is
created from these old elements. 
We like her photographic vignettes

 that capture moments of time in
metal and paper ephemera.
Through her eyes we see something
worthless and transitory

 become something
 treasured and permanent.

The artist explains her work on her website:

Handwriting forms the starting point for my jewellery. Old papers with handwritten messages are sourced, postcards, letters, envelopes, and documents, along with other ephemera; stamps, linen maps and sepia photographs. Sections are extracted; messages become ambiguous, they are then combined with new metalwork, to create new contemporary stories. Contrasts of writing styles, scale, character, line, shape and colour are all important features, as are other opposites such as precious and non-precious, old and new. The papers are layered with oxidised silver with perspex on top and secured together with gold tube rivets. Semi-precious beads are added for texture and colour.

Here are some of our favorite pieces
from her collection.

This collage brooch is called
"Brooch from a Book Seller." 

It's made with sterling silver, gold, various paper
items, (ie postcards, photograph, stamp, map),
and a clear acrylic resin.

We also like this piece called

"Necklace with Found Elements."

It's made with sterling silver, gold, papers

(postcards & stamp), clear acrylic resin,

mother-of-pearl buttons, and sapphires.

 

We also like these oval earrings.



 

 

It's easy to find appreciation

and enthusiasm for jewelry

that brings new interest

and value to something

many would merely discard.

 

It is precisely because each piece

begins its life with old handwriting

and other old documents

that we find this contemporary

jewelry rather charming with its

distinct old-fashioned flavor.

 

Enjoy!

Deb Karash Jewelry

We get a kick out of being surprised.

So, we were pleasantly surprised when we

discovered that jewelry made by

Deb Karash features the

    fusing of colored pencil on metal.

Drawing with colored pencils on a copper base,

using several shades to create each vibrant design,

then combining that piece with sterling silver

 results in delightful jewelry

with depth and texture.

Each new layer of nuanced color adds depth

and each layer of metal provides richly

textured dimension.

 
 

Fusing creative design with excellent

metalsmithing skills is just the beginning

of this multi-layered process.

Fusing multiple layers of pencil and patina

creates surprising and wonderful

jewelry that inspires us.

 

Does all of this inspire you?

Let us know what you think!