Exhibition - Redefining the San Andreas Faultline: Women Jewelers

It's been a while since I've visited
Southern California, and I admit
missing all sorts of cultural events and festivals.
But I don't miss the earthquakes!

There is an exhibition currently on view called,

Redefining the San Andreas Faultline: Women Jewelers

that runs until October 27

at the Craft in America Study Center

in Los Angeles.
 

Curated by Carolyn Benesh,

Co-editor of Ornament Magazine,

an international magazine on wearable art,

this exhibition is described as, 

Showcasing a stellar line-up of nine of California's

boldest and brightest female jewelry artists.

Taking inspiration from California's natural landscape

and environment of creative experimentalism,

their work expands the definition of wearable art

in the twenty-first century.

. . . Redefining the San Andreas Faultline

will demonstrate how California's creative edge

in art and design, dating from the

mid-twentieth century,

includes the individualistic characteristics of

women studio jewelers

who challenge themselves through their work by

experimenting and redefining the possibilities

of jewelry, its role and meaning, into the

second decade of the twenty-first century.

 

Participating artists include:
 

Harriete Estel Berman, Petra Class,
Karen Gilbert, Carol Webb, Alexandra Hart,
Marianne Hunter, Valerie Mitchell,
 Marne Ryan, and Christina Smith.

 

 

This exhibit serves as a seismograph of the
influential contributions

 made by these jewelry artists,

and just as the San Andreas Fault occasionally

redefines the landscape by being the source

of most of the serious earthquakes

occurring in California, these artists have made

 an equally profound impact on the

 landscape of the art jewelry world.

 

These artists are among those of the highest magnitude.

Each has created a seismic shift by demonstrating

levels of creativity and inspiration that go

off the Richter scale.

(Ok, enough with the earthquake metaphors.)

 

Redefining the San Andreas Faultline: Women Jewelers

 runs until October 27

at Craft in America a nonprofit organization

dedicated to the exploration, preservation

and celebration of craft and its

impact on our nation's cultural heritage.

 

See more at their website and Facebook page.


 



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Hand Stamped Jewelry Bloom Where You Are Planted

New in the Shop!  The Bloom Where You Are Planted Necklace. 

No matter where you are or what your circumstances may be Bloom where you are planted! 

The Bloom where you are planted necklace has a 7/8th inch sterling silver round disc that also includes a beautiful sterling silver flower charm, both charms hang on a 18 inch sterling silver bead ball charm. All components are sterling silver.

You can find my entire collection of Hand Stamped Jewelry by visiting Kristen's Custom Creations.  

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Floral Abundance - Izabela Safin Jewelry

Sweet dainty little posies made
by Izabela Safin demonstrate her
delicate workmanship
and her eye for infinite details.

She works on an intimate scale
yet the results make an enormous impact.
 

Each piece in her collection is
made with silver precious metal clay.
Each bloom, leaf and tendril is handcrafted
and individually applied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delicate and fresh florals dominate her creative style;

happily there is a lot more to see at her website.

 

 

 

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The Bird is The Word - Teresa Faris Jewelry

Team members and business partners

can come together from various sources. 

Teresa Faris has a delightful working partner.

She makes artful jewelry incorporating

wood that's been partially chewed by her parrot.

 

Her ongoing series of jewelry

 has led to an artistic

connection between the two species.

Aptly, this collection is called,
"Collaboration with a Bird."

This year, she added additional pieces to the collection

 and "Collaboration with a Bird II" has emerged.

Several of these pieces are currently on view at

Racine Art Museum in an exhibition

called, Animal Nature.

 

 

I'm always intrigued by an artist's willingness
 to experiment with unorthodox materials.

The emphasis on organic and textured forms
combined with a strong sense of
exploration makes this jewelry playful and spontaneous.

And there is a lot more work to be seen at her website.
 

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Exhibition - Humor in Craft (yes, that includes jewelry!)

Humor in Craft is currently on exhibit at the

Society for Contemporary Craft
in Pittsburgh, PA.
 

This exhibition, based on the book
by the same name, presents artworks by 32 artists
from across the United States and abroad.
Spanning all types of craft
including furniture, pottery,
and of course, jewelry,
it's meant to tickle your funny bone.

Some pieces are whimsical, some are fantastical,
and all are amusing in one sense or another.
And that's the point. Humor is subjective.

Curated by founder and editor of the international

online resource Crafthaus,

Brigitte Martin—author of the recently released book

also titled Humor in Craft, had the following

to say about the exhibit:

When I embarked on assembling images of humorous craft artwork it became clear rather quickly that, even though everyone likes to share funny stories, humor definitely takes on different meanings depending on the various filters we employ. Based on a variety of factors (such as but not limited to social background, personal experiences and values, knowledge of popular culture events, education, and national origin), there are overlaps but also differences in humor perception. In other words, what I personally find extremely funny might at best only elicit mild amusement in others, and vice versa. So the question arises, what do we laugh at? Are there images or artwork that everyone finds hilarious? Are there topics that are off-limits and how far can you go before it’s just not funny anymore? And who gets to decide that this point has been reached . . . .

 Thought-provoking questions set aside,

it's just fun to see the humorous side of a jewelry
artist's imagination and the pieces presented in
this exhibit certainly are not cookie cutter.
But then again, neither are these artists.

 

For instance, Emiko Oye's colorful necklace is

constructed from repurposed LEGO pieces

and sterling silver.  Titled, Cygne Noir,

 (translated as Black Swan)

it's from her First Royal Jewels Collection and

reinterprets Lalique's famous enamel necklace titled,

Insect Women and Black Swans.

 

 

 

This bracelet called, Turn the Other Check, is

 Margaux Lange's entry. It's made with salvaged

Barbie doll parts set into sterling silver

and pigmented resins.

 

 

 

 

 

 Mary Hallam Pearse's entry is called, Three Words.

It's made with silver, aluminum and diamonds.

It's reminiscent of children's

dexterity games where the players

must complete the image by getting

the jewels into the impressions.

One can assume there's plenty of

 manual dexterity needed

and enough challenge provided

to keep young fingers busy.

 

 

 

Humor in Craft is currently on exhibit at the

Society for Contemporary Craft

and continues through October 27, 2012.

 

 

 Humor in Craft, the book that inspired the exhibit

can be found here.

 

Let it tickle your funny bone.

 

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Hello Monday Family pictures...

It isn't often that we can get a picture of the three of this, but we needed a nice group shot of the family for Will's school. Above is our final shot and the other picture is Will just being Will.   Hope everyone has a great Monday!

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Switch Plate Covers Re-defined

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All materials and tools used come from within the United States.

 

Lots of stamping and texture on this lovely piece.  Mixed oxides: copper, bronze, and titanium. Absolutely click to see the details of this piece full screen!

Click to enlarge the detail

There`s absolutely no reason why your switch plates and outlet covers have to be plain or ordinary. They should be just like any art work that you would hang on your walls; have color, design, match your decor, and just add beauty to that space. These textured ceramic "art plate" covers are made one at a time, so you know that the one you end up with, nobody else will have that same design. These are not the same old, same old, mass produced, generic pieces found in stores. And as always, all materials used come from within the United States. For purchasing information, please send an email to geometals@aol.com

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"Leaves of Nature" This medley of vines, leaves, and branches is for those who appreciate and want to be surrounded by the beauty of nature.

"Meteors" done with copper and bronze oxides. This one would "artify" any wall space.

"Meteors" with bright indigo, turquoise, and azure.

Choose whatever configuration that you will need. Next select the color(s) and texture that you want. Your switch plate will be hand made just for you.

One of a kind

Wow! The image above this one (an over size outlet cover: 5" long by 3.5" wide) has the same texture but is done in different tones. (Made for my own house)







 

Fern pattern with iridescent blues and greens

Fern/leaf pattern in black with silver oxide. Changing the colors, changes the look too.  Another happy outlet cover.

Collage of rich textures with silver oxide and a hint of blue. What a way to use this space to "artify" it.

Hand gilded copper and bronze oxides over stamped clay.  Delicious!

"For the Queen" with deep tones of aqua, teal, turquoise, and azure. Available in other configurations and in the Decora/Lutron style.

"For the Queen" hand gilded with copper and bronze oxides.  This photo doesn`t capture the depth and color shifts.  This one is absolutely stunning!

 

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