Weekly Inspiration #3

Tone Vigeland


Tone Vigeland is a Norwegian born artist, born in 1938.  I love her sculptural use of form, line and repetition. Her work possesses both chaos and order, complexity and simplicity. Love. Love.

New Work at LabourLove Gallery

I was accepted into LabourLove Gallery's collective today! These are 5 pieces of my new collection that I submitted. 

Home- Brass, felt, bass string, key, silver

Nested- Sterling silver, steel

Pebble- pebble, sterling silver, garnet

Ring around the Rosie- vintage jade, steel, silver, vintage cameo, piano ivory

Ruled by the Heart- Sterling Silver, ruler

I always welcome feedback on my work, so feel free to chime in!

Weekly Inspiration #2

This is a video that I saw on Lisette Fee's blog. I love Jill Platner. If you have a chance to see her store in SOHO, go, it is so beautiful and inspiring.

Creating a collection

I am currently working on a new collection, which can be a daunting task. Questions race through my head such as "what would sell?"  "what would make a profound statement?" "will the collection be cohesive with my other work?" So, this time, I am throwing all of these questions out the window. I am allowing myself the time to play. I am reflecting on what has always inspired me and what I have always been drawn to, the place that I always come back to. I am using these previous inspirations as a guide. I find that giving myself parameters helps. 

So, where do my inspirations lie?

Rust. 

It is like gold to me. It erodes metal leaving it textured, rich and gorgeous. 

Home.

The shape of the house. A symbol for vessel. A symbol for the self. Self-portrait. I also really enjoy the geometric lines of the house shape. 

Found Object.

Found objects help to tell a story. They help to create a uniqueness to the work, a one of a kind quality, a playfulness.  I really enjoy the challenge of incorporating found objects into a piece of jewelry. 

O.k. Stay posted. We will see where this goes. I am attempting one piece of jewelry each day.

Our imprint as jewelers

Tara Locklear
repurposed skate board deck, enamel auto paint, found lapped glass, sterling silver and bronze cast gemstones, fabricated

Last weekend at the jewelry symposium, I had the chance to speak in depth with ECU undergraduate student Tara Locklear about recycled materials. She uses repurposed skateboard decks in her work and interviews the rider to better understand their preference of transportation. Usually, she says, it is a conscience decision to lower their carbon imprint. 

What about our imprint as jewelers? I try to be as eco-friendly as possible with my work. Many people ask, "what is eco-friendly?" or my favorite, "what aspect of jewelry isn't eco-friendly?" I usually respond with "which part is?" I will be touching on this topic in an upcoming lecture at ECU this spring. 

There are many things that we, as jewelers, can do to lessen our impart on the earth. Many do not realize the processes in mining for metal. 

Silver was first obtained in sixteenth-century Mexico by a method called the patio process. It involved mixing silver ore, salt, copper sulphide, and water. The resultant silver chloride was then picked up by adding mercury. Today, a method called the cyanide, or heap leach, process has gained acceptance within the mining industry because it is a low-cost way of processing lower-grade silver ores. A solution of water and sodium cyanide is added to the ore. Solutions are delivered to the heaps by sprinkler systems or methods of ponding, including ditches, injection, or seepage from capillaries. Silver is rarely found alone, but mostly in ores which also contain lead, copper, gold, and other metals which may be commercially valuable.

Read more: How silver is made - material, making, history, used, processing, industry, Physical Characteristics and Uses of Silver, The Manufacturing Process, The Future http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Silver.html#ixzz1BbYfW1ye

Places where silver is mined must contend with cyanide and lead leaching into the water supply, though it's effects are not often brought to the public's attention. Hoover and Strong, a metal refiner in Richmond Virginia, offers a line of Harmony Metals, which are 100% recycled. This option is so wonderful for the environment as it uses existing metals instead of mining for new metal. 

Other ways to be more eco-conscience is to use citric acid pickle, non- floride based flux and solder, and up-cyle materials. 

Some of my inspirations

Returning from the symposium with a new found energy, I have made a pact with Self to begin a tradition of daily blog entries. So today's entry highlights my inspirations for a new collection.

No.1
Amy Tavern
I have been asked several times over the years if I knew Amy Tavern and if not, well, I should. I have kept up with Amy's work over the years and this weekend had the honor to finally put a face with the name. I have to say, what a lovely, warm and inspiring person. Amy is currently the Artist in Resident at Penland. She is a formalist in her work, exploring line, shape and color.

Four Teardrop Necklace No. 1

Brooch in Navy

No.2
Andy Cooperman.
I had the pleasure to meet Andy last year when he visited ECU. He has a very unique and pragmatic way of problem solving that I really admire. His juxtaposition of machine and nature is, in my opinion, perfection.

 

No. 3
Anna Sheffield
I first met Anna in Brooklyn where we shared a studio many years ago. I remember loving to peruse her bench, admiring her collection of inspirational pieces. Anna is now the queen of production with her name sake line as well as her high end costume line Bing Bang. I love her sense of simplicity, sweet heart, and touch of bad ass punk rock. She recently opened her flagship store in Soho. Love her.

No. 4
Sarah Graham
I love Sarah's use of seed pods and nature in general. I am also in love with the Cobalt Chrome that she uses to achieve the contrast of black.


No. 5
Rob Jackson
I attended one of  Rob's workshops last year at the ECU Symposium. I have always been enamored by his ingenious way of incorporating found iron and steel, yet intimidated enough to never experiment with these materials myself. His workshop unlocked the mystery and eliminated much of the intimidation. I look forward to applying what I have learned.

Shifting Traditions

This weekend, January 14th and 15th, I attended the ECU Metals Symposium,  "Material Topics: Shifting Traditions." The symposium, now in its second year, was filled with lectures and workshops. The lectures were presented by Nicole Jacquard,Caroline Gore, Tom Muir, and Michael Dale Bernard, while workshops were led by Dan Dicaprio, Lisa Johnson, Ken Bova,Tom Muir, Mi-Sook Hur, and Michael Dale Bernard. Included in the weekend of events were panel discussions, break-out sessions, and exhibitions. I had the chance to attend a break out session talk with Amy Tavern and Angela Bubash, with the topic being "Residencies." It was incredibly informative. I also attended another break out session talk with Caroline Gore and Bob Ebendorf,  with the focus being on Professional Practices and Graduate School. I really enjoyed this intimate discussion. 




















Caroline Gore
Box Earrings grey/red
18k gold, silk thread




Micheal Dale Bernhard
Wood Be Diamond Series


View the schedule and symposium blog here.