Center punch A Tool in the Hand My first instinct was to go with a basic hand tool that has come to feel like home in my hands. Simple, portable, versatile, ancient, I choose a center punch (though in my studio I use this small tool in many ways). It is a key to success […]
John Paul Cooper, Brooch, 1908, 15-karat gold, ruby, moonstone, pearl, amethyst, chrysoprase, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, gift of Susan B. Kaplan John Paul Cooper, Brooch, 1908, 15-karat gold, ruby, moonstone, pearl, amethyst, chrysoprase, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, gift of Susan B. Kaplan The gallery in which Jewels, Gems, and Treasures is housed is a reasonably
Jewels, Gems, and Treasures: Ancient to Modern Read More »
The international critical discourse on art jewelry is still not consistent with the use of labels (art – author – studio – contemporary – research jewelry) but the meaning is clear. ‘Just as the rectangular canvas was freed from representation and became an arena for the exploration of a range of other themes, so has
Jewelry By Visual Artists in Italy: A Critical Review Read More »
Stone handaxe Tool Stories Truth be told, this idea originated where all the great ones do: in a bar. I have taken a bit of poetic license to protect the identity of those involved in the initial catalyzing conversation. At a pub in South London last spring, the conversation turned to tools. Three artists and
Sidney Caldwell Deaghlan Susan Cummins: Where are you from and where did you study? Sidney Caldwell Deaghlan : I’m originally from Richmond, Virginia, United States. After travelling around a bit, I returned there to study at the Virginia Commonwealth University, in the Crafts/Materials Studies department. I was particularly drawn to the metals department because of the
Amsterdam, Artist in Residency Studio Rian de Jong Read More »
A Boy and his Torch The torch begins things and the torch can end things. I like that about it. I like that it channels something as elegant or brutal as fire and relies on my skill to decide which it will be. On a good day I can solder the wings onto a fly
Displays and installations are fascinating to me. Artists and jewelers seem to be trying to find more and more compelling ways to show work and add to its meaning through the use of display strategies. In the past year the installation that I found the most amusing and brilliant was the Marzio Cattelan retrospective at
Sergey Jivetin Looking Closely Since I constantly experiment with new materials and techniques, the set of tools I employ varies significantly from idea to idea, object to object. Given that for every new process I either acquire an already traditionally associated tool, sometimes alter it, or devise and make a totally new type of tool,
‘Miye Matsukata was among the first mid-century American studio jewelers to develop an expressionist feeling of spontaneity in one-of-a kind jewelry pieces. Known for combining precious and non-precious materials in open and abstract compositions, Matsukata embraced the incorporation of found objects and antique pieces, as well as alternative construction techniques in enamel and crocheted metals.
Atelier Janiye and the legacy of Master Jeweler Miye Matsukata Read More »
The first wall text you encounter in the jewelry gallery at the V&A museum in London is this no-nonsense, factual statement of what you’ll see: ‘These displays begin in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Thereafter they are devoted mainly to the story of western jewelry since medieval times.’ On the lower level, the display begins
The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, London Read More »
