August 2024, Part 1

Art Jewelry Forum is pleased to share the news that members of our community find noteworthy. Is something missing? The success of this compilation of compelling events, news, and items of interest to the jewelry community depends on YOUR participation. If you’re a member of AJF at the Silver level or above, you can add news and ideas to this bi-monthly report by going here. If you aren’t a member, but would like to become one, join AJF here.
Listings gathered with assistance from Carrie Yodanis.

WATCH THE RECORDING OF AJF LIVE WITH BRYAN PARNHAM
Are you kicking yourself for missing a fascinating artist’s talk? You can give your leg and foot a rest: we recorded it. Watch it here.

AJF LIVE WITH MARTA COSTA REIS, MONICA GASPAR, AND PATRICIA DOMINGUES
August 28, 2024, 12 p.m. EST (New York City time). Free and open to all. Register here. Our speakers will talk about the international collective exhibition Madrugada – Jewellery and the Politics of Hope, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution that put an end to 48 years of dictatorship in Portugal. The objective of this curatorial exercise was to explore jewelry and the act of adorning the body as a political instrument of restructuring, detail, care, and activism.

EVENTS
We have a dedicated page for them. Go here to see the list.

FEEL LIKE SEEING A JEWELRY SHOW?
Find these listings and many, many more on our dedicated exhibition page:

• Mari Ishikawa: Water, at Jewelers’Werk Galerie through August 10
• Glowworm: Moniek Schrijer, at Galerie Door through August 18
• Veronika Fabian and Norman Weber, at Ornamentum through August 18
• Time and Again, at Pistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry through August 18
• Melanie Bilenker, Jacqueline Bishop, Venetia Dale, & Lauren Kalman .\ If You Should Forget Me for a While, at Sienna Patti through August 18
• Kohkoh & Point Series, at Mobilia Gallery through August 21
• Makeshift [Gardenz], at Brooklyn Metal Works through August 25

FROM OUR MEMBERS

CURRENTLY ON VIEW, WORK BY KHANYA MTHETHWA
It’s part of a University of Johannesburg Jewellery Design department alumni group exhibition at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture. Some of the works give a glimpse of what to expect in her 2025 solo exhibition, which will showcase Mthethwa’s project as winner of the 2023 Susan Beech Mid-Career Grant. Keep up with Mthethwa’s activities on IG, here.

HELEN DRUTT ENGLISH: AMERICA’S AMBASSADOR FOR CRAFT
Art and Object published an interview and article which reviews Beauty and the Unexpected at the Nationalmuseum in Sweden and Drutt English’s role in facilitating that project, among others. Read it here.

ART DAILY COVERS A COLLECTOR’S JOURNEY: SUSAN GRANT LEWIN AND THE ART JEWELRY WORLD 
Author of One of a Kind: American Art Jewelry Today, Susan Grant Lewin has been a keen observer of the field for decades. Lewin notes: “It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed since I wrote [that book]. It has been an incredible ride. The field has grown substantially and is now thriving internationally, allowing me to encounter amazing artists and craftspeople wherever I go.” Read more. The exhibition’s on view at the Lowe Art Museum, Coral Gables, FL, through September 14, 2024. Info.

PISTACHIOS CONTEMPORARY ART JEWELRY IS HIRING
The gallery is hiring a part-time gallery assistant & sales associate—join their tight-knit team in a position that has room for growth. Info.

ONLINE CLASS FOCUSES ON GENERATING IDEAS
Creating new work can be challenging, but there are many methods to generate new ideas. Each class will begin with student presentations discussing influences and past work. Each week, students will be given a different ideation challenge where they will create jewelry, objects, and drawings using easily accessible materials including food scraps, discarded objects, and materials found in nature. Taught by Jolynn Santiago at the Baltimore Jewelry Center, Tuesdays, October 8–November 26, 2024. More info.

OPEN CALL: PISTACHIOS AND PRECIOUS COLLECTIVE
Theme: Things Unsaid. What is a tangible manifestation for the things unsaid? How can we extend the voice of materiality through acts of making? Where does the metaphysical influence the language of jewelry? Deadline: September 15, 2024. Info.

BRUCE METCALF’S MEMENTO MORI ON EXHIBIT AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
The 2001 work is on view in Afterlives: Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt, a transhistorical exhibition drawn from across the Met’s collections, without regard to date, medium, or genre. Just art about an idea. The theme is “death and visions of the afterlife.” Living artists are rarely included in Met exhibits, so it’s quite an honor for a living, breathing jeweler to be included in an exhibit like this. Memento Mori is inspired by carved boxwood miniature corpses that were made during the plague years. With death so close at hand, the idea “remember you must die” had a certain urgency. Metcalf’s interpretation has a small rose-cut diamond set in the body’s open belly. The stand is a riff on Gothic architecture, but more monolithic, somber but elegant. The piece was part of Donna Schneier’s 2014 gift to the Met of contemporary jewelry. See it in “The Crypt,” a tiny gallery—cramped and oddly lit, but very intimate—under the grand staircase, through January 2026.

MENGJIE MO SELECTED FOR CURRENT GLG EXHIBITION
Gravers Lane Gallery is hosting Fiber Reimagined II, an international juried exhibition in collaboration with Fiber Art Now Magazine, through September 20, 2024. Mo was one of the top-10 Young Artist Award recipients in 2024. More.

TONI GREENBAUM, AJF BOARD MEMBER, CO-AUTHORS NEW BOOK
Objects of Affection, co-written with Rebecca E. Elliott, surveys the life, creative spirit, and career of Robert W. Ebendorf, one of America’s most important artists in the field of found-object jewelry and metalwork. More.

NEW CATALOG FROM THE METAL MUSEUM
Bracelets, Bangles & Cuffs: 1948–2024 was produced to commemorate the exhibit of the same name, conceived by renowned educator and patron of the arts Helen Drutt. The book features 90+ examples by international artists that examine cultural, political, and personal meanings wrapped around a wearer’s wrist. More info.

NEW MEMBER LESLYE QIN ZHANG SHOWED AT COLLECT
Invited by Ms. Sally Li, the founder and owner of B.R. Gallery Beijing, Zhang was very pleased and felt honored to participate in Collect 2024, London, UK, and have the opportunity to introduce her works at V&A South Kensington. More.

WORK BY CHERYL R. RILEY ON VIEW AT MONMOUTH MUSEUM
Three Sculptures in the Form of a Necklace appear in the group exhibition Kaleidoscope: A Celebration of Abstract Art. The works are composed of Riley’s ceramic glyphs, hand-thrown during her 2018 Oxbow Artist Residency. Through August 25, 2024. Info.

LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA COVERS NEW BOOK ON BILL SMITH
In 2022, JoAnne Spiller curated an exhibit focused on the life and legacy of the jewelry maker. After it opened, Spiller couldn’t pull herself away from his story. Her obsession with archiving Smith’s history and work led her to create Visionary Designs by Bill Smith, tj. More.

GET YOUR JULIE BLYFIELD MERCH
Books, scarves, greeting cards, a tea towel printed with the maker’s lovely illustrations, all tied to her current exhibition, Chasing a Passion, at JamFactory, in Adelaide, Australia. Shop here.

TIFFANY & CO. AND CFDA LAUNCH FIRST JEWELRY AWARD
The award recognizes outstanding American jewelry designers committed to driving inclusivity within the design industry and elevating jewelry design as its own category akin to womenswear and menswear. One designer will receive a yearlong fellowship within Tiffany & Co.’s design department and $50,000. More.

JEWELER NASH QUINN IS MISSING
A visiting professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Wyoming, in Laramie, Quinn has not been seen since July 8, 2024. An avid cyclist, he is missing along with his bike, a Ridley rigid steel frame that’s white with a brown leather seat and 29-inch wheels. Law enforcement seeks the public’s help in trying to locate him. A Go-Fund-Me campaign has been launched to support search and rescue efforts. To donate to it, go here. Let’s hope for a positive outcome.

OTHER NEWS

DOURIEAN FLETCHER’S WORK IS AT BERGDORF GOODMAN
Her latest capsule collection features a selection of 18-karat brass gilded and vermeil pieces that reflect the cosmos within us. It’s part of the The Kaleidoscope Project exhibit, on view on the seventh floor of the department store.

ACC REMEMBERS FRED FENSTER
Born in 1934, Fenster focused on gold and silver jewelry and hollowware in silver, copper, and pewter throughout his career. He attended City College of New York, then received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art, in 1960. After operating his own shop for a year, he became a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His distinguished teaching career lasted more than 40 years, until 2005. More.

DIDIER LTD. LOANED THE ART JEWELRY FEATURED ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Our previous news report linked to an episode that featured neckpieces by Caroline Broadhead, Wendy Ramshaw, and Adam Paxon. Didier and Martine Haspeslagh wrote in to say they loaned the three pieces shown in the segment.

OLYMPIC MEDALS CONTAIN BITS OF EIFFEL TOWER
For the first time, jewelers have designed the medals. They integrate repurposed materials and are full of meaning. More.

LOEWE CRAFT PRIZE JURY AWARDS SPECIAL MENTION TO MIKI ASAI
In the work Still Life, miniature vessels take inspiration from still-life paintings as a metaphor for daily life. The body of each vessel is formed from paper, and the surfaces are treated with crushed eggshell and seashell. Jewelry makers Eunmi Chun, Karl Fritsch, and Norman Weber were also finalists. More.

MEET THE METALSMITHS INDUCTED INTO THE 2024 EMERGING ARTISTS COHORT
Jill Melyssa, Amy Erikson, and Angela Miracle Gladue are among them. The American Craft Council’s three-month program cultivates next steps for craft artists to advance their professional practices. Learn more.

CANCELLED: BUDAPEST JEWELRY WEEK 2024
Due to unforeseen circumstances and lack of resources, the 10th Budapest Jewelry Week, originally scheduled for September 6–15, 2024, unfortunately won’t take place.

RADICAL JEWELRY MAKEOVER STORE NOW OPEN
The pieces transform unwanted, broken, mismatched jewelry into new, fresh work, challenging how jewelers source materials and asking consumers to alter their habits of consumption by supporting and wearing this work. More.

QUANNAH CHASINGHORSE’S SEPTUM TUSK RECLAIMS SACRED TRADITIONS
The piece worn by the Indigenous model and activist holds significant meaning about identity in her community. She tells the New York Times about it. Find out more.

EVENTS

2024 SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET: AUGUST 17–18, 2024
Hundreds of artists will showcase a wide variety of art forms, spanning over 12 city blocks. The weekend will brim with events in a celebration of Native American arts. More.

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFT BENEFIT AUCTION: AUGUST 23–24, 2024
A joyous celebration of craft, community, and all things Penland, the Penland Benefit Auction is the school’s major annual fundraiser, supporting their mission of “Making Lives Meaningful Through Making.” Info.

SCHEDULE FOR RADIANT PAVILION 2024 NOW ONLINE
On September 14–22, 2024, more than 100 makers from Australia and internationally will participate across 60+ events—workshops, talks, panels, and more—in and around Naarm/Melbourne. The thread that runs through all events is the ability for contemporary jewelry and object practice to encourage reflection and stimulate discussion and debate on the world in which we live. Find the schedule here.

INTERNATIONAL AMBER AND JEWELRY FAIR: AUGUST 29–31, 2024
Twice a year, in spring and on the threshold of autumn, the AMBERIF International Amber and Jewelry Fair takes place in Gdańsk, Poland. It’s the largest jewelry industry trade event in Poland and one of the largest in Europe, a meeting place for avant-garde goldsmiths and a place where amber trends are born. The historical tradition of processing this material is continued, contributing to the unique atmosphere of the place and the heritage of centuries-old material culture. Info.

OPPORTUNITIES

CALL FOR ENTRY: EARRINGS GALORE
The annual juried exhibition showcases a rich and diverse array of earrings made by emerging and established studio jewelers. Each artist’s approach is represented with six pairs. The pop-up will debut at NYCJW, then go on exhibit at Heidi Lowe Gallery. Deadline: September 16, 2024. Info.

CALL FOR ENTRY: TALENTE
This competition for newcomers in design and technology under the age of 35 takes place annually as a special show in Munich’s Handwerk & Design fair. Its aim: to promote talented young people from all areas of the skilled trades and to demonstrate their future potential. Deadline: October 1, 2024. Info.

LOEWE FOUNDATION CRAFT PRIZE
The international award celebrates excellence in craftsmanship. It seeks to recognize uniquely talented artisans whose artistic vision and will to innovate set new standards for the future of craft. The prize for the winning entry is €50,000. The shortlisted and winning works will appear in an exhibition and accompanying catalogue in Madrid in Spring 2025. Deadline: October 30, 2024. More.

PAGES

JULIE BLYFIELD: CHASING A PASSION, BY CAITLIN EYRE AND BRONWYN WATSON
This book celebrates the lifework of the renowned South Australian jeweller and metalsmith, and her status as a JamFactory ICON. It offers a vivid and intimate portrait of Blyfield set against the backdrop of her home studio, highlighting the importance of her much-loved garden in providing inspiration for her work. Texts explore Blyfield’s major bodies of work and exhibitions since 2007. More.

JEWELLERY DRAWINGS: LISA WALKER, TEXTS BY BENJAMIN LIGNEL
The title says it all: the book contains drawings that later became jewelry. The only visible hints between Walker’s brain and the works, the drawings are an exclamation of thoughts on A4, scraps, or from the home printer, in ballpoint or felt-tip pen, pencil, or anything at hand. The book will make you lean left and right to witness the unfinished. With. From Dent De Leone, here.

VISIONARY DESIGNS BY BILL SMITH, TJ, BY JOANNE M SPILLER
The first catalog of Smith’s work and the most comprehensive look at his life and career to date. After moving to New York, Smith eventually turned to jewelry design to make a living. He was soon sought after by socialites, performers, and fashionistas for his frequently outrageous designs. Ethel Scull, Charlotte Ford, Loretta Young, Lena Horne, and Leontyne Price were clients. He used alternative materials, such as items found in hardware stores and nature. “You can use anything you want, but don’t make it look like what it is—give it another dimension.” Smith won the Swarovski Great Designs in Costume Jewelry award in 1967 and the Coty Award in 1970. He created the crown for the Miss Black America pageant, worn by winners 1968–1975. More. A book signing will take place August 31, 2024, 10 a.m.–2 p.m, in Madison, IN.

KEEP AN EYE OF SOMETHING OR TWO
Jewelry doesn’t belong in drawers or museum display cases. It belongs on the body. Munich-based photographer Eva Jünger knows this. Here she shows what happens when jewelry and the body come together. Her starting point is the jewelry pieces of New Zealand artist Lisa Walker. Jünger, however, hasn’t simply depicted the jewelry. She has interpreted it. Produced with the support of the Danner Foundation. Info.

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