Category Archives: Notable Collection

Reviews of stunning collections that reflect unique visions, high quality, and have something to say.

Metal in the Right Hands

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Metal in the hands of the right person can be an amazing thing.  Metal can bend, stretch, take on a texture and more but, to make it do these things and produce a desirable result, takes talent — talent for handling the metal and a vision for the design.

Manya Pickard makes metal sing in a way that says raw talent perfected by countless hours of practice.  Her pieces are created with tasteful design concepts and a mastery of metal.

Breaking Wave Earrings
Lotus Earrings
Turbulent Sea Necklace

These beautiful pieces are available in Manya’s Etsy store, Bob’s Whiskers, along with many other designs.

I love Manya’s consistent aesthetic in her pieces.  While she manages a lot of dimension and depth, there is something that gives her work a lovely hand-drawn quality.  Her painterly style, for me, calls to mind things such as storybook illustrations and Japanese screen paintings.

Beautiful New Work by Polly Wales

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Polly Wales already has an impressive resume and a stunning collection of work but there are still more inventive pieces on the way.  Courtesy of the sales staff at Polly Wales, here’s a sneak peek at Polly’s diamond collection to be launched in January 2012.

Truly unbelievable.  Unique, stylish, and heirloom quality.

Polly uses a casting method, where stones are cast directly into the metal.  She allows the method to really speak in her pieces.  That is a skill in itself — to know when to not try and exert control.  Casting this way creates a unique effect that does more than just set the stone in the piece.  The setting becomes more of a design element and it marries with the stone and changes it.  This, for example:

This piece, from her Crystal Collection, is currently available on Polly’s website and it shows how this casting method, when unleashed, allows the stones and the metal to somehow become more blended — more one.  Every piece is the frozen moment in time when the metal and the stones met.  It is not a method for use by a timid jewelry designer.  It’s bold and a huge design risk that, for Polly Wales, pays off over and over again.

On her website, Polly describes her work this way, “a disregard for the traditional, juxtaposed with a love of the ancient and classical jewellery.”  I think that comes through clearly in her designs.  The words that come to mind for me are “modern artifacts.”  It’s the past reflected in a new way.

Lust for Life

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Aside from the aesthetic value of jewelry, which I love, I am attracted to the idea of carrying around a little piece of life with me.  Typically, that “life” is metaphorical.  It can be a piece of history — personal or human history in general.  It might be the connection one feels to the maker of the piece.  In the case of Wearable Planter, Colleen Jordan‘s Etsy store, the concept of a portable piece of life takes on a whole new meaning.

As the song says, that’s worth a million in prizes.

Colleen manages to make a novel concept very attractive.  I think it is a testament to her well-considered designs that little pieces of greenery can stand in for stones and really not miss a beat.  These pieces might not be for every day or for every occasion but they are unmistakable as jewelry that is actually meant to be worn and are not just art pieces.  I love the natural variable that is built into the pieces by virtue of the addition of plants.  No two plants will ever be the same and they will be beautifully flawed.

A Pop of Color

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Oh, how I love enamel!  I took an enameling workshop and, turns out, that I don’t really enjoy enameling but I’m sure glad that other people do.  People like Michelle Mahler of Teka and Zoe on Etsy and tekaandzoe.com.

Typically, I am in favor of a subtle addition of color in jewelry.  But, in the case of Michelle Mahler’s work, I love that she really goes for it in terms of color because she does it so well.  There is so much more than just a little hint of color — her jewelry is all about the color.  I think one should also appreciate that in terms of skill.  From my brief experience with enameling, I learned that it is not easy to know what color you are going to get when enameling. The color does not come out of the container as it will turn out once fired onto metal.  In order to get such vibrant, consistent color as Michelle Mahler does, you really have to know what you’re doing.

A Lovely Holiday Party at Shibumi Gallery

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Last night we attended the holiday party at Shibumi Gallery, which is April Higashi‘s place.  As I’ve mentioned, this is my second experience here.  On both occasions, I’ve noticed that events here are very well attended and they should be.  The jewelry offerings from several different designers, including April herself, are artistic, bold, and stylish.  April, with her jewelry and in what she gravitates toward in other artists, seems to appreciate bold, unique design that doesn’t get in the way of its wearability.

April was there last night and gracious as always.  Thank you, April, for another lovely visit to your beautiful gallery.

As part of the holiday party, the featured artist was Karen Gilbert.  Her work is meticulously assembled with metal components and glass.  Often, the metal in her pieces involves incredibly tiny fabrication.  The glass, sometimes vessels and sometimes other shapes, seems to take the place of where stones would typically go.  But, the glass works better for the overall aesthetic.  I see a botanical influence, I see the artifacts of science, and I see modern sculpture.

The images of Karen Gilbert’s work were found on her website and one from the highly informative, The Jewelry Loupe, website.

At the show, I was able to observe Karen Gilbert’s pieces on people who were trying them on.  These clever sculptures turn into very flattering jewelry with movement, that catch the light, and remain bold yet understated.  It was nice to see a range of scale in her line.  There was everything from incredibly dainty to larger eye-catchers.

Negative Space to a New Level

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The use of negative space should be a consideration in jewelry design.  When earrings hang from ears — suspended in space — how are they interacting with that space around them?  How does the shape of a pendant appear against the backdrop of skin.  Filigree, of course, a style that has appeared throughout the ages, is all about making shapes out of negative space.

Lorena Martinez-Neustadt brings negative space to a new level with her line of jewelry (available on Etsy in the shop Gemagenta).

The first two pieces below, designed to be two-dimensional renderings of three-dimensional things, like faceted stones, are so clever.  Lorena made the wise choice to leave some of the piece undisturbed.  Perhaps, to suggest a glare off of the stone or even just to let our imagination do some of the work.  Either way, it strikes me as well-considered design element.  In a way, by leaving some of it “blank,” she is using negative space in two ways.  (Does that equal a positive?)  Those little omissions are also what set Lorena’s “gem” pieces apart from some other similar concepts that have shown up in the mass produced market in the last few years.

Faceted Brilliant Pendant - by Lorena Martinez-Neustadt

Faceted Emerald Pendant - by Lorena Martinez-Neustadt

Beyond these gem pieces, Lorena’s collection has a consistent use of negative space that feels fresh.  I especially love these:

Lingerie Elongated Pendant - by Lorena Martinez-Neustadt

Lingerie Ring - by Lorena Martinez-Neustadt

The designs are lacy, yet clean.  Inspired by lace and lingerie without overdoing the concept.  The pieces are flattering against the skin and appear to be very wearable.

I’m No Expert

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I’m no expert but, as they say, I know what I like.

Look, I don’t really have any bona fides when it comes to art or fashion or jewelry.  I dropped out of my art major one semester in to pursue other academic interests.  I’ve never been very good in art classes and I don’t play well with other artists generally.  Although I am a fairly compliant person and I have no issues with authority, if you put me in an art class, I turn into an eye-rolling, huffy, obstructionist pain-in-the-ass.  I don’t know why.  It’s not that I think I’m that good — I just don’t want to do it their way.  Ever.  So, long ago, I found that making my strange art by myself was the best way to go — or at least the best way to not get asked to leave a classroom.  That leaves me, however, with absolutely no authority to comment on anything aesthetic, really.

But, here, I do make such comments anyway because I think I have something to say when it comes to jewelry.  Why?  Sheer exposure.  I have spent so much time looking at jewelry that I think it can safely be called research.  When I see something that is new and different to me, I know that it is new and different, period. In the world of jewelry, I think I know special when I see it.

I have said all that to say this:  There are some people whose work I respect so much that I don’t really feel worthy to comment or even compliment.  But, if I am to continue with this little blog of mine, I must, in order to be true to the mission, which is to highlight excellent jewelry design.

So, here it goes. I give you the absolutely genius of April Higashi:

April Higashi Yellow Gold Rings

April Higashi Stone Rings

April Higashi Patterned Enamel

There’s not much that I can say.  It’s breathtaking.  All of it.  There is such a clear vision that she brings to her line.  I feel that her designs say that she knows what jewelry should be — it can’t just be a pretty item that sits by itself, it has to be a pretty item on you.  It is design with such subtlety and restraint.  I want to live in a world designed by April Higashi.

On a personal note, my husband and I visited April’s Shibumi Gallery in Berkeley, CA for an opening one Sunday afternoon several months ago.  Either she or someone on her staff brings an infallible eye to curating the gallery.  Everything that is displayed is both complementary and reflects a consistent sense of style.  We were greeted so warmly by the gallery manager, Fiona, and April casually chatted with us (as if not aware of her greatness!).  April’s husband, the incredibly talented sculptor Eric Powell, was there as well.  Given my obvious interest and perhaps because I had commented that I had just begun jewelry-making classes, we were offered a peek at April’s studio.  It was wonderful.

Alternative Materials by Cla Contemporary

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When making jewelry, there are no artistic talents that goes to waste.  You can bring skills from all different disciplines to the jeweler’s bench and find them useful. Chelsey, who is the creative force behind the Etsy store Cla Contemporary, proves that point by adding her own handmade ceramics to her pieces.

Ceramics in jewelry can get mixed results.  It can be earthy but it can also be clunky and messy.  Cla Contemporary is something else in entirely.  It’s true to it’s name.  It’s modern and clean.

I think the ring is sculptural perfection.  It’s a nice, clean design but it is not short on personality.

Nice Metal Work by Francine Ruth

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As I have mentioned, I am in the early stages of learning metal work and jewelry making.  One of the unintended effects of this education, is that I notice the quality of metal work on jewelry more than I previously did.  I turn my nose up a messy solder or uneven prongs around a stone — even though I am still working on doing these things properly myself.  I find I also try to guess what techniques were used in pieces that I am admiring.

I noticed Jewelry by Francine on Etsy today and felt compelled to mention her work for two reasons.  First, she is making beautiful pieces and using an impressive array of techniques.  The stone setting is well-done, the enameling is judiciously used, and the designs are well-composed.  Secondly, I had to give Francine Ruth a shout-out because she’s from Cleveland.  My husband is a born and raised Clevelander and I, myself, have done two tours of duty in that fair city.  Always nice to see lovely artisan pieces coming out of Cleveland.

I love the polka-dots on the bracelet and earrings.  I can imagine these being great jewelry staples — professional, casual, quirky yet understated.  I am not familiar with the technique, Keum Boo, which was used to make these pieces.  (I’m sure I’m showing my newbie status now.)  The effect is striking.  I like how the technique appears to allow the addition of another metal to a piece while being able to keep it flush.

These pieces can be found here:

Tiny Bubbles Earrings, Keum Boo Bracelet, and Tile Me a River Necklace

Nicely Done Found Object Jewelry by Jacobsen Design

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I love the idea of found objects and I’ve used them a bit in my assemblage art.

Specimen I - By: N. Powell

Clock - By: N. Powell

It can be a slippery slope, though.  At least for me, when I am contemplating found objects, I start to have square-peg moments.  My mind continues to insist that this little something-or-other belongs in a piece of art — even after the object has told me to go to hell.

But, back to jewelry.

I think it is something special when found objects are used well and appropriately in jewelry.  I happened to notice this collection by Jacobsen Design on Etsy.  I think this stuff is very cool.  Here’s a sample:

Green Frequency Crystal Bracelet - By: Jacobsen Design

I think Jacobsen Design has made some attractive and, yet, funky jewelry out of found objects, which largely appear to be small electronic parts.  I think the pieces work so well because there is a nice eye for color and scale being applied here.  The objects that were found are right for some cool jewelry — no square pegs here.  My one concern, if I had one, is about the pieces’ durability as the jumprings don’t appear to be closed.  That being said, the pieces are priced low (most around $12) and there very well might be a very good reason that the jumprings cannot be soldered closed due to other materials used.