Tag Archives: metal

Midwest Amazing

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I have mentioned the wonders made by Midwest Alchemy in the past but that incredible Etsy store really deserves its own post.  I am utterly amazed by the effect created by electroforming the metal around beautiful raw stones.

Midwest Alchemy helpfully describes electroforming for us on Etsy:

Electroforming, in the simplest terms, is the intricate process of controlling a metal deposit of copper and onto a conductive surface whether it be an organic or inorganic material. This process is similar to plating…but is done over a much longer period of time – and can be anywhere from 2 – 12 hours. Basically a thick “skin” of metal is built up into a rigid surface – which in this case is the ring or pendant form. Various patinas and finishes are possible after the initial electroforming process is complete.

I love that electroforming manages to make the rings look like they were chipped from a crystallized rock.   They look like natural items that happen to be suitable to be worn.

Here is a sampling of Midwest Alchemy.  It was hard to pick just a few — each one is as amazing the next.  While I am at it, allow me to add that I love copper.  I love to see it used in jewelry.

(Triple) Copper Ring Tourmaline Gem Stone
Copper Ring Hematite Red Quartz
Copper Ring Tourmaline Gem Stone

Hey, Midwest Alchemy, I’m a native Ohioian!  “Midwest Ohio” where?  Just curious.

Bold Creativity by Allison Sattinger

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I meant to take off from blogging for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  However, it seems that bad planning got the better of me and I didn’t have one ready to go up today.  But, the holiday is officially over – no more slacking off.

I saved the following piece of jewelry in my Etsy favorites a week or so ago.

Volcano Ring

There’s something that I really love about this ring by Allison Sattinger. Pairing raw with refined, I think it makes a bold statement and definitely captures the eye.  From the perspective of an amateur jewelry maker, however, I am impressed with the concept and the execution.  I can tell that the construction of the ring took a lot of planning.  I am still not really sure when or how Allison set that stone.

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.

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.