Built in the 11th century, England's Arundel Castle has undergone many renovations that reflect the stealthy goings-on during the residency of 18 different earls. England is also the home of featured jewelry designer Sophie Harley.Friday, April 30, 2010
SOPHIE HARLEY
Built in the 11th century, England's Arundel Castle has undergone many renovations that reflect the stealthy goings-on during the residency of 18 different earls. England is also the home of featured jewelry designer Sophie Harley.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
THEA TOLSMA
A relatively young architectural structure, the Netherlands' Millennium Tower is the first building constructed using the Bubble Deck flooring system, and is currently the second tallest building in the country. The Netherlands is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Thea Tolsma.
Finding other uses for objects or products is a common occurrence.
Some people use medium to large aluminum containers to pot small plants, and for many women lipstick does double-duty as eye shadow or blush.
As a kid, I use to make small trashcans by linking a few empty egg cartons using a paper plate as the base.
Bicycle inner tubes are another item from which people have found interesting, functional uses like resurrecting an inoperable key on a keyboard by inserting a small piece underneath, and wrapping a thin strip around a cigarette lighter for a firmer grip.
In the hands of a jewelry designer, however, this neutral, seeminly uninteresting material becomes something buoyant and decorative.
Dutch designer Sasja Saptenno is the first designer I learned about that worked with bicycle inner tubes. She creates what many call eco-conscious jewelry of remarkable versatility.
Tolsma also works with the material exploring its malleable properties in designs that are sleek, edgy, inventive, and sexy. From 1977 to 1986, Tolsma studied textiles at Holland's College of Art D'Witte Leli, and the Gerrit Rietveld Academy.
Intrigued by its design possibilities, Tolsma carefully compared different types of inner tube rubber to determine which kind was best suited to her ideas.
"Over the past few years, I have developed a certain craftsmanship and know exactly what type of rubber lends itself well to cutting, and which will retain its shape," she explains.
Tolsma's cutout designs are intricate patterns inspired by filigree work. Each piece highlights the smooth, black beauty of the rubber as well as the designer's incredible artistry.
Many of her necklace designs are long, draping strips featuring a single, large floral outline as its striking focal point; others are Gothic, daring and theatrical in its configuration structured more like dickeys than neckpieces.
I think it is spectacular jewelry for the obvious visual aspect, and that Tolsma has taken an unorthodox material and placed it in a context that never hints at its first life.
_______
Photo 1 (top right): Rubber Pratensis Necklace
Photo 2 (bottom left): Rubber Underwing Neckpiece (rear view)
Finding other uses for objects or products is a common occurrence.
Some people use medium to large aluminum containers to pot small plants, and for many women lipstick does double-duty as eye shadow or blush.
As a kid, I use to make small trashcans by linking a few empty egg cartons using a paper plate as the base.
Bicycle inner tubes are another item from which people have found interesting, functional uses like resurrecting an inoperable key on a keyboard by inserting a small piece underneath, and wrapping a thin strip around a cigarette lighter for a firmer grip.
In the hands of a jewelry designer, however, this neutral, seeminly uninteresting material becomes something buoyant and decorative.
Dutch designer Sasja Saptenno is the first designer I learned about that worked with bicycle inner tubes. She creates what many call eco-conscious jewelry of remarkable versatility.
Tolsma also works with the material exploring its malleable properties in designs that are sleek, edgy, inventive, and sexy. From 1977 to 1986, Tolsma studied textiles at Holland's College of Art D'Witte Leli, and the Gerrit Rietveld Academy.
Intrigued by its design possibilities, Tolsma carefully compared different types of inner tube rubber to determine which kind was best suited to her ideas.
"Over the past few years, I have developed a certain craftsmanship and know exactly what type of rubber lends itself well to cutting, and which will retain its shape," she explains.
Tolsma's cutout designs are intricate patterns inspired by filigree work. Each piece highlights the smooth, black beauty of the rubber as well as the designer's incredible artistry.
Many of her necklace designs are long, draping strips featuring a single, large floral outline as its striking focal point; others are Gothic, daring and theatrical in its configuration structured more like dickeys than neckpieces.
I think it is spectacular jewelry for the obvious visual aspect, and that Tolsma has taken an unorthodox material and placed it in a context that never hints at its first life.
_______
Photo 1 (top right): Rubber Pratensis Necklace
Photo 2 (bottom left): Rubber Underwing Neckpiece (rear view)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
CAROLYN ROUMEGUERE
The regal beauty of the Château de Chambord is a striking fixture situated within a wooded park in France's Loire Valley.The beautiful 16th century fortress houses 84 staircases, 365 fireplaces, and 440 rooms. However, despite its ominous proportions the structure served more as decoration than a safe haven from military attacks. France is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Carolyn Roumeguere.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
JERAMIE CARTER
Situated at the summit of Black Mountain in Canberra, Australia is the aptly named Black Mountain Tower, a telecommunication tower that not only provides facilities for communication platforms and dishes but also holds a revolving restaurant, café, and observation deck.Australia is also the home of featured jewelry designer Jeramie Carter.
Monday, April 26, 2010
YURI KAWANABE
Japan's Nijō Castle is actually a composite of two palaces, the Ninomaru, and Hanmaru, as well as parts of Fushimi Castle. One memorable architectural detail of the Ninomaru Palace is its squeaking "nightingale floors," strategically designed to alert the Shogun of sneak attacks and assassins through bird-like squeaking. Japan is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Yuri Kawanabe.
Since beginning this blog, I have learned that whether or not a jewelry design is elaborate or simple every designer appreciates classic form.
Both styles of jewelry, after all, are built on the foundation of a simple line, curve, or angle.
Many complex jewelry pieces are born from precise conceptualizations. Many designers sketch these concepts, others allow instinct to take over, and the design builds itself in a sense.
A graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Kawanabe's dramatic, three-dimensional configurations are more like miniature sculptures than jewelry.
With the use of patinated and anodized brass, copper, gold, and aluminum, her aesthetic focus is capturing movement. The renderings are spectacular pieces highlighting beautiful, flowing curvatures and spiky angles.
"I have a fascination with form that expresses movement. I work with paper models before building a piece from flat metal sheets," she says.
"The process of cutting and folding the paper rekindles memories of my childhood when I would help my father make Japanese New Year's decorations, or other ceremonial decorations.
There were also local men and women who made ceremonial decorations with simple materials like bamboo, paper, and straw. Their crafts turned an ordinary village place into a wondrous space, but these special, decorated environments exist only for a short time. This is the basis of what I call ephemeral aesthetics.
On the other hand, jewelry is a stable long-lasting form of body adornment fashioned from metal. My work combines these two approaches; ephemeral forms in metal using minimum soldering, twisting, and folding. Metal is such a supple material, and it responds best to the most simple approach."
Through her collections Sosho, Oru, Wreath, and Coil Works, Kawanabe takes viewers on a vivid exploration of the soft, voluptuous curves of Japanese calligraphy, nature motifs, and the anatomy of a wire coil.
"When a wire winds to a shape of coil, it develops a variety of expressive forms," she explains. "Almost inevitably though it is the wire itself which seems to make its own decision as to which way it will transform shifting its balance spontaneously. The process seems like a growth of actual living form."
A veteran in the field for nearly 30 years, her powerful compositions garnered the Japan Jewellery Exhibition's Japan Jewellery Prize, and the Japan Jewellery Art Competition's Award of Excellence.
__________
Photo 1 (top right): Anodized Aluminum and Silver Soyogi Breeze Neckpiece from the Sosho Collection
Photo 2 (bottom left): Patinated Brass Orange Cascade Neckpiece from the Oru Collection
Since beginning this blog, I have learned that whether or not a jewelry design is elaborate or simple every designer appreciates classic form.
Both styles of jewelry, after all, are built on the foundation of a simple line, curve, or angle.
Many complex jewelry pieces are born from precise conceptualizations. Many designers sketch these concepts, others allow instinct to take over, and the design builds itself in a sense.
A graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Kawanabe's dramatic, three-dimensional configurations are more like miniature sculptures than jewelry.
With the use of patinated and anodized brass, copper, gold, and aluminum, her aesthetic focus is capturing movement. The renderings are spectacular pieces highlighting beautiful, flowing curvatures and spiky angles.
"I have a fascination with form that expresses movement. I work with paper models before building a piece from flat metal sheets," she says.
"The process of cutting and folding the paper rekindles memories of my childhood when I would help my father make Japanese New Year's decorations, or other ceremonial decorations.
There were also local men and women who made ceremonial decorations with simple materials like bamboo, paper, and straw. Their crafts turned an ordinary village place into a wondrous space, but these special, decorated environments exist only for a short time. This is the basis of what I call ephemeral aesthetics.
On the other hand, jewelry is a stable long-lasting form of body adornment fashioned from metal. My work combines these two approaches; ephemeral forms in metal using minimum soldering, twisting, and folding. Metal is such a supple material, and it responds best to the most simple approach."
Through her collections Sosho, Oru, Wreath, and Coil Works, Kawanabe takes viewers on a vivid exploration of the soft, voluptuous curves of Japanese calligraphy, nature motifs, and the anatomy of a wire coil.
"When a wire winds to a shape of coil, it develops a variety of expressive forms," she explains. "Almost inevitably though it is the wire itself which seems to make its own decision as to which way it will transform shifting its balance spontaneously. The process seems like a growth of actual living form."
A veteran in the field for nearly 30 years, her powerful compositions garnered the Japan Jewellery Exhibition's Japan Jewellery Prize, and the Japan Jewellery Art Competition's Award of Excellence.
__________
Photo 1 (top right): Anodized Aluminum and Silver Soyogi Breeze Neckpiece from the Sosho Collection
Photo 2 (bottom left): Patinated Brass Orange Cascade Neckpiece from the Oru Collection
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