Paper and Gold

Paper Jewels

2012-01-30T18:35:00.001-08:00

I am pleased to have my work included with 5 other international contemporary jewelers in the current show at Paper Hammer Gallery in Seattle. It includes some beautiful work, and the reception will be part of this week-end's First Thursday art walk. Here is a brief excerpt from the press release, and you can click on the gallery name in this paragraph for images from all of the participants:

The exhibition showcases six artists who use a variety of techniques to alter
paper from its original state into wearable art.
The value of the jewelry is based on the act of this
altering, rather than the intrinsic value of gold, silver, or gemstones. The works range from
emphasizing the ephemeral to the enduring qualities of paper.

Opening reception: Thursday, February 2, 2011, 5–7 p.m.

Paper Hammer Gallery shares space with Marquand Books at 1400 Second Avenue in downtown Seattle.

conspicuous monday spaces//san francisco

2011-10-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

Conspicuous Exhibition

Conspicuous

Julia Heineccius' Vertical Object

Nationwide artists in collaboration with Anzfer Farms
Investigating jewelry and interactive display for the home
Sponsored by MAG and Monday Spaces

Monday Spaces, San Francisco
November 10-21, 2011
Opening Reception Nov 10, 6-9pm
2441 Balboa St @ 26^th Ave, SF CA 94121
www.mondayspaces.com

Conspicuous, hosted by Monday Spaces in collaboration with MAG, is an intimate exhibition that speaks to jewelry and how we can put it on view in our personal settings. Conspicuous is a collaborative exhibition with Anzfer Farms who respond to the featured jewelry by creating interactive, custom displays for showcasing the work in a personal setting.

This exhibition was a national call juried by Sienna Patti (Sienna Gallery, Lenox, MA) and local design team Joe Ferriso and Jonathan Anzalone of Anzfer Farms. Conspicuous is a collaborative exhibition with Anzfer Farms who will respond to the featured jewelry by creating interactive, custom displays for showcasing the work in a personal setting. With an interest in exploring these objects as a visual experience, and the role played when they are taken out of a functional context.

Speaking about the jurying process with Sienna Patti and John Anzalone, co-juror Joe Ferriso stated, “Jon and I went through all the applicants looking for works that we found visually enticing to build around (without knowing who they were by). Many of the works we reviewed were of the highest quality technically and conceptually however our main concern was: can we provide or build a context that can heighten the experience of this piece when it is not on the body? Many strong works did not want to be re-contextualized, some were already fully considered, others did not appeal to our working aesthetic for the show.

From the beginning we envisioned a small body of work to fill the 150 sq. ft. gallery space. Although jewelry is often small we want it to appear large in the minds eye by giving it room to breathe. We are excited about the pieces we chose and look forward to considering their display.”

Participating Artists: Rebecca Deans, Julia Heineccius, Hannah Keefe, Meghan Patrice Riley, Cynthia Rohrer, Christine Shin, and Rebecca Schiffman.

Gallery Hours: Nov 11, 13, 19, 20: 11am-5pm; Nov 14, 21: 11am-7pm
Also open by appointment: email mondayspaces@gmail.com or call 415-407-2154

COSTUME COSTUME II online

2011-07-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Forgot ribbon necklace Cynthia Rohrer
recycled sterling, reclaimed glass, ribbon, thread

COSTUME COSTUME II is available online at Sienna Gallery through the end of August. It is a fantastic show, and I have included some images below. Check out a more extensive collection of this 'jewelry about jewelry' here.

Necklace Sarah Abramson
glass, silver, cut steel

Pro Nailz (two finger ring) Islay Taylor
gold plated bronze, hand painted acrylic nails

COSTUME COSTUME II

2011-07-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

I sure do love the boxes I got at SCRAP (Scrounger's Center for Reusable Art Parts) last week. It is a fabulous place that was started as a nonprofit in 1976 during our country's last financial crisis to provide art supplies to school teachers. It is still much needed, is going strong, and is my source for all paper and packaging for my work. Below these little beauties are filled with my pieces for the COSTUME COSTUME II show that opened at Sienna Gallery 07.02.2011. More on the show below...

COSTUME COSTUME is a collection of work made by emerging contemporary art jewelers. It is an exploration of costume jewelry as subject; jewelry about jewelry. I am very excited to be part of the show, curated by everyone's favorite upcycler Arthur Hash, and sponsored by Erin Gardener's The Opulent Project.
The first version of this show was presented at this year's SOFA NY by Sienna Gallery, and I highly encourage a tour of their photobooth, which is available on their facebook page and is linked here.

The show is an exciting opportunity for me, and we all do thrive with a deadline, don't we? I explored the cameo as iconic (costume) jewelry memorabilia, and was thinking a lot about the empty nostalgia that costume jewelry can evoke for me. My cameos were paper blanks, empty of any actual faces or remembrances, and included ribbons and bows as decorative elements. You can see on flickr that I am very enamored of my ribbon at the moment! The show is up at the gallery in Lenox, MA with selected pieces available online through 08.25.2011.

how to drive a nail

2011-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

My friend who sent this to me described it as

This is just one page picked at random of an amazing kid's shop notebook from who knows when.

I think you will enjoy it.

Eye Candy IV

2011-05-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Lucky enough to have some gorgeous days here in Seattle at the SNAG conference. I was just drooling over the work of Lucy Sarneel from Amsterdam, which was for some reason in the back corner of the Vendor Room.

It is quite lovely, and all the work shown here is made of zinc sheet with additions of textiles and wood. I never would have seen it, so thanks to Julia Harrison for the tip. It is very worth a walk to the back of the room (opposite wall from the student work display) for a gander if you are here.

details II

2011-05-21T19:02:00.001-07:00

Klaus Burgel in Belgium

2011-02-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

Here's what's new with one of my favorite jewelers, New York artist Klaus Burgel. I am ridiculously lucky to have spent time in the studio with him, let alone have a wedding ring made by him.

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Check out images of the lovely exhibition at Sophie Lachaert Gallery in Belgium right here.

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getting ready

2011-01-29T15:57:00.001-08:00

reclaimed gold awaiting mini-melt

OREGON COLLEGE OF ART & CRAFT
Go For Gold: Start to Finish
Feb 5 - 6
9a - 4p

Go For Gold

2011-01-25T15:13:00.000-08:00

I am in the studio today getting organized for my upcoming workshop at the Oregon College of Art & Craft. It takes place from 9-4 on Feb 5-6th, and I am thrilled.

So thrilled that I am inside next to my sun-filled window, instead of out in this gorgeous and sunny spring day here in Oakland. We have had a chilly winter for us Californians, and I am glad to be in jeans and a t-shirt inside the studio, for once...not that I am not used to soldering and filing in a scarf, hat, and vest, trust me!

The class will be one of my favorites to teach, which is incorporating small-scale gold refining and green studio practices into jewelry work. My students will be a mix of community and college metalsmiths, and I look forward to seeing what gets produced. Gold is really just amazing to work with, and I can't wait to turn my own pile of scrap and unused jewelry into something wearable and new. I try to make myself a gold band each time I teach the class, so here is to another!

recent reading

2010-12-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

---------------------------------------

There is a lot to think about
and a lot to get done, but
to be efficient does not mean to be hurried, and
to be unhurried does not mean to sit in a lawn chair.

----------------------------------------

Edward Espe Brown,
The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine from the Celebrated Restaurant

It's Better Than Nothing

2010-09-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Could there be a better reason than this postcard to check out the ART JEWELRY FORUM?

Their website is currently, right this very moment, in the midst of a wicked slideshow of juicy, stark, contemporary jewelry. That is right: our favorite type of eye candy, brought to you direct, by those advocates for studio jewelry we love and know as AJF.

books & hammers

2010-09-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

I think that when your books, as well as your hammers, have a home in the new studio, that you can take this as a sign that things are going quite swimmingly. I also am finally able to reach my killer tool drawers to go set that is perfectly made to house my hand files and needle files (love those felt-lined drawers!). In my last studio it was just a bit too far from my bench, and never got fully utilized.

It is vintage, and metal, and heavy, and I love it. You have to be a buff metalsmith like myself to carry it at all, but the idea is that you can bring your handtools with you just about anywhere with this portable drawer set. It made the trip from San Francisco to Oakland with me, at the very least. Certainly I am showing my lack of expertise by not knowing the proper term for this wonderful cabinet, as we jewelers do like to be precise about everything, and makers of all types do love their tools. Ah, well.

I also know that I am settling in quite nicely because I have begun to put my wire clotheslines up on the walls. In my last space, where putting holes in the wall was seen as criminal activity, this solved a basic lease-related problem, but I have enjoyed doing this for some years now. It is a good way to keep samples and ideas and postcards and those little pretty pieces of paper I can't recycle near to me while I sketch and draw and stare at the wall (oh, and work.)

Here is to September, everyone...get out and enjoy your Labor Day, or stay in and do the same.

see you this week-end!

2010-07-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

working away

2010-07-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

Despite being a bit wiped out from moving shop (and home) across the San Francisco Bay to North Oakland, I have nothing to complain about. I am just home from ten marvelous days in Tuscany, Italy, where I visited my sweetheart, ate the very best artichoke ravioli I have ever had, and yes, it is true....worked in the studio!!
I threw my bag of gold over my shoulder and got on the plane for my first vacation this year. I will have some images before long, but the general summary is that it was an amazing time. I was lucky enough to be a guest artist for the University of Georgia at Athens study abroad program in Cortona, and joined the students happily working away in the very warm, and well equipped, studio up on the top of the hills of this beautiful walled town.

Upon arrival back home, I jumped into preparations for the Renegade Handmade SF summer craft fair at lovely Fort Mason. It takes place from 11am to 7pm on both Saturday and Sunday next week-end (July 31- Aug 1), and I hope to see you there!

moving shop

2010-05-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

Have been quiet here online for the last month, as we tie things up with moving shop across the San Francisco bay to North Oakland. The studio is officially in transit, and is awaiting the grand unpack in the new space.
Much more to come as the month progresses, and I get the shop back up and running in the next weeks. Here is to new beginnings!

details

2010-04-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Go For Gold: Start to Finish

2010-04-02T15:28:00.001-07:00

I am very excited about my upcoming class at the Mendocino Art Center! I spent the morning on the coast in the misty North Bay, and I am can't wait to look out the studio window at the Art Center and watch waves hitting the cliffs over the headlands.

If you have never made a trip to the North Coast, go. Now.

This April 16 - 18th we will be doing what I love best, which is melting down gold, making myself a small ingot, and getting to work! The process is as satisfying as the results. The remaking of old, broken, or underloved gold jewelry into new work is an integral part of my studio practice, and my dedication to using only 100% recycled fine metals in my work.

I love to be a part of the refining process, in my low-impact, no-frills approach to having a small studio.

See the description of the class online at the MAC's website, and learn more about classes at the Art Center.

gates flyaway ring 2007
23K, 100% recycled sterling + 14K

cluster strand 2005
sterling, 18K bimetal, rubber

23K waiting to be melted down

favorite hammer

Cartier and America

2010-03-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Cartier emerald diamond necklace

Cartier crocodile necklace/double bracelets made for Maria Felix

San Francisco is buzzing with jewelry and metalwork this spring, and I am excited to be able to take advantage of the bounty. This Sunday I joined about twenty Metal Arts Guild members on a private tour of the Cartier and America exhibit at the Legion of Honor , which was fantastic.

The Legion is up on a hill in the northwestern wilds of San Francisco, and the building and view from its grounds are always spectacular. Any place you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay, Marin, and the Transamerica building from the same spot is alright with me!

The exhibit is a must-see, and drips with diamonds, platinum, and the almost textile-like articulated movement of thousands of tiny linked elements that Cartier did so well. The patrons of the famous jewelry are a part of the exhibit, and the early 'new rich' in America clearly loved their tiaras, necklaces, and body adornment. The historical pieces range from 1899 to the 1970s, with most of my favorites being the earlier work. None of the pieces are done justice by the images available online, so I have included only a few here.

The show has been extended until May 9, and the museum's well-attended free day is the 1st Tuesday of the month. The $10 special exhibit surcharge is well worth your hard-earned money.

Elizabeth Taylor wearing Cartier

Mexican film superstar Maria Felix wearing Cartier

Metalsmiths' Week-end, San Francisco

2010-03-20T15:09:00.001-07:00

Amulet (open)

We are lucky enough in my household this week to have friend and metalsmith Rob Jackson staying with us, all the way from Athens, GA.

Amulet

He is here doing a seminar for City College SF's Metal Arts classes, while in town for his opening at everyone's favorite art jewelry and metalwork gallery, Velvet da Vinci.

Three Ruby Ring

His show, The Eloquent Nail, will be up until April 18th, along with Chased and Repousse, curated by Nancy Megan Corwin.

The opening on Friday was delightful. Corwin's talk, regarding her show in which contemporary examples reaffirm and push what the techniques of Chasing and Repousse can do, was stellar. More on the work shown there by Yuyen Chang, Keith Lewis, and my wife, Suzanne Pugh, among others, in the next post.

We were also lucky enough to have metalsmith Amy Tavern in town, for her own opening! Rare Device on Market Street showcased her in their four person show, FAULT LINES.

done!

2010-03-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

progress

2010-03-06T22:57:00.001-08:00

...marching ahead on the custom piece for a soon-to-be-betrothed friend. Tomorrow, I will add the opals and pearls to their cozy bezel cups.

23K

2010-03-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to be melting, forging, stretching, shaping, and filing some 23 & 22K gold that a friend's mother sent me, to rework into a wedding pendant. Shown are some bezel cups for the project.

Shows from 2009 part one

2010-02-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

Long Crossbuck: pendant on sterling chain
2009

side view of Crossbuck necklace
100% recycled paper and sterling
2009

detail of Crossbuck necklace
2009

This month, the show Via Penland is coming to a close at REBUS WORKS gallery in Raleigh, NC. The Crossbuck necklaces pictured above were included in this year's show. They are made of 100% reclaimed artist's board, 100% recycled sterling frames, and hang on long oxidized sterling chains.

Rebus Works does a wonderful job of exhibiting contemporary craft and art, and were lovely enough to give me a two person show in the summer of 2008. Shonna and her staff showcase craftspeople really beautifully at the gallery, and I recommend checking out their site. This year's Via Penland show featured two woodworkers with a past connection to Penland School of Crafts, and my pal Sylvie Rosenthal was one of them.

Confidant
Sylvie Rosenthal

Coming soon: more highlights of my recent shows.

Eye Candy III

2010-02-22T19:06:00.001-08:00

Kristen Beeler
That's your opinion

Kristin Beeler
fine silver studies

Today, some images from Kristin Beeler, who has a site that you can travel to for more images and information.

Eye Candy II

2010-02-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Klaus Bürgel
Untitled (brooch, detail) | 2000 | Gold, aquamarine, pearls

Eye candy, continued.
In honor of the holiday of love: some lovely jewelry to feast upon.

Klaus Bürgel
Untitled (ring) | 2000 | Gold 750, malachite

Klaus Bürgel
Brooch | 2000 | Gold 750, Pyrite

Polly Wales
Rings | Swarvoski crystal, sterling

Ramon Puig Cuyas
Tempora Si Fuerint Nibula Pendant
(from the series, Imago Mundi)

Ramon Puig Cuyas
brooch

Eye Candy

2010-02-08T13:37:00.001-08:00

Sharon Massey,
bursting brooch
steel, cotton muslin, silver, 14k gold, freshwater pearls, beeswax

Well, I have never had much of a sweet tooth, preferring to take in the majority of my candy through the eyes. So, in honor of national eat-whimsically-shaped-molded-candy-chocolates-day on the 14th, I will be posting images of jewelry that I love to look at, so that you, too, can get your fill of sweet, sweet studio jewelry.

The pieces are all made by contemporary jewelers worldwide: artists who I know, wish I knew, have heard of, or have found in the interspace. I'll try to include 2 images minimum of each mouth-watering artist's work. Today seems to be about the lovely color white.

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Sharon Massey,
pearl necklace
iron wire, cotton muslin, wax, pearls

Karen Gilbert
nest neckpiece (detail)
sterling silver, silk, pyrex, aquamarine 2007

Karen Gilbert

Arthur Hash,
neckpiece
Cast polyurethane

Arthur Hash,
ring
copper, paint

Check back for more this week!

Gold

2010-02-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

I was led to an amazing group of images about gold by the organization Ethical Metalsmiths...more on them in a moment.

The images show gold, in its many forms, all over the world, and originally appeared in a Boston Globe online blog by Alan Taylor, The Big Picture: Gold . I encourage you to see the link for the full series, of which there are several dozen, including the world's largest bar of gold, our obsession with gold captured in many forms, and the stages of the mining process which are so damaging many communities.

Ethical Metalsmiths is " a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to responsibly sourced metals and gemstones," which was founded, and is supported, by metalsmiths.

They, along with many metalsmiths like myself who have committed to using only recycled gold and precious metals, (refined in the U.S.), seek to raise awareness about the lack of regulation in the international mining community, and about the fact that the amount of gold which exists currently in usable form far exceeds the amount needed to support the current jewelry industry.

Dependable

2010-01-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

Another studio visit, y'all! I was lucky enough to sneak a peek at what they are doing down at DEPENDABLE LETTERPRESS on 3rd, in their workspace in the former American Can Co. factory, on the Bay side of Potrero Hill. What a gorgeous building, and a truly wonderful collection of presses that are put into use producing beautiful, high-quality prints from digital files.
Many thanks to owner Joel Benson for letting us come on by! We love our amazing calendar!

June Schwarcz, Living Treasure of California

2010-01-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday my wife and I had the unforgettable experience of being the lucky ones to pick enamelist and metalsmith June Schwarcz up from her home in the hills of Sausalito (just over the Golden Gate Bridge from SF) on the way to her lecture for MAG. She invited us in while she had a quick snack, and encouraged us to look around her amazing home filled with international art, where she has been living since 1954.

To be in the presence of someone who has been honored by the Smithsonian, the ACC, and myriad others, and to have them let you come on in and look around, is one thing. To have that person be still making work, and in my humble opinion, some of the best of their life, in their nineties, is incredibly inspiring.

She sometimes starts with paper mock-ups (hooray, paper mock-ups!!), and gives structure to her forms by sewing together copper wire mesh (100 threads/inch) or several different thicknesses of copper foil. She then works adding layers with electroforming (copper), and enamelling, and plating (iron, silver, gold, and others).

She spoke in her lecture of making pieces that someone wants to look at over and over again, and wondered if conceptual art today doesn't often lack this character. Here is a shot of a small part of her studio (I was too shy to take photos in her home, and luckily for all of us, there is a link below of some really yummy images of her home and art collection).

Here are some links to images of her incredibly loose and layered work, followed by links to interviews and a wonderful photo tour of her home.
work at Velvet da Vinci gallery
interview with the Smithsonian Archives of American Art (great images way down in text)
incredible photo tour of her home by Catherine Bailey of Heath Ceramics (another California craft institution)

Who's afraid?

2010-01-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

SF Museum of Craft + Design is having several events around the opening of their new jewelry show, including a walk-through of the exhibit with SFMC+D's interim curator Mariah Nielson on Friday at 11am.

Designers on Jewelry: Twelve Years of Jewelry Production by Chi ha paura...? is the show, and Dutch product and jewelry design megastar Gijs Bakker will be giving a talk on Saturday from 4-6 pm on his 12 year dialogue with modern designer/jewelers which resulted in this show of over 50 international artists. (SFMC+D link above for more info.)

"Who’s afraid of…contemporary jewelry? ...Moving past the conventional concept of simple decoration and an investment in gold or stones, the goal was to redefine the value of jewelry by the fineness of the idea, not the materials."

Pro

2010-01-11T21:09:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of a new decade looking us in the face, I have been working on professional development by utilizing a great Bay Area resource; metal artist Harriete Estel Berman.
I love her serious commitment to reuse, and her use of art as social commentary, as seen in this image of Bar Code Identity Necklace, 2007. (click title for her description.)

She is a force to be reckoned with in the craft and art of professional guidelines, and her blog Ask Harriete is worth a serious piece of your time.

rustbelt fiberwerks

2010-01-07T11:51:00.001-08:00

Here is my lovely new apron that I got from the wonderful Leah Parkhurst of RUSTBELT FIBERWERKS at the Renegade Fair. Her grandmother was a strong believer in this phrase, and I and my apron are all the better for it.

This is a saying that my wife first heard from the venerable photographer Evon Streetman, who has been a strong part of the Penland School of Crafts community for over 30 years, and gives a kick-ass slideshow. Keep an eye on the Penland catalog for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a class with her.

new year

2010-01-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

When I stepped outside my parents' house on New Year's Day to begin loading up the car to head back to San Francisco, there was a very deceased, but very beautiful butterfly right on their doorstep. I am taking this as a sign of good luck, (even though its head appears to be quite unattached upon closer inspection) and don't particularly want to hear about it if anyone knows otherwise. Here's to '010, everyone!

craft madness

2009-12-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

whew!! this week-end's craft madness at the Renegade Fair was pretty fabulous. Serious and for-real thank yous to all of you who came out. It was great to feel the support of my friends and loved ones, and your purchases of my jewelry and Celia's belt buckles are really truly appreciated.

My wife was a complete and total superstar of set-up break-down support, and angel friends even helped us pack the car last night.

My favorite part was trying to figure out how to hide a present I had gotten for my wife, while the guy next to me says "I'm doing the same thing," and proceeds to reveal a huge framed painting that was totally low profile hidden under his dainty jacket. What?? Rad, that is what.

dec 19 & 20th

2009-12-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

I am bustling around getting ready for this week-end's Renegade Handmade Craft Fair. It will be down at SF's Fort Mason, right along the gorgeous bay. I'll be there from 11am-7pm on both Saturday and Sunday, so I hope you'll have time to pay me a visit.
There will be lots of crafty vendors with ridiculously great gifts. I will be selling my jewelry, some potted succulents, and my buddy Celia's Buncombe (belt) Buckles.

There seems to be lots of parking lots just outside the venue, with reasonable prices of $1/hour. The first hour is free at the Fort Mason lot.

I am located at booth #69, and am along the wall, on the end of the building with the bathrooms. I would love to see you, and to see the pictures you take in the FREE PHOTOBOOTH! Food and drink will be for sale at the event.

p & g loves amy tavern

2009-12-08T10:22:00.001-08:00

A big thanks to amy tavern for blogging about our work today . You probably know her great line of simple, modern jewelry that is sold nationwide, like this necklace. Well, get on it! She is transitioning to one-of-a-kind work during her residency at Penland School of Crafts, where we met. After January 2010, her production collections will no longer be available, so she is having a killer sale on her etsy shop in the meantime. Get shopping!

big ole crafty

2009-12-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

thanks, y'all for coming out this week-end to the Big Crafty in Asheville, and the Renegade Fair in Chicago. My rockstar partner in crime Celia Gray of Buncombe Buckles was in Chicago, and thanks to Jason Burnett for taking care of business in NC. I'll be doing the legwork for Celia & I at the Renegade Handmade SF show in 2 weeks.

yum.....gold!

2009-11-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

Besides getting ready to meet the crafty gift needs of the masses in SF and Chicago at the Renegade Handmade fairs this month, I am working hard on expanding my custom commitment ring business.

I love working with couples to create modern, handmade rings that are made of 100% recycled gold, and can also include heirloom gold and stones. Here are some very simple engagement bands that I have made in the past few months. I am working on a full display of ring styles, so you won't have to wait long to see a larger range.

I want to give a big thanks to my Small Business Dept instructors at City College San Francisco, which is also where my training as a metalsmith began, in 2001. (...full disclosure, it is now where my wife teaches, as well...fantastic institution, we love you!)

More on gold soon, but please contact me with any questions you have about my ethically sourced materials for these special rings, or see my links for more information.

paper, y'all!

2009-11-11T11:02:00.001-08:00

Here are some of the new paper earrings that are now available on my etsy shop!

They are made from discarded paper & artist-grade mat board, and coated with several layers of nontoxic sealer. The handmade earwires are 100% recycled sterling, and are forged with a tiny goldsmith's hammer, my favorite!
Contrasting colors never looked so cute!

to be : (determined) – an exhibition of the first five.

2009-11-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be a part of this show at Colorado State University, juried by Sarah Turner & Maria Phillips, which goes from October 26th to November 20th. Head out to Fort Collins to see it, y'all! Here is a bit of what they had to say about tb(d), along with my work that is in the show:

"...If you keep making (and making strides) in the first years of an art career, you are likely to succeed and commit to a life of sustained practice.
This exhibition showcases artists within the ‘first five years’: it...offers a moment to encourage momentum, and is an occasion to recognize new developments in the field of jewelry and metalsmithing."

These new 'quad' and 'grid' pieces are made of discarded artist's board, paint, and 100% recycled sterling, which I have fabricated.

new, new, new!

2009-11-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

hey, all! Thanks for checking out what is going on with Cynthia Rohrer's latest project, paper & gold. Besides getting my new etsy site together, I have been fast at work preparing for a crafty handmade fair at the Lesher Art Center in Walnut Creek (just across the bay and through a tunnel from SF.) On the esty note, if any of you San Franciscans wants to buy something off the site and save on shipping, let me know and I'll post a special listing of the item(s) you'd like to buy, without shipping charges.

If any of you are in the area next week-end, come on by and check out the wares. Admission is free, and enables you to see a great exhibition of posters from the SF Arts Commission. I am offering 15% off of any item of jewelry to any and all friends and family who mention the offer at the fair.

I will be participating in some other fairs next month in Asheville, Chicago, and SF, and I'll keep you updated as they approach. I am lucky enough to be sharing a space with the radical belt buckles of Asheville's own, Buncombe Buckles.

The idea behind paper & gold is that I can make exciting, wearable jewelry with a small environmental footprint. I have been gathering discarded artist-grade paper, and board, and I am combining it with 100% recycled fine metals, refined right here in the U.S. of A. Here are some little wooden painted earrings, prior to shaping and paint. Poor little naked fellows! The colorful and lightweight paper items will be posted on etsy (which is a great big site of handmade items for sale, including mine!) asap. I am in the process of getting them just right....many of them are dipped in beeswax just like an encaustic painting! More soon.