The September issues of the fashion magazines were waiting for me when I arrived home. I feel like a child again, dreaming as I turn the pages of the toy catalogs before Christmas My husband pointed out the featured photo from Ralph Lauren. One of the conversations at ‘art camp’ was the interest in chunky jewelry by the millennials. HMMM!!! This may be the perfect addition to my ‘Fall Collection’ and possibly my personal collection. Definitely, a we can do this necklace.
Archive for the ‘jewelry’ Category
Wish Books Have Arrived
Posted in Design, fashion, inspiration, jewelry, we can do this, tagged jewlery, laurie prophater, millennials, necklace, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, primitive, ralph lauren on September 2, 2015| 5 Comments »
Experimentation & Improvisation
Posted in art, bracelet, Design, earrings, fashion, inspiration, jewelry, tagged contemporary, Design, earrings, jewelry, laurie prophater, necklace, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, rings, teresa robinson, tiro tiro on August 18, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Tiro Tiro jewelry designer, Teresa Robinson, allows the materials she selects to direct her. “Tiro comes from the latin word for a beginner or novice. Tiro Tiro embraces an era of experimentation and improvisation, drawing from our years of practice and honed expertise and then making things up as we go. Evolving and exploring new mediums and techniques, we allow the materials to guide us, finding that some of our best work happens by accident.”
I apologize for the erratic nature of my posts of late. During the last month we completed our move from Columbus, Ohio to South Carolina. Leaving behind 4 decades of family, friends and memories has certainly had it’s ups and downs. But, we are both excited to see what this new chapter in our life brings.
Visual Journey
Posted in art, color, Design, enamel, fabric, fashion, inspiration, jewelry, tagged enamel, jewelry, lauren pollaro, laurie prophater, necklace, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay on August 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Lauren Pollaro is drawn to combinations of unexpected materials that take the viewer on a visual journey. “I find it satisfying to harmonize the chaos of so many disparate materials and options. I first surprise myself with certain combinations and discoveries and then it is my intent to take the viewer on a visual journey. I believe there is so much to see upon close observation of most anything. I hope for the viewer and/or wearer to make continual discoveries in my work and to feel a pleasing connection with my pieces.”
Always Cool
Posted in art, bracelet, inspiration, jewelry, tagged black & white, bracelet, cartier, cuff, diamonds, inspiration, jewelry, laurie prophater, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay on July 4, 2015| 1 Comment »
The June/July Town & Country features several pages of black and white clothing, jewelry & shoes. Including this bracelet from Cartier was a bit of a stretch for black and white…but it does feature that crisp contrast that always feels cool and fresh, regardless of the temperature. At $286,000, this bauble may not be in your budget, but the swirl of light and dark may be just what you need for your next design.
Beautiful Badges
Posted in art, color, Design, inspiration, jewelry, tagged brooch, color, contemporary, enamel, jewelry, laurie prophater, linda darty, polymer, polymer clay on June 27, 2015| 2 Comments »
Linda Darty’s Garden Badge Series celebrates memories of her childhood and attending garden club meetings with her mother in a small town in North Carolina. “The women in this small town would gather monthly, meeting with armfuls of flowers and greens that were spread over tables. These badges pay tribute to their efforts to create and formalize a time in their lives to celebrate beauty, community, and friendship while also expressing my ongoing inspiration from nature.
I’m intrigued by what kinds of badges I would identify myself with as the adult person I’ve become, not only what I would wear now, but what would be left behind for some future relative to pour over in a long forgotten jewelry box. I would want them to find flowers, leaves and branches of silver and blossoms of delicately painted glass, and to remember that I wore and made them to keep them alive in my life… that in the midst of the technology, the construction and destruction of this world so often at war, there is beauty to be treasured.”
Shameless Self Promotion!!!
Posted in art, bracelet, color, Design, earrings, fashion, inspiration, jewelry, we can do this, tagged alice stroppel, bangles, belle armoire jewelry, earrings, joan tayler, julie eakes, laurie prophater, meisha barbee, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, what are you working on this week on June 5, 2015| 2 Comments »
Typically, I do not feature polymer artists in Ornamental Elements, and leave my studio adventures/misadventures for What Are You Working on This Week. But, after a rather hectic year, I finally wrapped my creative mind around an article for the Summer issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. I have to thank Joan Tayler for inspiring the article. We participated in an exchange last fall, and she turned my exchange charms into a pair of earrings…so clever.
I have been tempted to write tutorials for digital media, but nothing beats the thrill of seeing your work published and on the newsstand at Barnes & Noble or Michaels. In February, Alice Stroppel, Julie Eakes. Meisha Barbee and I collaborated on a bangle project. On the surface the initial idea appeared to be simple, but each of us found at least one or two challenges before the bangles were completed. You will find an article about our challenges in the Fall issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.
Snippets of Color
Posted in color, enamel, inspiration, jewelry, tagged art, color, enamel, laurie prophater, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, silver on May 26, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Ciffs revealing sedimentary rock inspire the work of Carly Wright. “I believe that the images that I see on my daily walks, give me a vocabulary. I often stop to sketch , or pick up a stone or a piece of bark. These small objects sit on my drawing table for weeks, sometimes years. When I sit down to design new pieces I look to them for inspiration, and try to convey something of what I see in them to others. I am also drawn to architectural symbols such as windows or doors.”
Clashing Colour
Posted in bracelet, color, green design, inspiration, jewelry, tagged angela o'kelly, bracelet, color, contemporary, fabric, ornamental elements, paper, polymer, polymer clay on May 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Irish artist, Angela O’Kelly, combines nontraditional jewelry materials…paper & fabric…with precious metals to create bold, layered pieces. “I’m attracted to clashing colours in nature” she says. Texture is really important in her work. Boglands and the seaside rock formations inspire lightweight materials that don’t weigh the wearer down. “My designs are not for the everyday”, she explains. “More occasion wear than day wear, each design is a decorative object in its own right that you can admire as an art object when you’re not wearing it.”
Designing Family
Posted in bracelet, Design, inspiration, jewelry, tagged art, Bangle, bracelet, color, contemporary, givenchy, laurie prophater, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, taffin, wall street journal on April 25, 2015| Leave a Comment »
There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal this week about James Taffin de Givenchy and his 753 year old family history book. While his uncle founded the fashion house, Givenchy, in 1952, James moved in a different direction…jewelry. The family history dates from the 1300’s and continues with updates from family members throughout the world.
What happened to this month? The last three weeks have been a swirl of family, art show prep and then a week of fabulous weather that constantly lured us outside. Spring on a barrier island is amazing…two bobcat sightings in the last week, the alligators are roaring, and we should see new fawns any day now.
Lots of Parts
Posted in art, color, Design, inspiration, jewelry, tagged art, color, contemporary, Design, fashion, inspiration, laurie prophater, ornamental elements, polymer, polymer clay, rings, steven brixner on April 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Steven Brixner approaches a new collection focused on one idea, but he allows the work to take him in numerous directions. “New work for me, begins to take form from a single idea. I tend to make lots of parts and then start putting them together into a series of pieces. I sometimes work on a series for a particular exhibition and then abandon it or I may continue to evolve it into a substantial body of work over many years. Inspiration comes from many sources. Natural forms, geometric shapes, primitive jewelry, historic metalwork, architecture, collaboration on a commissioned work, and unusual stones, have all led me in new directions.”
Ornamental Elements 