Well, it only took me 6 weeks to finish the photos for the 2 new necklaces I made for SNAG’s Jewelry In Motion at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this May. Cygne Noir (pictured left) and Blue Steel (see below, left) are the latest editions to the My First Royal Jewels Collection, reinterpreting works by Lalique and Boucheron, respectively.
The photo shoot was well worth the wait, as I discovered that Calumet Photographic rents Canon lenses, specifically the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS. LOVE IT! For $30/day I can finally shoot portraits of my jewelry with the appropriate lens and not have to stand 20 feet away from the model. And to think that I was considering plunking down $1300 for the lens new! One of the many reasons I love living in the Mission.
Jamielyn in Cygne Noir
Thanks to my gorgeously photogenic model, Jamielyn, who graciously let me squeeze her into what seemed like a size -0 david’s bridal dress from Mission Thrift (another plus for the hood!). And also get powdered white for a few hours. Special thanks to Shana Astrachan’s makeup artistry in helping realize my 18th century aristocratic vision! Go team!
Last month I joined the Bay Area LEGO Users Group (BAYLUG), and found a great community of LEGO lovers like myself, one of the benefits being the opportunity to show my work in an actual LEGO retail store! Who would have thought! So if you ever find yourself in the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, cruise on by the LEGO store and check out my Duchess 2 necklace in the Window to the Community display. BAYLUG has a relationship with the Northern CA LEGO stores, and rotates the displays (also in Valley Fair mall) every 6 weeks or so.
Yet another article by ReadyMade magazine, this one a bit different than the “Miss Modular” online article from last month. Currently on the newstands for the June/July issue, check out pages 18-19, I’m featured as a Maker in “A Lesson in Legos“ by Kathy Barnes (yes, unfortunately they mispelled LEGO®, but hopefully the company won’t be too mad).
The second day of Maker Faire was definitely less crazy than Saturday; much more laid back, giving us a chance to talk more with people. Our supplies were pretty wiped out by the end of the day, but amazingly our energy wasn’t. Hopefully next year we’ll be easier to find (apologies to those of you who couldn’t find us!).
We’re looking forward to bringing Accessorize with Toys to the Renegade Craft Fair,July 18-19 at SF’s Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion. If you join us at Renegade, make sure to bring $5; as much as we want to offer it for free, we’ve got to cover our expenses so we can keep it going!
If you can’t make it in July, mark your calendar for August 8 at S.C.R.A.P. SCRAP is launching their Family Day workshops and we’re glad to be a part of it. RSVP by emailing worshop@scrap-sf.org or call 415-647-1746 for this drop-in event. w
The first day of Maker Faire 2009 San Mateo is done and whhew! are my dogs a’barkin’! This year our Accessorize with Toys workshop is in the Show Barn, our first year out of the Swaporamarama and on our own. If you’re looking for us, we’re in the same area as the awesome Tech Shop, and situated between the Metal Arts Guild and the Metals Arts Association of Silicon Valley.
What seemed like the highest attendance of all Maker Faires, we could barely keep up with the photo taking of participants and their projects. But the photos are up on Flickr, with much more to come after tomorrow. Here are some of our favorites.
Let’s take a minute to give props to the student body of SNAG, for as Stanley has said, and I agree, they are our Future, not to mention some of the most creative and innovative makers. When I head into the Pin Swap event, I go straight to the students, because more often than not, they have the coolest pins and are the friendliest of the bunch.
So, first let’s congratulate the winners of the SNAG Educational Endowment Award:
Vincent Pontillo
WINNERS: Vincent Pontillo (SUNY Buffalo) (see image, right)
Rachel Shimpock (Cal State Long Beach) Davina Romansky (RIT)
Elliot Gaskin
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Elliot Gaskin (Academy of Art, SF) (see image, left) Andrew Kuebeck
On to the Student Exhibition, MetalEvolution, curated by Susan Myers and Bruce Metcalf, and organized by Erin Williams. Great work, you three, this show was outstanding. WINNER of this show: Vincent Pontillo!
Vincent Pontillo's Pomegranate
AUDIENCE CHOICE: Lindsey Phillips (see image, left bottom)
Lindsey Phillips
My personal favorite was a velcro necklace by Yong Joo Kim. Thread was the material for Ashli Brooke Taylor’s necklace, and the political pin multiples of Sean Scully were also memorable.
Yong Joo Kim's velcro necklace
Ashli Brooke Taylor's thread necklace
Sean Scully's political pins
Abigail Williams also had work in the show, and she happened to be watching over the gallery when I first stopped in. She had a great felted wool and metal collar piece on, as you’ll see below.
Abigail Williams
On the last night at the banquet, I met Jenny Schneider, whose Beaver crown was in the show; here’s a photo of her (center) and her friends wearing her work.
May 24, Afternoon at Rowan University Gallery in Glassboro, NJ
Checked out of the Loews Sunday morning, and headed over the Walt Whitman Bridge to Jersey to see my last show of SNAG Revolution 2009. Certainly worth the field trip, co-jurors Jill Baker Gower and Jessica Calderwood did a fantastic job putting together Decorative Resurgance. Out of 429 entries, 90 pieces were selected, representing 72 artists.
“We were particularly interested in work that was not only exquisitely crafted, but also successfully re-contextualized the chosen historical decorative influence into thoughtful and contemporary art as well as illustrated research and knowledge of the decorative inspiration.”–excerpt from the Jurors’ Statement.
Accompanying the show is an attractive catalog, with a lovely forward by Jennifer Zwilling (Curatorial Assistant at the Philadelphia Museum of Art), made possible by a grant from the Art Jewelry Forum.
Juror Awards were given to: 1st Place — my LEGO® Duchess 2 Cartier reinterpretation; 2nd Place — Miel-Margarita Paredes for her subtle “Gnaw” floral/rodent wall installation, 3rd Place — Becky Chader’s multi-layered “Reliquary for a Styrofoam Peanut”.
9am on Thursday, May 21 and we’re all gathered in the large ballroom for the Keynote by Stanley Lechtzin (I’m a bit behind on my posts, as it is currently Day 3, but let’s pretend for now it’s still Day 2, Thursday). First, however, Stanley was awarded the SNAG Lifetime Achiement Award, very fitting as this year’s theme is Revolution! Cynthia Eid created and presented this beautiful silver vessel award (as shown in the slide above onscreen). Stanley gave a moving speech, personally thanking individuals and sending out his love to each of them, for being so supportive of him over the years. In closing, he had all the students in the audience stand up, and to them he said, “You are the most important part of this conference; you are the future of this organization.” Over 200 students are in attendance this year, not too bad out of 700 attendees!
Stanley Lechtzin
Incoming President, Harlan Butt introduced Stanley for the following Keynote address, the theme and title which I love and is my personal motto this year, “Seizing of Opportunities.”
He continues to be at the forefront of our field, leading the way for art jewelry to integrate with today’s technologies, from design in CAD/CAM to realization in 3D resin modeling. In his keynote, he posed these questions which I pose to you:
Are you recognizing your opportunities?
Are you using your opportunities to their fullest?
Are you preparing your students for the future?
He went on to share these words of wisdom: “This is not a dress rehearsal. When they [opportunities] come up, grab them.” And lastly, “Those who CAN, Do; Those who can Do it Better, Teach.”
Friday, May 22–Day 3, 9am. Crafting Ecology by Neri Oxman
Material Ecology
Material Ecology
Probably the most fitting lecture to the theme of Revolution and the future of craft, was this lecture by Neri Oxman, PhD candidate at MIT. In 2008 she exhibited extensive design research in Design and the Elastic Mind, commissioned by MoMA, NY. Her work in Material Computation, “Material Ecology” as she calls it, investigates and pioneers how well-designed Form can optimize Performance. She lists 4 Movements of Craft Ecology: Adaptive Components–how small parts affect the design of the whole; Adaptive Materials–capturing material behaviors via computers; Adaptive Form & Environment; Adaptive Material & Environment–what tools you use to build form.
She touched on Green Fabrication, finding a relationship between how badly industry treats material efficiency today, and how well nature knows how to optimize materials. Looking into how one material can be used to cater to multiple performances. Quoting Brian Eno, “The problem with computers is that there is not enough Africa in them.” Basically, a synergetic approach to achieving generative design; looking back to the source, to Nature.
Camille Paglia
11:30am, Art and Sex by Camille Paglia
By far the Most Entertaining of all the lectures was Art and Sex by scholar and culture critic, Camille Paglia. What a riot; imagine half a semester of Art History class in less than an hour, including personal quips and hilarious commentary. I did learn a few things that I missed the first time around in college, such as with Donatello’sDavid.
Donatello's David
Besides being a fruity looking guy, check out how the feather in the severed head’s helmut seems to caress David’s inner thigh, dangerously close to his parts…Can you see it? How about here:
In Ingres’ Grand Odalisk, not only is this woman of the harem a bit doped up on her hookah, but the exposed, perfect soles of her feet give rise to an unexpected erotism of feet.
1:30pm, Anti/icono/clastic by Myra Mimlitsch-Gray
After an equally speedy lunch, we returned for an artist lecture by Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, who gave us a tour of her Arts/Industry residency at Kohler Co., working in the foundry to create utilitarian ware and abstract sculptures. Inspired by the movie, The Future of Food, and the regional culinary culture (Kohler is based in Wisconsin), Myra tweaked the familiar and created sculptures based on the genetic modification of food. We were lucky enough to see these works in person at the Wexler Gallery on Friday night. Here are a few images from that show.
Braut pans
Mitosis by Myra Mimlitsch-Gray
2:45pm, Notes: Postal Art & Musical Instruments by Bobby Hannson
Bobby Hannson
What started out as a curious project by Tim McCreight to collect artistic, custom envelopes that Bobby Hannson had sent to friends and family over the years, turned into a 13 minute DVD movie of Bobby’s art and musical instruments, featuring the eclectic, lovable character himself. We got a sneak peak at the film, and even were encouraged to take home a complimentary copy to share with the world. You too can have a copy ($20), available soon on Tim’s Brynmorgen Press website.
Revolution, Day 2, 1:30pm, Leo Caballero, co-founder of Klimt02.net, the popular online international art jewelry community, spoke about the reasoning behind starting the site.
While his presentation was more like a wordy recitation (you can’t really blame the guy, it was his first trip to the US–he’s from Italy–and perhaps the first time addressing such a large, non-tech crowd), the accompanying video presentation was worth the wait, from which I furiously scrambled to record the following quotes, which seemed so esoteric in the lecture, but when put to an emotional soundtrack and film, seemed to strike a chord.
w
On to the Student Exhibition, MetalEvolution, curated by Susan Myers and 
