emiko-o reware

What a full, fulfilling day at Miami University, Ohio! After 5 hours of driving through a typical NE Ohio snowstorm (well at least through Columbus), we arrived Tuesday to the picturesque town of Oxford, home of Miami University. Not so used to major snow down here, they had actually shut down campus early. I guess it’s all relative; seemed like a tame Syracuse winter day to me, but not everyone has had an arctic college experience.  Anywho, check out these street banners! That top image look familiar? Yes, it’s a closeup of my Duchess 2 lego necklace! Fantastic; I’ve already got a good word in to get one of those at the end of the show in July. Wouldn’t it make a wonderful tote bag, or even just hang in the hallway!!!

This morning’s workshop “Top 10 Tips for Post Grad Success” was a small but serious group of metals grad students (led by Susan Ewing), who were super attentive and eager for the info. I managed to cram my 4.5 hour workshop into almost 2 hours. Did a few less interactive segments and flew through the info. Gave them their Resource packet, updated with a Green section including Christine’s “Making Eco Friendly Choices” article from Art Jewelry magazine, May 2009.

Had a great discussion at lunch with Curator of Exhibitions Lena Vigna (soon to be Curator of Exhibitions at Racine Art Museum, WI!) and Associate Dean of Fine Arts and Metals Chair, Susan Ewing (talk about major multi-tasking in the workplace). She’s taking her students back to Prague with her this summer, those lucky devils, it sounds so inspiring (i want to go to there).

The Adornment and Excess Exhibition is really worth visiting Miami (wait til spring, though) and the Miami University Art Museum is quite the facility with a very gracious, welcoming staff and a HUGE permanent collection (Syracuse didn’t even have anything like it on campus). My pieces were displayed right up front along with looping digital images on the imac of people wearing my work.
Across from my work is Harriete’s set of 3 recycled tin bracelets: Prestige, Value, and Identity.
One of my favs is a series of repurposed/transformed costume jewelry by Meg Drinkwater. She takes masses of pearls, vintage costume jewelry and encases them from behind in resin into solid, massive  necklaces. Makes me want to do more of my own Radical Jewelry Makeover!

Speaking of which, RJM has a presence in this show, smartly done with not only finished jewelry pieces from past RJMs around the country, but a huge wooden bin of “raw” materials (old junk jewelry) and a video installation with interviews from participants and organizers (see image below). And to my delight, Christina Miller, co-founder of Ethical Metalsmiths and the RJM was present at tonite’s lecture! She now resides in Oxford. Talk about small world! RJM is gearing up for Australia this summer! Check out the RJM blog for the latest updates!So much smart work, I would be remiss not to mention the performance metalsmith, Gabriel Craig, who will be concluding the events at MU on Earth Day this April bringing his Pro Bono Jeweler interactive performance to the Shriver Center (student center). Here in the exhibit plays 2 of his street performances as well as some of the polymer clay “freebie” rings made during the event. Check out his blog, Conceptual Metalsmith to see his latest street video, The Gospel According to Craft.

Shari Pierce Cardboard Democracy

In the spirit of trash into treasure, the work of Shari Pierce and her Mi Casa Su Casa /Cardboard democracy series is a well-executed display. The larger than lifesize, recycled cardboard necklace hangs suspended in the middle of the space (begging the viewer to get as close as they dare) with large photographs on the wall behind of the environments where the materials were collected. Also, her colorful cardboard purses hang exposed on the opposite wall next to photos as well.

Shari Piere's Mi Casa Su Casa

This evening’s Sustainability and Creativity lecture was very well attended by architecture, sculpture, and metals students and staff. Lena Vigna began the evening with an overview of the Adornment exhibition and her process in curating the show. Mary Ben Boham (Dept Architecture) presenting 3 positions on the positives and pitfalls of trying to design sustainable buildings, bottom line being “How are People being served”? Rod Northcutt (Dept Sculpture) bringing the focus on sustainability of materials and as artists being conscious of our process. I spoke last, speaking to how I work as a recycling artist and my progression from using jewelry as an outlet of personal Expression, to sharing it as an Experience on a public level, to Community outreach.

To round off the evening’s discussion, Curator of Education, Cynthia Collins gathered us up for an intimate round table discussion, which was led by grad student Lisa Wilson, the opening question being “What is the creative person’s role in moving a community towards sustainability?” Is it a grass roots movement or does success come from the top down? All of the above, but how can we instigate change? What small step can each person do towards living a more sustainable lifestyle? Ironically, people mentioned San Francisco multiple times (not me, by the way) and the mandates being given to get residents to comply such as citywide composting, elimination of styrofoam and plastic bags in stores. Realistically, people need to be threatened with fines in order to bring about citywide compliance (and still I find myself constantly resorting the misplaced trash/recycling/compost at work and in the neighborhood). Cynthia made an astute remark that got everyone thinking: last year’s Federal Mandate for HD TV. When is the last time that something was required by everyone on the Federal level? And to boot, there were no riots in the street, rather lots an lots of CRT screens and electronic waste. What does that say about our culture? It would be my wish to see recycling become a federal  mandate as well as federal subsidized organic farms. I’m curious, if people were asked what they value more their TV or  their health and grandchildren’s health, what would the nation as a whole choose?

It’s about time, already, right! Finally got on that darn facebook train, much thanks to my inhouse techie master and many late nights of navigating through the ever-confusing user interface! All you facebook folks out there following my blog, go check out my emiko-o fan page at http://www.facebook.com/rewarestyle. Become a fan! While away the wee hours of the morning with me and my new black  hole of webness….cheers!

Well in an earlier post I wondered where my circuit boxers would end up, and who knew it would hit Europe so fast, but I’m super stoked that I finally got some screen time on engadget (the German version, but I’m not going to be picky). Even better, engadget picked up more of the Critique Collective’s images from our Jewelry_cycle show!
Here are some screen shots from engadget and Novinky, followed by their Google translations which are pretty amusing. I just learned tonight that Google can translate foreign languages listed on web pages; pretty cool.

Last week I took down the Cher the Love tribute ensemble installation that was showcased at SCRAP’s 3rd Annual Art Exhibition. This was only the 2nd time that the entire ensemble has been shown (off the body anyway), and the lovely Exhibition Director, Jenny Morningstar gave me the honors of having it show in the gallery window at the Green Zebra/reMake Lounge venue (SCRAP also had a concurrent show at the Eco Center, where my Snow White collar was shown).

The boa is made from found soda can holders (mostly picked off my street) sewn together with monofilament and capped off with sequins and sterling silver crimp beads. The halter is made from found foam (from SCRAP),  sushi trays which Harriete had saved over the years and kindly donated to my cause, and fine and sterling silver scraps.

Cher the Love Strong Enough Thong was the first piece of the set, made back in 2005 from recycled Plexiglas and fine and sterling silver. My intent was to get into the SNAG exhibition at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but instead I got the fine opportunity to model the entire ensemble in a fashion show at the museum and to Cher’s “Strong Enough” song at that!

Admittedly, these aren’t my best photos, but the best I could do onsite dealing with window glare and a busy background. Essentially I made a plexiglas, half-round rod neck hanger from which the halter and boa were attached and hung from the ceiling. Could have definitely used an accent light to really show it off, but  the venue is not really an art gallery, so oh well.

Can’t complain, cause after all, to my delight, I was selected for a Juror’s Choice Award by juror JD Beltran, conceptual artist and professor at the San Francisco Art Institute! A little birdy told me that my Cher ensemble was one of the few pieces that scored 10s by all 3 jurors!  SWEET!

Here’s a little early V-day love to y’all!

photo by Raymond King

Yep, next week I head back to the motherland Ohio for a special art-filled, emiko-o day at Miami University Art Museum in Oxford. A few weeks ago was the opening for the exhibition Adornment and Excess curated by Lena Vigna. The show runs through July 10 and is part of Luxury, Consumption & Excess, a larger suite of exhibitions comprised of both historical and contemporary objects that investigates the socio-cultural relationship between material goods, wealth and class. Some of My First Royal Jewels will be on display, as well as work by Harriete Estel Berman, Francesca Vitali, Kathy Buszkiewicz, Gabriel Craig, Anya Kivarkis, just to name a few.

exhibition announcement

Earlier last year, Lena co-authored with Namita Gupta Wiggers the article Mining History: Ornamentalism Revisited for Metalsmith Magazine, in which my Queen Margherita was the title image. I caught up with Lena at the recent American Craft Conference in Minneapolis last fall in the midst of my blogging for SNAG, and offered to visit during the run of the show.

Lo and behold she invited me to participate in a special round table discussion on Creativity and Sustainability that she is moderating Feb 10th, 6:00-7:30pm. Professors Mary Benedict Bonham (Dept Architecture) and Rodney Northcutt (Dept Art) will be speaking as well as Graduate Student Lisa Wilson. I’m excited to bring my experiences to the table! The event is open to the public, so please come if you’re in town.

Check out this article by Deniz Nural in Feb 2nd issue of The Miami Student (online and print) about the exhibition – my necklaces are in the accompanying photo. Can’t wait to see the show!

Well, not literally, but man, I haven’t seen such excitement in the bloggisphere for men’s underwear until now. Population Control 2.0 is on fire! All it takes is one good blog (and something tech related like circuit boards) and the rest follow suit (or manties, I should say). Ecouterre.com broke the story Jan 27th (featuring many of the Metal Art Critique Collective members work from our Jewelry_cycle show!).

Population Control 2.0 was originally created as part of a collaborative project by the Metal Arts Critique Collective to bring public awareness to the issue of e-waste and the benefits of recycling. Each member of the group was given access to small, pre-cut circuit board rejects to make a piece of “green” jewelry. The works were showcased in the exhibition Jewelry_cycle at the San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design in fall 2008. An accompanying catalog documented the artists’ process in making.

GreenMuze.com

While the circuit board pieces used for Jewelry_cycle were mostly from cellular technology, I tend to associate circuit boards with computers and guys and all that is geekery, this being the impetus for my Population Control 2.0 boxer briefs. Having a boyfriend who uses laptops for endless hours daily led me to revisit medical studies on continual laptop use linked to male infertility. Could it be a male form of birth control? My process in making the briefs became a public crafting event in which I brought all my tools, parts, and male dress form “Julian” to a 3-day chill music festival/campout and constructed the piece right out on the lawns. Working on “Julian” became the perfect icebreaker to engage the public in a dialogue about recycling, circuit boards, and art.

It gives one pause to think how technology will affect our generation’s health 10-20 years from now. Not only is the production and conspicuous consumption of computers toxic to our environment, it may possible hinder our ability to repopulate future generations.

Greendump.net

Shortly after Ecouterre posted the circuit boxers, then followed Apartment Therapy Unplggd, GreenMuze, Green Dump, Tree Hugger, Techtv101, Earth Blips, tweetmeme, Eco Friendly Mag, the Find Buzz, etc etc. Who knows where it will end (perhaps in traditional print?), but in the meantime I’m coming across some great eco blogs. Click on the links and see what I mean.

Treehugger.com

EcoFriendlyMag.com

EarthBlips.dailyradar.com

Just got my work back from the Minimal Bling exhibition that was at the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston last month. I was extremely pleased that they used my Maharajah’s 6th LEGO necklace in the promotional materials, including the gorgeous postcard. While I was at SNAG Philly last May I had the pleasure of reconnecting with the Director, Beth Ann Gerstein, and Exhibitions Director, Fabio Fernandez. SAC had first shown my work way back in 2003 when I was doing the Truth tiara series.

For Minimal Bling I made 2 new mid-range pieces to accompany this neckpiece and the Duchess neckpiece (these latter 2 are now at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft‘s Transmutations show).

Pas de trois is a necklace that riffs off my recent Cygne Noir reinterpretation of Lalique’s Women with Black Swans enamel necklace. The pendant has 3 components, the bottom 2 of which are interchangeable.

Twilight is my latest Limited Edition bracelet, which I was compelled to make way before I got sucked into the black hole obsession of a series that obliterated my month of January (hence the lack of posts since early december; I’m 10 pages away from finishing the last book, thank god!). I must say it does justice to books; what would Stephenie Meyer say?

Most of the non-CA shows that my work is in I don’t get the chance to see, but my pal Shana swung by and shot these pics of the gallery entrance, where lo and behold, my Luke and Darth Vader earrings are HUGE on the banner! No wonder those earrings sold!

Can I tell you again how much I LOVE S.C.R.A.P.! Not only are they doing another annual recycled art exhibition but TWO Exhibitions at the same time! Crazy people but spreads the love out I suppose. Titled Revisions: New Creations from scrap both shows run Dec 11, 2009 – Jan 29, 2010 at reMake Lounge and The SF Eco-Center. Each  show has its own opening reception, the first is THIS Friday, December 11 from 6-8pm at the reMake Lounge/Green Zebra space at the Crocker Galleria 50 Post St. Located in downtown SF  the Galleria is right outside of the Montgomery Station, and walk on the bottom level towards Sutter St.  The Eco-Center’s opening is Jan 14, 5:30-7:30pm at 11 Grove St (across from the SF Main Library).

At the reMake Lounge show you’ll see Cher the Love: Strong Enough Thong in her full ensemble of Soda holder & Sequin Boa and Silver/Sushi tray Halter. She’s proudly displayed in the window against a lovely recycled red cup ceiling sculpture installation. Can’t wait to take a photo and share with  you all, it’s super cool and works so well together. A closeup shot of the thong is also on the postcard! SCRAP uses my images every year, bless em!

SCRAP exhibition postcard

Encrypted

So much to report on what’s going on with my work this fall/winter! Can barely keep up on the exhibitions and holiday events, but I will do my best to get it all down here. First, and foremost, I made a brand new recycled art piece, non-LEGO for a change of pace. Encrypted is a set of 3 brooches in a wall environment that was made specifically for the National Ornamental Metal Museum’s exhibition “Remake/Remodel” Nov 13, 2009- Jan 31, 2010 (see image, left). An invitational show, artists were asked to select a piece from NOMM’s Permanent Collection and then reinterpret the work into new pieces. I choose an iron coffer from Germany, 1650 as I found the locking mechanism on the inside of the lid very ornate with beautiful shapes (see image below).

German coffer, 1650

Here is my artist statement for Encrypted:

“Computers are the “coffers” of the 21st century. They hold everything personal such as family photos, finances, and work projects stored for prosperity inside a hard drive. They serve as our portal to the outside world where we conduct “secure” business with others via encrypted systems and passwords. Private data can shared securely with others electronically via “keys” which lock (encrypt) and unlock data. While someone can physically steal a computer, they cannot gain access to the treasures within as long as the system has been Encrypted.

The computer components and circuitry in Encrypted were compiled from abandoned and damaged computers found in the street or donated by friends. Created as a companion piece to an iron German Coffer (1650) from the National Ornamental Metal Museum’s Permanent Collection. The decorative quality of the iron coffer’s internal lid locking mechanisms informed the design of the three brooches; the coffer’s wood base inspired the layered wall environment for the brooches to rest.” * * * * * *

It was quite amazing that while I was thinking about this piece before I started designing it, I would step out of my apartment and spot random computers and circuit boards laying on the street! Waiting for me just like that! The power of visualization at its best, I tell ya. Thanks to Aimee Golant for donating her evil Dell tower, which provided me with some of the loveliest mechanisms that I used in the brooches.

The wall environment is made up of recycled circuit boards and sterling silver. Measures 17 5/8″L x 7.25″W x 3″D. The Key brooches are made of recycled circuit boards/computer parts/Plexiglass; sterling & fine silver, brass, gold, aluminum, steel. Key 1 measures 11″L x 4.75″W x 7/8″D. Key 2 measures 5 1/8″L x 2 .25″W x 1 .5″D. Key 3 measures 3.75″L x 2″W x 1″D.

Here are close up images of the individual Key brooches. Next post I’ll share with you images of the custom box made for Encrypted and some tips for professional art packing…

Encrypted Key 3

Encrypted Key 2

Encrypted Key 1

This coming Thursday, Sept 10 I will be back at my alma mater Syracuse University (it’s been over 12 years!) to do my Top Ten Tips for Post Grad Success workshop for the Jewelry & Metalsmithing Dept, plus give an evening artist talk at 7pm. The workshop is only for students, but I believe the artist talk is open to the public. The talk will be held at the Comart facility at 119 Comstock Ave, Room 022 (see poster below).

emiko SU poster

I’m super excited to share my decade+ of real world experience with the students, as I often hear that Professional Development is not covered in the classroom and SHOULD be. The Professional Guidelines (co-sponsored by SNAG, Harriete Estel Berman, chair) is definitely going to be an underlying thread to the afternoon, plus interactive activities, worksheets, demos. Get ready for brain explosion!
Highlights from the lecture will be posted on this blog in the weeks ahead–so stay tuned!

LEGO Blue Steel Necklace and domino bracelet

The evening lecture will focus on my work from the last 4 years, mostly the LEGO series, so if you’re in the area, bring your buddies along for a trip down brick geek lane…..