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?

Well, well, I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake for jumping into the new year; all that sleep during Christmas and New Years is quite addictive and hard to give up so quickly. How did a month go by already (answer: many rainy nights cozy in bed ravishing the Twilight series….)?! Time to get back on the art train before laziness slips in. So many shows this past fall/winter, I’ve missed a few in these posts; catch-up time.

So, one of the most recent exhibitions happening now is Transmutations: Material Reborn at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (image above is from HCCC website). Curated by Susan Sloan, the artists were selected from the book she juried, 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs which was published this past fall by Lark Books. Lovely book and I only wish I could see the show in Houston. Luckily many other metalsmiths will get the chance to see it during the SNAG “going to Extremes” conference in March.

UPDATE:  the Houston Press posted this on Feb 5, 2010

eventful houston Transmutations

In the meantime, I’m enjoying seeing my LEGO necklaces images used as PR for the show. Too bad the red and white Cartier Blanc is not in the show after all (it sold during Sienna Gallery’s show So Fake They’ll Think It’s Real).

HCCC website

Here is the blurb about the show from HCCC’s site:
“Curated by celebrated jeweler, Susan Sloan, TRANSMUTATIONS:  Material Reborn showcases 28 international jewelry artists who transform materials, such as resin, latex, rubber, vinyl, and thermoplastics, into outrageous jewelry and wearable art.  The exhibition includes pieces meant for everyday adornment as well as those that make a larger-than-life statement—some of which are created in combination with more conventional materials, such as gold, silver, pearls, and gemstones.  Stop by the Artist Hall at HCCC to see this stunning array of wearables made from plastic Lego toy parts, precious materials, and found objects!”

Modern Luxury Houston

All My First Royal Jewels are officially out of the house and showing off their sparkle at various exhibitions through most of this month! Just recently, two shows opened on the East Coast at Sienna Gallery in Lenox, MA, and at the Atrium Art Gallery at Ball State University in Muncie, IN.

anya kivarkis ring

At Sienna is So Fake They’ll Think It’s Real (through Sept 21), a show curated by the group 18K GOLD TONE, inspired by their experience at a pawn shop, where the attendant tried to sell them an engagement ring with a huge plastic stone –”It’s so fake, they’ll think it’s real!” Posing the question, “When we can no longer discern the actual from the absurd where do our values fall?” All of us artists in the show have in our own ways subverted this idea of Real. Anya Kivarkis’s ring above is quite to this point.

karin seufert necklace

I love this necklace by Karin Seufert, probably because like my own work, it is mimicing a familiar, possibly historic style. And I hadn’t the slightest clue what the material was (until i saw a description–pvc!)–always a success when using alternative materials. Honored to be included in this show alongside such artists as: Pia Aleborg       Gijs Bakker Frédéric Braham        Mike Bray        Gisa Elmer        Karl Fritsch          Anya Kivarkis Mia Maljojoki        Trevor Mahovsky Karin Seufert       Kevin Yates        Rhonda Weppler

Hop over a few states to Indiana at Ball State University’s Atrium Art Gallery for a recycled art show, Reclaim Reuse Renew, through Sept 26. Artists who use  post consumer materials, leaving a lighter footprint with their art. The big names in this show are: Michelle Stitzlen, Boris Bally, Leo Sewell, and of course, Harriete Estel Berman. (Note that the images below do not neccessarily depict the exact work in the show, but rather give an example of their styles.)

Harriete Estel Berman's tin teacups

Leo Sewell's assemblage

Michelle Stitzlen's Butterfly

Boris Bally's use of traffic signs

The opening reception for re/PURPOSE at the African American Art and Culture Complex was quite the turnout last Thursday–besides the show that Christine and I are in (there we are in the photo to the left), the Simply Nina show upstairs had its opening as well. Not only did so many artists show up, but city officials like Ross Mirakami (District Supervisor) came to celebrate the newly renovated spaces (next month the city will have an official ribbon cutting, since funding for the renovations have come from the city). In the downstairs gallery, each of our jewelry-wearing mannequins sits statuesquely in their own window, facing the lobby. Just before we left at 8pm, we got in a little papparazzi action in front of our work. Check out more photos on my flickr.

my "Maharajah" LEGO necklace

my "Cygne Noir" LEGO necklace

Christine's circuit board breastplate

Christine's runway circuit piece

To add to my incredible emiko-o Month of Press (someone recently asked me “Who does your PR?”, and i was like, uhhhhh…you mean me?), the current issue of Metalsmith features My First Royal Jewels Collection, starting on page 46. An intelligent and interesting article, “Mining History: Ornamentalism Revisted“, written by Namita Gupta Wiggers (curator of Museum of Contemporary Craft, Portland OR) and Lena Vigna (curator, Miami University Art Museum, OH), takes us on a tour of contemporary jewelers (myself included) whose work harkens back to an earlier period of the decorative arts . I was overjoyed and floored that a full-page image of my Queen Margherita necklace was presented opposite the title page!

I really  had no idea that a return to ornamentalism was happening on a larger scale until I saw the Decorative Resurgance show that my work was in (and won first place for) this May at Rowan University. Then this article came out and now I’m seeing more and more exhibitions pop up in this vein. Works for me!

metalsmith article

Queen Margherita in Metalsmith

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.

jenny schneider and her jewelry

co-jurors of decorative resurgance

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”.

miel-margarita paredes "Gnaw"

Becky Chader's "Reliquary for Styrofoam Peanut"

Duchess 2 by emiko

Lifetime Achievement Award

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.”

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.

Reality is the exchange of information

The priority of social Equality is Knowledge

From information to knowledge

When you select you already have an idea

Creation is an act of will

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Jewelry in Motion at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was certainly a highlight of Day 2. All 34 of us who were showing in the event were corraled into the main entry in front of the grand staircase inside the museum, and given brief instruction on the catwalk, stair placement, and order of artists.

Here is just a sampling of images: James Thurman’s Book Jacket of recycled book covers, and Anthony Tammaro’s Here I Am chandelier-like neckpiece with bells that chimed. Below that is Christine Bossler’s Inhibit reverse arm pieces of monofilament and pearls.

James Thurman and Anthony Tammaro's piece

Christine Bossler's Inhibit

Curated by Gail Brown and organized by Marjorie Simon, everything fell into place, from the live music by Alex Styer, choreographed dancers from Jeanne Ruddy Dance, and witty emcees Lola Brooks and Jonathan Wahl.

Jewelry In Motion (photo by Jennifer Crupi)

There really is no better way to show jewelry than on the body, and after the show was over and we all descended the stairs and made our way off the catwalk, the cameras continued snapping and countless curious audience members introduced themselves to us to inspect the pieces.

emiko's jewelry in motion

Here I am (center) with SNAG member Alecia Wesner and my partner in catwalk crime, Christi Swier. The debut of my latest creations, Blue Steel (Boucheron replica), and Cygne Noir (Lalique replica). The costume designer in me couldn’t resist the opportunity to be theatrical with the 18th century wigs and ball gowns, especially after my Cher appearance at SNAG 05 at the Rock and Roll Hall. I encourage everyone who participates in future Jewelry In Motions to consider their entire get-up just as you would the display of your pieces in a gallery. Not only are you memorable, but it’s the best opportunity to meet TONS of people. Next JIM is SNAG ‘10 in Houston, so start designing now!

If you TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS of Jewelry in Motion, please let me know and I’ll post your links. So far, Jennifer Crupi has her images up on Picasa and Jennifer Zwilling has images on Flickr .  SNAG photographer, Phil Renato, has some raw b&w images on Flickr. And there were rumors that a local TV station was filming…I’ll keep you posted.