emiko-o reware

My new year started off just right with an order from the Smithsonian Museum stores! A great chance to knock out some new designs for spring (and reshoot some old favs). A lot of it is up on my etsy store, as well as in my New Lego Jewelry flickr set.

Here is my latest color scheme in cafe au day 1×4 bracelet, inspired by an elaborate paper cutout installation by Adriane Colburn, which I saw recently at the Museum of Craft & Folk Art in SF.

My earlier Limited Edition styles, Mondrian and sporty stripe were restyled into more affordable, smaller bracelets.

And, in channeling the warm breeze of spring, which seems to fall upon us in the Bay Area every 3 weeks or so, between our random cold weeks of winter, are ducky 1×4 and baby’s breath basic bracelets.

I’ll keep you posted on when the jewelry is available at the Smithsonian.

My show has been getting lots of attention on the web, I can barely keep up with the thank you emails. It is truly awesome. My favorite post so far has been from an Italian journalist, Anna Battista and her blog: Irenebrination: Notes on Art, Fashion, and Style. See her Oct 23rd entry:

The strangely (and fashionably) therapeutic power of Lego

She covers both my ready-to-wear line and the exhibition pieces. She writes, “Oye’s best pieces though are the ones she has done for different exhibitions and events.”

The day after that, LEGO blogger, Michael Huffman posted my show on his BrickBuildr blog; which is great since I don’t usually hear from fellow LEGO lovers.

Yesterday, the show was posted on Object Fetish, an online jewelry gallery run by Whitney Couch.

Lots of fun, seeing the work get posted. Check out more images on my flickr set, as well as images of people wearing my work on the SF Museum of Craft + Design’s flickr set. Here is a sneak peak at some of my fav photos from the interactive, digital part of my show…

People definitely discovered the Effects in Photobooth. Would be awesome to print all of these and plaster a wall with them….. stay tuned for more people images…

Last Thursday, Oct 16 was the artist reception for my show, My First Royal Jewels Jewellery Collection, at the SF Museum of Craft+Design. Finally, the day had arrived after an intensive, adrenalin-pumped month of prepping, making, photographing, and installing. Wow! I still can’t get over seeing my name all huge in vinyl wall lettering. My first solo show, and boy does it look sharp! It’s so exciting that it has a nice long run through Jan 4, 2009.

Here I am finally taking a moment to catch my breath and take it all in. Salut! Photos taken by the ever-gracious Matt Cantu, who made the digital interactive component of the show possible.

I really dig this angle, where you can see all four pieces, including Maharajah’s 6th necklace (in the mirror).

I feel that people really responded to seeing the process of each piece, through the drawings and historical photo reference. Above is The Duchess 2, based on a Cartier necklace and Harry Winston pendant. Below is The Duchess, based on a Cartier bib necklace.

Luckily, no one tripped over or got tangled in the brass ball chain that secures the necklaces to a fixed surface. It actually adds a bit of jewelry-esqueness which I like.

Turnout was super, considering it was an invitation-only event. Best part for me is observing people interact with my work, especially when they have that AHA realization that: A. They are allowed to try on the work,  B. It’s LEGO, and C. They can take a photo of themselves in that proud moment, wearing the work. And hopefully by the end of next week, these self-portraits will be viewable via the museum’s Flickr account. Stay tuned for more info on that front.

We’re planning on having a docent tour/walkthrough/2nd opening, very casual, sometime in November (tentative date: Nov 9, Sunday). The Critique Collective’s Jewelry_cycle show (see Julian at work!) will also have a walkthrough/tour at that time as well.

In case you’re near Union Sq and want to check out the shows at the museum:
SF Museum of Craft+Design
550 Sutter St @ Powell    SF CA 94102
Open Tues-Sun: Tues-Sat 10-5, Thur 10-7, Sun 12-5

Found my way into the cutest craft of the week via flickr, by way of the etsy treasury below; HouseOfMouse who makes the sweetest felt mice figures I’ve ever laid eyes on. I used to have a super obsession with collecting anything mouse until 8 years ago when a live one invaded my apartment and tormented me. These mice, however, may have cured my disaffection. Couldn’t help but share the smile with the rest of you out there.

Here is DJ Mouse Girl, and her description says, “DJ Mousy Mouse will keep you up all night with her funky beats and amazing scratching abilities (the records not your furniture). She comes complete with headphones and tiny little record in her hand. She is the perfect gift for anyone who loves clubbing, mixing or popular culture.” Go get one for yourself on her etsy site!

Hot off the bench is the second Pilates pose pendant, “Control Balance”, created in sterling silver especially for JoeandClara.com.

Joe & Clara is a Pilates inspired clothing, jewelry, and accessories company founded by my good friend, Romina Laygo. We started designing the pendants a couple of years ago, the first piece modeled after the “Teaser” pose. You can purchase the pendants through the JoeandClara store.

This time around, I documented the process of making the pendant, from graphic design to wax model to final casting. See the complete story on my flickr set titled, Pilates Pendant.