Materials: fine silver clay, natural zircon gem, inks
Dimensions: 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"
The inspiration for this piece came to me when we had the Gulf oil leak of 2010. The leak had been stopped and the long process of cleaning up the oil had been on-going for awhile when all of a sudden the oil started to disappear. If I remember correctly it essentially was gone in 3 weeks. Amazing. and this one lone scientist from New Hampshire said the fish? bacteria? or amoeba? in the gulf was using the oil for food. Unbelievable!
Sharon Doan Henderson Art Jewelry
Marietta, Georgia. USA
I’ve always liked fashion and design…my mother tried to convince me to at least apply to Parsons School of Design… but - being a teenager - I did not see the wisdom of her thinking. And here I am. …many, many years later…following her suggestions. I love to work with anything visual - and the precise techniques required in jewelry fabrication never cease to fascinate and challenge me.
I started out 10 years ago as a traditional metalsmith…loved working with the torch. And have tried a myriad of different techniques over the years…trying to meshing them all together…metalsmithing, enameling,and working with clay -which I especially like .
My interests in science and history and being good caretakers of our environment provide endless inspiration for me.
Ganoksin hosts the jewelry list Orchid, with over 13,000 list members from all over the world, speaking from a wide range of technical and aesthetic experiences. The exhibition theme grew out of a desire to celebrate the creativity encompassed in this wide variety.
Artists were free to interpret the theme in any way they chose. Each artist could submit up to six pieces. Interpretations include uniting different materials into one cohesive form; intellectual and emotional “unitings”, where the meaning of the piece unites multiple concepts; the uniting of time - past, present and future; and a number that focus on the harmony created when uniting multiple materials and/or concepts.
The work submitted involved a wide range of jewelry techniques, from very traditional to very cutting edge, as well as using materials from traditional precious metals and gemstones to “re-purposed” and “up-cycled” materials.
The exhibition showcases 330 images chosen from entries from over 111 artists representing 26 countries.
Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Serbia, Spain, Trinidad, Turkey, UK, USA, Venezuela, and the Virgin Islands
Many of the participants began their interest in jewelry at a young age. Some are relative newcomers to the field, and some have over 35 years of experience as professional jewelers and goldsmiths. While some grew up in families that were goldsmiths, and followed in those footsteps, others only began creating jewelry as adults.
