Materials: Recycled bottle cap, image of young girl holding Lionel Train (under mica), components from Lionel toy trains, sterling silver with nuts and bolts.
Dimensions: 2.5" high x 1.5" wide
This piece was my first attempt at using narrative in my work, and was a personal piece for me. My father was an obsessive, major collector and restorer of Lionel toy trains for as long as I can remember until the day of his sudden passing, and he enjoyed Root Beer. The picture of the young girl is much as I looked at that same age. The various top components are from Lionel trains on which my father was working, that I recovered from his workbench at his passing.
Photo credit: Pam Wittfeld/artist
Pam Wittfeld
Charlotte, NC. USA
My education in metals for jewelry forms began in college at Florida State Univ with Fred Metzke. Upon graduation my work was limited due to lack of facilities, full-time Art Ed/teaching, and family. In recent years I have revisited my interest and enjoyed many challenges while pursuing new experiences at Penland, Arrowmont, Wildacres with FSG, and with self-initiated learning. I have been working with traditional metals and Precious Metal Clay, and most recently combining those materials and techniques with found objects and/or repurposed materials. My accomplishments have been recognized through acquisition of artist grants and scholarships, an artist residency, and publication of my work.
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.
