Hello Sherry,
Thanks for your message. I agree with you that trading information
is a good idea. The only problem is that I said from europe because
it was simpler than explaining that I am from the UK but have moved
here to southern Portugal four years ago - so I don’t have much info
on continental europe. However I’ve put together some information
that might be useful to someone.
In the UK the Crafts Council supports all contemporary crafts
including silversmithing and jewellery. They have a gallery in London
and publish Crafts magazine monthly. Check out their web site which
at the moment has info on an exhibition of amazing Japanese jewellery
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk This site also gives listing of craft
galleries and shops in the UK and lists designer/makers.
There is also the ABDS (Association of British Designer
Silversmiths) www.theabds.co.uk which was formed in 1995 to promote
the work of younger silversmiths in Britain.
Dazzle is another interesting site- www.dazzle-exhibitions.com
They organise shows of modern jewellery around Christmas-time and the
summer in various cities.
In London there is Electrum, a jewellery gallery in South Molton
Street, which is always worth a visit. The OXO Tower Wharf
http://www.oxotower.co.uk which has several young jewellers and
enamellers and the Vicoria and Albert Museum has some new silver
galleries and also a good collection of jewellery through history up
to modern times.
In southern Portugal I have not found anything really interesting.
In Lisbon there is a school of jewellery and they had an interesting
but small exhibition when I was there in November
http://www.contactodirecto.org In Amsterdam, of course, there is the
Galerie Ra. When I was searching for their address I came across
http://www.metalcyberspace.com which lists places in both Europe and
America that would be worth looking at. . Hope the above is some use,
and perhaps others have more on this subject? Regards,
Margaret