Mystery Box

Jewelry Discussion
1

The other day there was a poster that was asking about how much to
charge for a rendering of a design. He then gave a link to some
seriously cool designs and some very pro renderings. Very, very
talented. Then another poster mentioned that the dude had just put
sixty or so designs on the net.

But I was not worried, because I know that beautiful as the
renderings are, if you give any one of those renderings to six
jewelers and tell them to make it, you will get six different pieces
of jewellery.

And then I wondered.

Why does Orchid not hold an Orchid design fair?

I say fair, because ‘competition’ is a bit unfair. Like competing
means that those that did not come first ‘ain’t as good’. And that is
never true or honest.

There are jewelers and designers in this forum that are really,
really good. From all over the world. And there are young ones who
are really, really keen.

Imagine: An amount of metal was specified and an amount of gemstones
allowed.

Once a fair parameter of materials has been set, a bottom line rule,
I imagine, would have to be met: namely, you can make anything with
the materials as you wish. But it has to be practical and wearable
jewellery.

My first thing I think of is a ‘mystery box.’ Something I have
written about before. But just to recap. — A mystery box is
something apprentice chefs are given. And with those ingredients
that they are given, they have to produce an edible dish.

So you can make anything with the materials as you wish. But it has
to be practical and wearable jewellery.

And whatever the ‘internet’ mystery box has in it, that is what you
will start off with.

You start equal, only with measurements or weights of material. The
material matters not. Copper, brass, titanium, silver, gold, PMC,
beads or whatever, that is your choice. And the rest is up to you.
Even though many Orchid members have other jobs, I imagine there has
to be a time limit and maybe one month might be ok? Not to short, not
to long.

And maybe the designs could be put up for sale and some of the
proceeds would go to Orchid? That would be cool.

Just a thought.
Cheers, Hans Meevis
http://www.meevis.com

2

Yup, yup yup!

I’d love this. I’m not good as many of the folks but I’d love to do
something.

I’m currently participating in another group with a multimedia art
swap.

The concept is a “treasure” that would be found in a box that would
be found under a child’s bed. You know when children find things and
keep them in a box and when they need a boost are in introspective
they go through their box of “treasures”.

The rules were that it had to represent a word. Not a trite word
(like love, hope, etc) it had to be between the sizes of 1.5"x2" and
2"x4" and no thicker than .5". It has to have the word incorporated
into it. It has to use multiple mediums. I chose to also have
multiple textures.

I had a ton of fun with this. I’ll be interested to see what others
come up with. I ended up making a mobile (small) that represented the
word “balance”. It was choc-full-o opposites that hung in balance on
this mobile (natural/man made, shiny/matte, colorful/black, yin/yang,
day/night, land/sea) and I used several different materials -
plastic, metal(of course), wood, shell, paper. I forged, colored and
glued and wire wrapped.

Lisa Fowler
LL Fowler Designs

3

yet another great “Hans’ idea”…some of us are poor, and this would
be a great way to give a portion of the proceeds to orchid…and it
puts everyone on a level field having the same material/quantities to
create from…i’d go for it…but perhaps 60 days to deadline, as some
of us are procrastinator’s as well…

4

As someone who has become seriously addicted to Project Runway
because I love seeing the way creative people approach challenges so
differently, I think this is a wonderful idea. I’ve been talking up
the idea of doing a “Project Jewelrybox” either as a competition (and
wouldn’t THAT be fascinating to watch every week!) or as a design
fair like the one Hans describes.

Either way it’s a way of “opening the design pores” and letting the
creative juices flow!

Karen Goeller
No Limitations Designs
www.nolimitations.com

5

This sounds like fun. I can’t hold a candle to most of you, but I
would love to try a few things, and see the results of everyone
else’s efforts. When do we start?

Lisa

6

I think the idea of a “mystery box” design promo is great, Hans. It
would be extremely interesting to see how the same materials are
transformed and interpreted by different artists. I’d do it and if
Orchid could benefit in some way I’d be even more inclined to
participate!

Victoria
www.vwdjewlery.com

7

I love the idea… I can actually see three catagories springing
from the same basic idea.

1: making something from a proscribed set of materials anything goes
with that amount of stuff

2: making something from a non-detailed workshop drawing, which
would be a technical challange and we’d get to see just how different
we are within constricted bounderies.

3: for the really poor, (yeah, me some months) a workshop drawing of
set parameters simmilar to catagory 1

Hrmmm I seem to be re-opening an old thread… oh well, I like it
anyway so there.

Norah Kerr
www.besmithian.com