Dear Ornament,
On the way to the kitchen from the studio, I saw that the mail was
in and the new issue of Ornament peaking out. I poured a cup of
coffee and thought to just take a moments look on the way back to the
studio. Instead, I took a moments look at every page. I was amazed as
each article unfolded! What an incredible issue! You cover such a
wide variety of subject matter: from one medium to the next, from one
culture to the next from one epoch to the next and such glorious
color photos! Thank you for the articles on Art Nouveau which I love
; on spectacular Peruvian feather art, the Roman face plaques I knew
nothing about (Dr. Robert, I must send you a jpg of a hand made face
bead I bought in Japan) and all the rest…I’m really looking forward
to reading them.
There is a thread on the Orchid website ( an online forum for
jewelers) that has been highly critical of Metalsmith’s Exhibition in
Print. I mention it here because there was one very well written
entry in defense of EIP that, while I agreed with most of it, made
one mistake in my opinion. Ornament was mentioned in a way that was
dismissive as " purely ornamental". There is much, to my delight,
that is purely ornamental indeed, but there is also a great deal of
important scholarly articles. They inform of artists, cultures and
methods long gone or little known in this country and in this time.
If one is interested in the history of the human pursuit of
adornment; contemporary or antique, in the meaning of these
expressions through time, I know of no better (and more thoroughly
enjoyable) place than Ornament.
It’s an inspired document issue after issue, thank you so much!
Please continue to surprise me; with beauty that delights the eye
and scholarship that informs the intellect and humanity that enriches
the soul. Love, Marianne Hunter
Marianne Hunter
http://www.hunter-studios.com