Materials: Argentium sterling silver, boulder opal
Dimensions: 2.25" x 1.5" x 0.5"
Chased, forged, fabricated and soldered silver with a center boulder opal. Cold stone and metal yields supple living form.
Photo credit: Wendy Walsh
Wendy Walsh
Wildwood, MO. USA
Working with metals I find it necessary to constantly strike a balance between the form I have in mind and what the metal lends itself to becoming. A plain strip of sheet metal can become a beautiful form with just a simple bend or twist. I usually begin with a simple form that I find intriguing and then build on it, drawing from animal and plant forms, sometimes incorporating a sense of motion. When I’m having trouble with the progression of my work, it’s usually because I’m fighting the material rather than taking advantage of its properties. My satisfaction comes from understanding the material and finding what it can do 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.
