Materials: Fine silver and fresh water pearls
Dimensions: 3cm x 2cm
I believe there are two sides to every humans, the solid and the wavering. What is different, is our personal experiences that formed each of us, and that is what makes each of us able to bring something unique to all.
Photo credit: Mireille Dalpe Prazeres
Mireille Dalpé Prazeres
Earth, Stone and Wire
Ottawa, Ontario. Canada
My background is a full time worker in government and a pastel and watercolour artist. I started jewellery making in 2007 with beads, stringing, working my way slowly to using plated wires and then sterling silver sheets and fine silver. Acquiring tools and equipment gradually.
Then, in 2009, with a friend, we created Earth, Stone and Wire. I now concentrate full time on making jewellery for my small business.
My inspiration often comes from nature and from the natural material our planet provides and their marvellous colors. I use real stones, organic material, fine silver and sterling silver for my creations. I thrive on the continual mastery of my craft; as I acquire new knowledge, it pushes me into unknown territories of design, which I find very exciting.
As a small business run from home, it makes it comfortably intimate for me and I have no pressure of mass producing something that sells. For now this satisfies me.
My pleasure is creating and problem solving. I take great satisfaction in a successful project that tested my skills and from which I learned, it is like being in school every day. I am self-learned and I take great pleasure in continuously learning new techniques or perfecting the ones I use.
In the future, I would like to explore coloring metals with coloured pencils and polymer clay as well, as I love colours!
Ultimately, my greatest joy is knowing that each piece my clients wear is unique and one-of-a-kind jewellery!
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.
