Materials: copper, enamel, flocking, plastic
Dimensions: 3 1/3" x 2" x 3/5"
Yellow flocking tries to pull and separate away from copper and plastic latticework. The seemingly disparate materials are unified by the artist’s imposed context.
Jess Starkel
Lincoln, NE. USA
In my recent series, I drew from a large variety of different collected samples and left over parts from previous jewelry series. While the inspiration for prior work was private and esoteric, these brooches are more whimsical, and use my immediate response to the materials already present in my studio. This divergence in practice unifies each piece. Bold textures and colors vie with one another to dominate the jewelry. Traditional materials, such as copper and enamel, are combined with less conventional ones, like rubber and plastic. Yet, each piece has been carefully considered and has it’s own unifying theme. I took seemingly disparate parts and contextualized them as new jewelry. It is in this way that the differences unite the work.
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.
