Suspended neck ornaments provide endless design possibilities and challenges for contemporary artists. In this remarkable collection, you'll find 500 pendants and lockets that expand the aesthetic and conceptual notion of what jewelry can and should be. The pieces have been crafted from diverse materials such as precious metals, priceless gemstones, recycled plastic using various techniques including forging, enameling, casting, raising, and rapid prototyping. Mike Holmes and Elizabeth Shypertt, co-founders of the esteemed Velvet da Vinci gallery, have chosen the ornaments from thousands of entries. Inspiring and insightful commentaries from several of the artists illuminate the methods and meanings behind their works.
The pendant as a diminutive piece of personal sculture is a theme that runs throughout the collection. By working with found glass on East Building, Marianne Schliwinski brings what was formerly worthless into fresh context and a new level of meaning. Claude Chavent's Cage is completely flat. The finish makes light reflect in different directions, giving the illusion of volume.
The visual impact of Hyeseung Shin's Snowman, which comes from eccentric shapes and bold color, is meant to decorate the human body.
The locket is an engaging piece of jewelry because it's designed to hold objects of individual significance. Mikala Mortensen describes her silver silicone, and acrylic Pink Brain as "a modern locket, with a room shaped as a brain in which to keep small memories." Melanie Bilenker creates intimate scenes of a lover with drawings made of painstakingly placed human hair in Clean Clothes. Monica Buongiovanni's My Suitcase is a miniature tracel case lined with old photographs, while Boot Box #2, by Cynthia Toops and Chuck Domitrovich, is an intricately detailed, polymer clay and leather boot with a removable top.
Whether you're a jeweler, crafter, collector, scholar, or a jewelry enthusiast, you'll enjoy poring over these pages time and again.
The pendant as a diminutive piece of personal sculture is a theme that runs throughout the collection. By working with found glass on East Building, Marianne Schliwinski brings what was formerly worthless into fresh context and a new level of meaning. Claude Chavent's Cage is completely flat. The finish makes light reflect in different directions, giving the illusion of volume.
The visual impact of Hyeseung Shin's Snowman, which comes from eccentric shapes and bold color, is meant to decorate the human body.
The locket is an engaging piece of jewelry because it's designed to hold objects of individual significance. Mikala Mortensen describes her silver silicone, and acrylic Pink Brain as "a modern locket, with a room shaped as a brain in which to keep small memories." Melanie Bilenker creates intimate scenes of a lover with drawings made of painstakingly placed human hair in Clean Clothes. Monica Buongiovanni's My Suitcase is a miniature tracel case lined with old photographs, while Boot Box #2, by Cynthia Toops and Chuck Domitrovich, is an intricately detailed, polymer clay and leather boot with a removable top.
Whether you're a jeweler, crafter, collector, scholar, or a jewelry enthusiast, you'll enjoy poring over these pages time and again.