Jewelry of a Feather and Other Materials and Techniques that Flock Together

Candy colored bracelets by Carol Martin Jewelry.

The thing about jewelry is that creativity and art doesn’t have to be restricted to precious materials or a structured ways of doing things. Individuality was clearly evident and prevalent among the jewelry designers at the recent Buyers Market of American Craft show held in Philadelphia, held Feb. 17-21. 

Carol Martin Jewelry

The Durango, Colo., resident specializes in pate de verre and kiln cast glass methods. Kiln casting involves the preparation of a mould that is filled with solid glass granules or lumps that's heated to a high temperature to fill the mould. Pate de verre is a form of kiln casting that uses finely crushed glass mixed with a binding material to create a paste that is applied to the inner surface of a negative mould forming a coating. The coated mould is fired and the glass is fused creating a hollow object. Needless to say these are labor intestine techniques so it is rare in jewelry design. She also does precious metal fabrication in sterling silver, 14k gold and gold fill, a solid layer of gold bonded with heat and pressure to a base metal such as brass. The result of all this work is serious jewelry with a playful appearance. It includes candy-colored bracelets (top picture) in round, square and triangular shapes; rings with center glass pieces that look like colored gemstones; pendants that appear like colorful glow sticks; and bracelets built of glass beads fitted with a sterling silver clasp (pictured above).

Volver A Volar

The first booth I stopped at during the BMAC jewelry preview, Feb. 17, was showcasing earrings made of rooster feathers and silver. Totally natural, the multi-colored feathers, which included orange, yellow and white in various natural designs, stood out boldly mixed among the black feathers, which were the most common. They are the work of Sonia Lub, a Napa Valley resident who began the business last year. The name of the company is Spanish for, “To fly away.”

 Sergio Lub

Sharing the booth with Sonia was her father, Sergio, who was showing his hand-crafted copper and magnetic bracelets, which the native of Argentina has been making since 1969. They come in various designs and of course these types of bracelets have been popular in recent years because of possible added health benefits. For example, being near a magnetic force may result in increased circulation. Meanwhile, small amounts of cooper absorbed through the skin may have benefits for those who suffer from arthritis.

Gerhard Herbst

The German native is a metalsmith works primarily with 14k to 18k gold, sterling silver and platinum that he occasionally matches with various gemstones and pearls. He does bring an unusual perspective to his designs. He seems to enjoy stretching the metals into loops and other curved shapes of varying degrees of thickness. It’s most evident in his double-looped oversized bracelets that crossover a person’s arm. 

Terri Lindelow

Among the items that the jewelry artist was displaying, was a group of colorful flat earrings made of hand-pigmented resin and sterling silver. The different colors and shades swirl and blend in circular patterns like water. They come in several shapes, including round, teardrop, oval and marquis.

Ellinghaus’ Dancing Pendants

14K pendant with black and white agate and garnet.

It’s easy to see that metalsmith Nancy Ellinghaus enjoys her work. “There’s nothing like picking up a hammer and making things move,” she said during the recent Buyers Market of American Craft show in Philadelphia.

14K pendant with opal.

Ellinghaus specializes in pendants in 14k gold or silver. She pairs her metal circular and wave-like shapes with a variety of colored gemstones. Some sparkle, others have depth of color. There’s a definite consistency in Ellinghaus’ style. Metal on the finished pieces are thin and curved with lots of open space. The gems appear  balanced on the metal. The finished pieces appear delicate and seem to twist and turn in space, like a ballerina.

“I’m very fond of negative space and I try to capture a sense of motion in all of my pieces,” she said.

J. Rudy Lewis Jewelry Searches for Historical and Cultural Truths

Victoria's Cuff in silver and brass with leather.

Metalsmith J. Rudy Lewis had one of the shorter commutes of all the exhibitors at the Buyers Market of American Craft show. That’s because he lives in Philadelphia where the trade show for fine craft and art products was held February 17-21.

Lewis works with gold, silver and leather. He produces jewelry for women, men and children, in some cases his pieces can be worn by either sex. They are roughly finished by hammering and often paired with rough diamonds. His cuffs, whether metal or leather or both, wrap around the arm.

“They are hand-cut and finished myself. The wavy patterns represent an ancient of older look,” he said. "The hammering and wrapping represent ritual.”

His designs and the stories describing his work are influenced by his interest in history and culture. His recent freeform brass, silver and leather cuffs he presented at the show reflect these interests.

For example, his Victoria’s cuff (top photo) has the shape and appearance of a woman’s corset, particularly with the vulture head buttons. It is available in brass and silver and can be matched with hand-fabricated leather. 

His Uluru Dreaming cuff (left) is an even more extreme example of Lewis’ look into the past, an extremely roughly forged metal that looks torn and tattered in some places that is dotted with various rough diamonds. He says the rough diamonds give the cuff a “cave effect,” and that the work is a representation of “history, art and a traveler’s journey.”

Scandinavian Inspired Lorak Jewelry Designs

18k Hot Pepper pendant with diamonds.

There were a few new jewelry designers at the recent Buyers Market of American Craft show in Philadelphia and one of those new faces was Anna Lorich Akers, who operates under the name, Lorak Designs.

The recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design says she her main influence comes from her Scandinavian heritage, admiring the region’s functional and clean designs.

“I use organic, natural shapes with the clean and utilitarian qualities of Scandinavian design,” she said.

Her Forma collection most typifies this approach, whether she is creating a hot pepper pendant of 18k gold with diamonds (top photo) or her silver Flutter Flap necklace (left) the pieces are straightforward and wearable.

The wave pendant from her Oceana collection uses a large rose cut pear shaped milky Quartz as the center piece surrounded by 14k yellow gold with and dotted with seven white diamonds. She also makes her own chains, such as the 14k, 28-inch chain pictured.

Like any young entrepreneur she is engaged in social media, selling her jewelry directly online and having a Facebook friend page and a blog, which happens to list Jewelry News Network as a favorite site. This certainly accounts for her good taste.

Buffalo Symbolizes Marriage, Inspires Jewelry Design Business

A golden bird on a silver branch with opal flowers.

How often do businesses begin with an act of love inspired by the animal kingdom as seen on YouTube?

Manya Tessler and Roumen Vragov wanted to seal their marriage with a self-made ring. At the time, they were not jewelry designers but Tessler worked with clay and was able to create a ring. Vragov decided the inspiration for the ring should be a Buffalo. Why a Buffalo? Because the Brooklyn couple saw a YouTube video in which a pride of lions attack a herd of water buffalo. The lions, as they often do, went after the youngest prey and caught it. It looked the baby would be killed. However, the entire herd of water buffalo returned and saved the baby. It is an extremely dramatic video and I haven’t even mentioned the crocodile. The 18k yellow gold wedding ring (left) depicts two intertwined buffaloes.

“We thought it was a good symbol for family and loyalty and love,” Tessler said during the recent Buyers Market of American Craft show in Philadelphia. So a marriage was consummated and about a couple years later a business was born, Manya & Roumen.

Their work is based on flora and fauna pieces of many shapes and sizes. Given Tessler’s background the creations are extremely sculptural. They work with 18k gold, silver, colored gemstones and diamonds that are carved and sculpted into shapes with detail not normally found on items as small as jewelry. Some pieces even challenge the conventional nature of jewelry such as the ring they were displaying at BMAC (pictured at top), which goes on the index finger and runs across all the fingers. The ring depicts an 18k golden bird with its head slightly turned to one side resting on a sterling silver branch. The branch’s lines are detailed and appear worn, as one would expect on a mature tree. The flowers on the branch are carved pink opal.

For an added bonus, here’s the video that symbolizes their relationship and inspired their business.

'Have Jewelry, Will Travel'

"Tribal Goddess": A necklace made of hand-strung nylon with pearl shell dagger beads, transparent glass seed beads, shell seed beads, shell marquise beads, tumbled freshwater pearl beads, natural barrel shell beads and silver adjustable lobster-claw clasp. Bond’s inspiration for this piece was the jewelry worn by women of the Masaai tribe in Tanzania. 

In my introduction to this Web site I did promise that I would include the work of promising new jewelry designers. Now it’s time to back that statement.

Chelsea Bond has had an interesting life. She’s traveled extensively throughout the world, including spending more than three months circling the globe for Semester at Sea. Bond, recently married, is now settled in Dallas where she recreates her travel experiences by making hand-made exotic travel-inspired jewelry and selling them through a company she founded, [Red-I] by Chelsea, with the motto, "Have Jewelry, Will Travel."

"South Africa": A wooden cuff bracelet with a hand-painted acrylic design inspired by the vineyards and local marketplaces outside of Cape Town, South Africa.

“My influences and inspirations are every single trip I've taken around this amazing globe,” Bond recently told Jewelry News Network. “I've been privileged enough to view celebrations in India, swim in the Andaman sea and circle the earth on a ship. … The beauty of the earth and unforgettable circumstances all play a part in Red-I.”

She primarily uses organic materials—including stone, semi-precious gems, glass beads, suede, wooden beads and shells—to create her necklaces, bracelets, earrings, barefoot pieces, and other works. Each piece represents a place where she’s visited. 

“I love blending different textures such as the metal and suede to create a unique and sleek, yet still earthy and eclectic feel.”

Bond says those who buy her jewelry have a strong sense of individual style and an adventurous spirit.

“The type of person that buys my jewelry has a unique personality and a zest for life,” she said. “If they have not extensively traveled, they want to. The pieces speak to the places they have been or places they long to reach one day. My clients appreciate detail and craftsmanship and more importantly, want to be the center of attention.”

She adds, “I have a huge passion for this industry and hope to translate this through my own designs.”

She’s certainly on her way.

Additional captions:

"Andaman Coffee Shell and Ocean Glass": Barefoot Jewelry made of hand-strung stretch nylon with transparent glass seed beads, peacock ceramic globe beads, coffee ceramic shell bead and translucent aquamarine plastic gems that takes its inspiration from the turquoise water of the Andaman Sea and the “sugary” beaches and rocks of Kho Phi Phi island, Thailand.

"Azúcar y Mar (Sugar and Sea)": Hand-strung nylon with semi precious tumbled white agate stone beads, mother of pearl marquise pendants, glass seed beads, aquamarine plastic gems, blue shell beads plastic gems, glass seed beads and blue shell beads are the dominate materials for this necklace and earrings set, which takes its inspiration from the sandy beaches and the turquoise Caribbean waters of Riviera Maya, Mexico.

"Flamenco": Hand-strung nylon with turquoise howlite stone beads, coral howlite stone beads, transparent glass seed beads, peacock ceramic globe beads, and turquoise howlite ceramic barrel beads are the dominate materials use for this necklace, bracelet and earrings set, which takes inspiration from the flamenco shows she saw while living in Spain.