Jewelry From Found Objects

About a year ago, I was asked to participate in a book that fellow jeweler, Heather Skowood, was writing about jewelry made from found objects. Obviously, I was flattered to be a part of Heathers' project, which focuses on the use of found objects, and recycled or reclaimed materials in jewelry. The book includes work by a grouping of amazing international artists whose work supports the books topic, and I have some work included from my RISD thesis show. In addition to being a curated collection of work, the book also features some how-to projects as well.

The book is due to be released from the publisher on March 11th, which is just around the corner! But, if you can't wait that long, Jewelry From Found Objects is already available for presale on Amazon in the States and the UK. I can't wait to check out the end result, and am excited for Heather's accomplishment!

Pro Nailz!!

I am so excited to have my most recent round of documentation back from my photographer, Maureen Keaveny. The images came out wonderfully, and she really did a wonderful job capturing the essence of the pieces that I've recently completed. I'm most proud of the series of knuckle dusters that I've been working on, which feature bezel set acrylic nails.

I'd posted a while back about the process of teaching myself how to paint fancy nails, as well as the process of building the rings themselves. Now after unknown hours invested in this project, my first round of finished pieces has been completed, and I am thrilled.

Also, be sure to check out the music video for Kid Sister's song Pro Nails, below. I've become completely obsessed with this video, and have to admit that it was a major inspiration for this project.

To see the other images of my most recent work, visit my website here.

David LaChapelle

I've been away from my studio for a bit, and have been spending more time 'doing research.' Maybe I'm trying to justify my growing obsession with pop-culture, but I find myself recently attracted to highly saturated images and colors, high gloss, sparkly jewels, gold and diamond encrusted medallions, and just really extravagant objects and imagery. I'm not quite sure what it is about these stereotyped displays of wealth and culture that I find to enticing, but there is something about how these commercial goods and images so bluntly stroke my sensibilities and entice my inner consumer.

On a recent trip around the Internet, I came across this imaged by David LaChapelle. I have really always liked his use of hyper-saturated colors, and the high sheen that everything in his images seem to have. His subjects become plasticy objects, and everything is equalized into a glossy visual melee. Bordering on pop-grotesgue, he creates images that are visual cacophonies which seem to be suspended from time and place.

Davids imagery has the ability to transform even the classiest subject into an objectified commodity. The people in his photographs uncannily seem to lose their identity and morph into anonymous objects that could almost be mass produced.