Adorn - A Jewelry Invitational January 15 2020
On View: January 24 - February 22, 2020
Opening Reception: Sat., February 1, 4-7 PM
Exhibition Debut During IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts with extended gallery hours: Friday, January 24 through Sunday, January 26, 10 AM - 5 PM
Join us for the opening of Adorn, a national jewelry invitational featuring a broad cross-section of wearable designs by a mix of accomplished jewelry artists from across the country.
The eleven artists in this year's exhibition are Eliana Arenas of Charlotte, NC; Linda Azar of Candler, NC; Gabrielle Gould of St. Augustine, FL; Jason Janow of Asheville, NC; Allison Kline of New Smyrna Beach, FL; Jennifer Letter of Boulder, CO; Nikki Nation of Denver, CO; Mary Schimpff Webb of New Smyrna Beach, FL; Wendy Thurlow of Bradenton, FL, and Jeff and Susan Wise of Durango, CO.
CLICK HERE for complete artist biographies.
About the Exhibition
Arts on Douglas has a long history of displaying fine art jewelry. For this year's invitational, Gallery Director, Meghan Martin has curated an exceptional group of jewelers from across the nation to showcase their original contemporary designs. This annual exhibition provides a rare opportunity for jewelry enthusiasts to expand their collections while also embracing the spirit of gift-giving, with Valentine's Day on the horizon.
Working with materials such as metal, gems, beads, shells, and stones, each artist has developed their own unique style. Gabrielle Gould, for example, draws from her life in coastal Florida as inspiration for her work. She creates earrings and necklaces that are based on species of birds, fish and even beetles common to her geographic area. These objects are typically made in silver and embellished with high karat gold and enamel. Feathers and shells are also regular elements in her work. Gould is known for the elegant feather necklaces she creates, as can be seen with her piece titled Multi-Feather Cascade. She explains, “Inspired partly by the ornamentation of indigenous people, my use of feathers is comparable to today's prevalent use of gemstones. The color, texture, and size of each of the feathers are carefully considered when I create these one-of-a-kind necklaces.” For each necklace, Gould organizes, trims, and hand-wraps each feather onto the neckpiece. She fabricates armatures in silver or gold from which she then attaches the feathers. These metal forms are linked, strung and/or woven to allow movement with the body and a textile-like feel.
Jeff and Susan Wise also have a unique style, collaborating on one-of-a-kind jewelry that seamlessly integrates sculptured gemstones and metals. They have exhibited their jewelry nationally and internationally and their work is held in the permanent collections of prestigious organizations including the Smithsonian Institute, Boston Museum of Fine Art, and the New York Museum of Art and Design. Jeff and Susan scrutinize every detail, cutting their own stones and designing clasps that are totally integrated into the aesthetics of each piece. They elaborate, “We embrace the challenge of making work that is light and comfortable, yet powerful in scale and concept.” This attention to detail can be seen in their Turquoise Necklace that delicately pairs carved turquoise with a bouquet of complementary gemstones, set against gold and sterling accents that bring everything together in this eye-catching statement piece.
Another highlight of this year's exhibition is a display of unseen work from the personal collection of the nationally renowned modernist jeweler, Mary Schimpff Webb (1922-2019). Mary is considered a pioneer of modern art jewelry design and her designs are revered for their fluid and sculptural integration of form and function. Mary has been represented by Arts on Douglas since its inception in 1996. Webb passed away in 2019, but her legacy lives on through the unique, innovative handcrafted jewelry that she has shared with the world.
CLICK HERE to preview jewelry in the exhibition.
Images above:
Gabrielle Gould, Multi-Feather Cascade, natural feathers, oxidized sterling silver (left)
Jeff and Susan Wise, Turquoise Necklace, 22K gold, 18K gold, and sterling silver set with carved turquoise, tourmalines, zircons, boulder opals and aquamarines (right)