Blog > March 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

See-through cities and simple shapes from Costa Rica's Yurika (Kimberly Yurica Herrera).

	Bonus link: Rings photo-etched with city buildings by UK jeweller Sara Gunn.
	Also admiring: "Double City" bangle by California's Isabelle Posillico.

Friday, March 28, 2014

I try to use him sparingly but these rings have pushed me over the edge — break out the spinning Homer (even better with sound)! That's how excited I am about the "Zoo" collection by Japan's Ramiko (Hiroko Kitabayashi). Woop woop!

	Bonus link: "Mindful Monkey" ring by Dutch jeweller Beryl Dingemans.
	Also admiring: Penguin earrings by L.A.'s Michelle Chang (I love her small jewellery).

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Time for Five in a Flash, angles edition.

Above: "Fractals" ring by Rhode Island's Tess Feigenbaum.

Etched plywood from the UK's Abdou Oscar Cisse.

"Semi-Star" ring by Vancouver's Harth (Holly Rae Arthur).

Pyrite ring by the UK's Andrew Grima. [Correction: it's actually by his daughter, Francesca Grima!]

"Folded Mirror" by New York-based Australian Eloise Weston.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

In Romance languages, "jewellery" (bijoux, joyas, jóias, etc.) and "game" (jeu, juego, jogo, etc.) have the same Latin root, jocus. This likely did not escape the notice of Argentina's Lucía Mishquila Brichta, creator of these nostalgic, acrylic, analog game rings (including Tetris!). I love, aime, amo them. Check them out through her line, CHI Joyería Urbana.

Also admiring: Another Joyería Urbana, this one from Mexico.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Using basic, minimalist shapes in metal, wood and ebony, Portland's Autoctona presents "a contemporary reinterpretation of the amulet."

	Bonus link: Another take on circle/square/triangle from Slovakia's Petra Arbet.
	Also admiring: More basic shapes from Japan's Gregorio Gleam.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Works in granite by Rodin Rodete of Mexico.

	Bonus link: Rock ring by Japan's Chie Kudo.
	Also admiring: Ceramic pendant in "granite gold" by Germany's Pictofactum.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

New in the shop: Murano Glass Aurora

Friday, March 21, 2014

These rings by Japan's Dirocca are exactly the kind that started my obsession in the first place: chunky, translucent and colourful.

	Bonus link: For monochrome acrylic, check out Sweden's SisKa (Ekaterina Sisfontes).
	Also admiring: Typographic acrylic animal brooches from Japan's Mass Item.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

These rings really light up a room. They could also light up your curtains. Seriously, you may want an extinguisher nearby.

Check out Texas metalsmith John Garrott's "Ignition" series, in which wood and alcohol are burned while "held in trough forms or architectural armatures."

	Bonus link: Brass "matches" ring by French designer Elise Fauveau.
	Also admiring: LED neckpieces by the UK's Dian Luo.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Nature's great, forests are great, but, sometimes, don't you just think every tree would be improved by a metallic exoskeleton? One look at these pieces by Japan's Chisa Takagi (whose last name, incidentally, means "tall tree") and how could you not?

	Bonus link: Spacer ring with soil and plant by Japan's Tocohana (Mayumi Nakura).
	Also admiring: Metallic leaves pendant by the UK's Lorraine Allan.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Faces, fragmented like ancient busts, by UK sculptor Joy Bonfield Colombara.

	Bonus link: Ancient Greek "Aphrodite" coin ring by Judith Altruda of Washington state.
	Also admiring: More faces from Sweden's Gunilla Grahn.

Monday, March 17, 2014

I'm sorry, Breaking Bad, but best drama goes to Greek jeweller Nikos Koulis.

	Bonus link: "Attica II" with white sapphires from New York's Plukka.
	Also admiring: "Queen Anne's Lace" cuff by New York's Shawn Warren.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Never got a chance to show off your inner Odette? UK jeweller Katie Snow can help with "Becoming a Ballerina" — without destroying your toes.

	Bonus link: "Dance" ring by the ubiquitous Dogeared of California.
	Also admiring: Figure skater pendant by Israel's Dalia Shamir.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

These industrial rings really turn my crank. Check out the UK's Franziska Lusser for unconventionally gorgeous jewellery featuring hardware, wood, and acrylic with metal dust inclusions.

	Bonus link: "Regulate" ring with electric fuse by the UK's Karen Lester.
	Also admiring: Pliers pendant from the "Tools" collection by UK jeweller Daniel Darby.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

"Emotional Landscapes" in glass, silver and metal paint by Israel's Daniella Saraya.

Check her site for more art jewellery, like this bone ring.

	Bonus link: "Metal Bone" ring that is neither (it's plastic!) by French jeweller Bohemian at Heart (Aurélie Martini).
	Also admiring: Explorations of bone, flesh and skin by Belgian artist Hannah Joris.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

See the sea through the (blinking doll) eyes of New York's Kt Ferris Creations, who's inspired by ocean life.

	Bonus link: More eyelashes from Eliana Alcantara, a Brazilian jeweller in Spain.
	Also admiring: "Eye of the Beholder" by Maryland artist April Wood.

Monday, March 10, 2014

I've featured skateboard rings before. Skateboarder rings? This would be a first.

Check out New York's Michael Raymond, a guy who's clearly having fun with his work.

	Bonus link: A recycled skateboard ring made from the wheel rather than the wood, by Illinois' Michael Ruta.
	Also admiring: Lego skater pendant by London's Freaky Finery.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Two weeks ago, I posted a hand piece based on the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, and I mentioned then that I'd be posting another. You may have noticed, but, here it is. This one's by Heather Roblin, one of seven members of Ontario's Mellon Collective — and since they all do jewellery, let's turn this into another Five in a Flash Seven on the Seventh.

"Thy Fearful Symmetry" by Liane Vaz.

"Soft Floral" by Jocelyn Kaldeway, aka Edi Mae Creative Studio.

Brass rings with interchangeable tops by Adelle Dubblestyne.

Silver bands by Cheyenne Twiner, aka FeedingOnFrost.

Bee ring by ML Designs (Meg Lizabet); view images here until her site is ready.

The final member of the collective also has a site that's still under construction, so I have no ring to show, but here's an earring from Victor Mok's "Meld" collection.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

This ring makes me feel like I should sit in it, open my binder and copy notes off the chalkboard.

Check out Antwerp-based Slovakian jeweller Veroin (Veronika Blazickova) for work in olive wood, silver, gemstones and more.

	Bonus link: Chunky, colourful, solid wood rings by California sculptor Mark Knize.
	Also admiring: Wood veneer cuff by English furniture maker Chris Funnell.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Rings in silver, wood paste, marble powder and pigment by Italian jeweller Daniela Boieri.

	Bonus link: Marbled pigment in resin (not marble powder and pigment) from Italy's The Good Machinery.
	Also admiring: Organic metal and twisted bangles from BC's Catherine Hartley.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Wait — so I do like the sight of blood? Above: epoxy resin "Core Samples" from Mexico's Mariana Acosta.

	Bonus link: For balls that are more like corsets than cores, check out Themonik (Poland's Monika Gajewska).
	Also admiring: 3D-printed ball pendant from Belgium's Ola (Ina Suffeleers).

Monday, March 3, 2014

If you know who Lumpy Space Princess is, you know this must be her jeweller. Check out the humorous works of the UK's Jennifer Glen.

	Bonus link: More cartoonish critters from Japan's Dehara.
	Also admiring: Lumpy, bulbous felt by Massachusetts artist Nikky Bergman