May 2009

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Weekend quickie: for obvious and narcissistic reasons, I present the carrot ring from San Diego jeweller Tara Magboo's "adorable mayhem" collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, May 29, 2009

So, do you know how to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on yourself? If not, and you're eating lunch right now, you may want to google the technique before reading on — because if you check out this jewellery and you gasp as hard as I did, you may find your veggie wrap lodged in your windpipe. Above: Chartres Cathedral ring with laminated photos by totally choke-worthy Rhode Island jeweller Tzu-Ju Chen. Below, "drape" and "fold" rings from her "lace" series and cast crystal rings with copper from her "electroform" series. Don't miss out on the rest of her work in foam, metal, paint, enamel and more.

Bonus link: speaking of cathedrals, Australia's ByNatalia (Natalia Krasnodebska) has architectural rings in powder-coated steel, including this white one that reminds me of a papal mitre.

Even more jewellery:

Victoria Moore (New York) - damascus steel
Cynthia Jacobs (Belgium) - modern metal
Luna Parc (New Jersey) - anatomy & kitchen
Frank Jochims (Germany) - archeological gold
Sara Withers (UK) - beaded necklaces

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Circle cluster ring by New York-based Mio Tokida. I know I just posted a circle cluster ring yesterday but it's ok because these things are like snowflakes: small, intricate, visually-appealing structures. Oh, and no two are exactly alike. Another sampling from the metalsmith below (these are shaped more like drops of rain than snow):

Bonus link: if you like the clusters and drops above, get the best of both worlds in this ring with a cluster of droplet shapes by Toronto's Alexandra Schleicher.

Even more jewellery:

Megan Marrin Graves (New York) - porcelain heads
Ditte Stepnicka (Denmark) - gold ovals
Solsida (Minnesota) - simple silver
Guen Palmer (UK) - metal & gems
Margo Manning (New Orleans) - shadow boxes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I think Jenny Bradley would make a good spider — she could spin gorgeous geometric structures that would attract and dazzle her prey, ensnaring them before they knew what was happening. Her portfolio is a web of latticed and clustered shapes and colours, in materials from silver to textiles to Mardi Gras beads. Check out the New Paltz, NY jeweller on this web at her site, Pretty Junk.

Bonus link:
Someone else who makes a good spider (spider ring, that is) is New York's Rob Wynne, an artist known for his glass and ceramic installations.

Even more jewellery:

Cynthia & Flavio Hobo (Italy) - crazy necklaces
Keri Starker (New York) - briolette clusters
Emily Morgan (UK) - rolling rocks
Modern Mystic (Asheville, NC) - silver tendrils
Eero Lintusaaren (Finland) - sculptural metal

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Beach wear for history nerds. If you haven't already recognized them, these bronze and silver rings represent two maritime heroes: 18th C Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Mediterranean, and Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. They're just two of many characters sculpted in London by Yunus Ascott and Eliza Higginbottom, aka Yunus & Eliza.

Bonus link: if you'd rather go big or go home when it comes to your Greek gods, Montreal's IlaDesign (Lydia Ilarion and Marin Marino) has this Zeus ring in their "ancient gold" collection.

Even more jewellery:

Holly Stein (Colorado) - bakelite buttons
Parrish Relics (Stoneham, MA) - romantic & regal
Claudio Pino (Montreal) - sculptural rings
Linda Lewin (Scotland) - metal & stones
Susanne Friis Bjørner (Denmark) - modern classics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday, May 25, 2009

"Faint praise" is a bad thing... so what do you call it when something's so awesome, it nearly makes you faint? That's how I feel about the work of Jennaca Leigh Davies, a Rhode Island jeweller who maintains a studio across the water in Fall River, Massachusetts. Her structural work in paper, enamel and metal is just too gorgeous for me to remain conscious. Above, her "umbrella" and "folded" rings in silver and paper. Below, alphabet bands for the typophiles out there:

Her enamel pieces are my favourite, so be sure to check them out on her site — here's a sampling for now:

Bonus link:
For more enamel, combined with copper, silver, coral, pearl, thread, gold, gold leaf, plastic and paint, check out L.A.'s Melissa Tolar.

Even more jewellery:

Angela Gerhard (Massachusetts) - contemporary enamel
Jayne Wallace (UK) - art jewellery
Pia Farrugia (Switzerland) - modern gold
Blue Piranha (Georgia) - silver & stones
Lil n Bi (Belgium) - chunky beads

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, May 22, 2009

Australian artist Vernon Bowden recycles materials from such unlikely sources as the Coca-Cola company and the US military, reducing (or is it elevating?) titans of industry to wearable art. The "Bad Juju" series makes jewellery out of bomb release mechanisms while the "Barbie" series turns Diet Coke cans into doll heads (as in the rings shown above). Visit his site for more, such as his "Pixie" rings, below:

Bonus link:
For more rings with a militaristic bent, check out the bullet rings from Palm Springs, California's Rings That Rock (Jeffrey Appling).

Even more jewellery:

Tobias Wistisen (Denmark) - shrunken heads
Anthony Tammaro (Philadelphia) - silicone neckpieces
Regine Schwarzer (Australia) - metal & gems
Irwin Franco (Amherst, NY) - hearts & butts
Melissa Hunt (UK) - silver & sea glass

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Allow me to indulge in one more scribbly extravaganza: this stainless steel ring by Australia's Amy Tamblyn. Below, one of her more serene pieces, in silver, stainless steel and red felt:

Bonus link:
Speaking of red felt, check out these marbled felt rings from Spanish accessories designer Núria González.

Even more jewellery:

Rachelle Thiewes (Texas) - steel & car paint
Furnish (Japan) - flat felt
Rowan Mersh (UK) - beads & textiles
Emma Wood (Australia) - metal & gems
Sparkling Sage (Los Angeles) - feminine gold

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Italy's Fabrizio Tridenti constructs complex, scribbly mini- sculptures in silver, iron and enamel.

Bonus link:
Not to be out-scribbled is UK artist Amy Duggan with her scratched-up, painted metal "scribble" ring in red and grey.

Even more jewellery:

Lisa Levine (New York) - modern chains
Siegfried de Buck (Belgium) - bold metal
Adam Palethorpe (UK) - recycled plastic
Amy Randall (Plano, TX) - silver & beads
Amber Erin (California) - classic gems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Throwing us for a loop — in black filament — are Switzerland's Carole Guinard (top, with blue acrylic) and England's Carly Petitt (bottom, with silver links).

For loops in metal, check out French jewellers Claire de Divonne ("helix" ring, top) and Bénédikt Aïchele ("whorl" ring, bottom right). The silver ring on the bottom left is another by Guinard.

Bonus link:
These half loopy, half leafy shapes in silver and gold are by Germany's Kathrin Saettele.

Even more jewellery:

Rebecca Skeels (UK) - spirals & triangles
Berdene du Toit (Toronto) - bold type
Lisa Hoskin (New Zealand) - crystal domes
Danielle Welmond (Los Angeles) - woven gems
Sarit Wolfus (Israel) - contemporary silver

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday, May 18, 2009

These rings are great conversation pieces — just don't expect the conversation to be pleasant. London's Gisèle Ganne explores death, mourning and divorce with her Victorian-inspired collections, subverting traditional symbols (as in her divorce rings, above). Some more of her work below:

Bonus link:
For a bird skull you can wear on just one finger, check out New Yorker Blue Bayer's bronze hummingbird ring.

Even more jewellery:

Hans Sonnaert (Belgium) - modern bands
Elizabeth Fine Jewellery (Australia) - fine & bridal
Kerri Wilder (Malibu, CA) - outlined shapes
Antonia Miletto (Italy) - ebony & gems
Grzesiek Blażko (Poland) - checkers & dots

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, May 15, 2009

I guess Bertrand Russell was right — math can be beautiful. Take Philippa Green (who made the blue deer ring), add fellow South African jeweller Ida Elsje (who made the engagement rings and bands), and the resulting mix of metal, resin and diamonds is the collaborative effort they call Situ.

Bonus link: another ring, another collaboration, this time between Sweden's ACNE (famous for their jeans) and Germany's Michael Zobel (whom I also mentioned last May).

Even more jewellery:

Ila & I (Texas) - modern classics
Nathan & Moe (New York) - gold & stones
Eddy & Edwina (Germany) - silver & textiles
Mimi & Marge (Vancouver) - contemporary metal
Wright & Teague (London) - charms & gems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Scotland's Misun Won claims to make "rhythmical structures out of one sheet of silver." But I think what she really means is that she makes "some of the awesomest rings ever." Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's another:

Bonus link: another somewhat "rhythmical structure" is this ring by Israeli jeweller David Weitzman of Ka Gold Jewelry, a "cosmic artist" whose designs incorporate spirituality and "sacred geometry."

Even more jewellery:

Carla Riccoboni (Italy) - patterns & textures
Johannes Borst (Germany) - geometric metal
Pretty Young Thing (New York) - "cartoon-chic"
Moira Findlay (Scotland) - contemporary silver
Tocco Finale (New Jersey) - semiprecious beads

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

From Lego to pizza, there've been a lot of playful rings in my recent posts. It's time to switch gears and go serious — as in the serious skills of Belgian metalsmith Elke Peeters, who made the arboreal piece above. Two more below; check out her site for the rest (including her series of lips with pearls):

Bonus link: if you love that blossom cluster ring but need something simpler for every day, check out this sweet violet ring by Boston's Melissa Rousseau.

Even more jewellery:

Sophy Reid (UK) - modern & botanical
Courtney Denise Lipson (Bellingham, WA) - bright mosaics
Manini (France) - leather flowers
Melissa Harris (Australia) - contemporary metal
Tina Lazzarine (Pennsylvania) - enamel & copper

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

You've just witnessed the miracle of ring-birth.

Germany's Nicole Walger demonstrates how she manipulates a geometric form to create her jewellery, letting the original shape of the metal — be it cube, cylinder or even bean — influence the final design.

Bonus link:
If (intact) cubes and squares are your thing, you'll definitely want to check out Baltimore metalsmith Hilary Hachey.

Even more jewellery:

Jennifer Rose (Los Angeles) - organic gold
Esther Fuchs (Germany) - lava-like
Kathy Bailey (Richmond, VA) - briolette clusters
Rea Ashlie (Singapore) - simple silver
Fi Mehra Designs (UK) - contemporary metal

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday, May 11, 2009

Sneak a peek into the diary of Italian designer Cecilia Fabbri and you'll find exaggerated girliness... with an edge (including the only "Alice in Wonderland" collection I've ever seen that contains a healthy dose of tarantula).

You'll also find blood and carbohydrates — and that's just scratching the surface of the world of wonders that is her site, My Magic Diary.

Bonus link:
For more acrylic girliness, there's the white babushka ring from England's Stolen Thunder (also available in wood).

Even more jewellery:

Hege Henriksen (Norway) - acrylic & silver
Green Avant-Garde (Florida) - recycled leather
Brooke Marks-Swanson (Indiana) - art brooches
Plastic Bat Designs (UK) - kitschy plastic
Laughing Girl Arts (Seattle) - geisha pendants

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Weekend quickie: not a ring post, but I forgot to add this link when I was going on about miniature people in bathing suits (the guy in the green trunks, in fact, seems to be the very same guy in the ring I posted on Thursday!). You won't want to miss the gallery of Paris photographers Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle, aka Minimiam.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, May 8, 2009

Speaking of plastic toy factories (as I was yesterday), here are some rings whose components I do know where to find. This jewellery is the "Legocy" of Italian designer Kiki Monsters.

Bonus link: Germany's Edition:Mathea makes ring bases compatible with Lego so you can raid your (or someone else's) kid's stash and build your own ring.

Even more jewellery:

Beldafactory (Czech Republic) - acrylic & silver
Lost & Found (Bend, OR) - found parts
Ulla Hörnfeldt (UK) - metal & gems
Ouch! by Ko-ko-no (Sweden) - enamel charms
Langani (Germany) - beads & bangles

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thursday, May 7, 2009

I consulted a few German phrase books but couldn't find a translation for, "Pardon me, where is the factory where they make miniature people dressed in bathing suits?" Strange, because it's clearly a booming industry in that country. At least, I'm assuming it is, since this isn't the first time I've come across acrylic rings embedded with miniature swimmers — nor is it the first time they've come from a German jeweller. While I ponder what that means, check out more from Heavy Metal Köln; there's also a mirror site at Heavy Metal Bonn. Just be prepared to test your memory when you visit (you'll know what I mean). Below, some of their acrylic bands:

Bonus link: yet another miniature swimmer ring. Seriously, where is that factory? Ring by Sabine Scheitler of S-Schmuckdesign, based you-know- where.

Even more jewellery:

Peter & Sabine Haarstick (Germany) - metal & gems
Teka & Zoe (Nevada) - organic enamel
Lindsay Mis (Charlottesville, VA) - art jewellery
LW Silver / Lisa Waldman (UK) - silver & stones
Bel Kai Designs (California) - framed prints

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Defacing money might seem incongruous with these recession times but these old coins are more collectibles than legal tender, anyway. Besides, it's more like re-facing than defacing when the results look like this! Cut-out coin rings by UK artist Rachel Eardley.

Bonus link:
Coin charm rings by Germany's Katrin Lucas, whose coins are decorated with ancient Greek motifs.

Even more jewellery:

Mod3rnart (Greece) - silver cutouts
Jessica de Carlo (Brooklyn) - modern gold
Megan Fales (Los Angeles) - custom silhouettes
Michael Niehl (Germany) - blue titanium
Marion Kane (UK) - twotone flowers

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Pass the chicken soup — these rings are run down, worn and weathered. In fact, they're "sick" rings by Mexico's Jorge Manilla, who currently resides in Belgium.

Above, some more weathered rings, this time by Pittsburgh's Melissa J. Tyson. The bands are her "melting pot" rings while the second set features found metals.

Bonus link:
For even more worn, weathered rings, see the hammered and forged pieces of Florida's Wendy Thurlow; pictured is her "sediment" ring.

Even more jewellery:

Meltinia Balabin (Finland) - oxidized sprouts
Erica Simon (New York) - beaded necklaces
Nilton Alves Cunha (Belgium) - white & gold
Cynthia Eid (Massachusetts) - sculptural silver
Lila Stern-Shewry (UK) - wire & stones

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday, May 4, 2009

Meet Japanese metalsmith Tadashi Koizumi of Pickle in the Pot — and say hello to his little friends.

(Pictured above are pendants, though you may be tempted to wear them as rings.)

Bonus link: for more feminine figures, check out the "Frances" ring (with your choice of enamel dress colour) by Brooklyn's Renée Frances, whose "vote" ring you've probably seen before.

Even more jewellery:

Natalie Nichols (New Orleans) - wrought iron
Jennifer Tuton (San Francisco) - chains & gems
Carla Whitemore (UK) - simple beads
Inbar Studio (Israel) - contemporary metal
Pilar Roldán (Spain) - silver figures

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday, May 1, 2009

♫ If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands [clap, clap]
♫ If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands [clap, clap]
♫ If you're happy and you know it, then your hands will surely show it, especially if they're adorned with one of these cheery silver and resin rings by Colombia's Jorge Lopera, the man behind Atomica [clap, clap].

Bonus link:
Germany's deGlüx (Ulrike Lechner) has similarly playful rings, but her silver cutouts reveal wood rather than resin.