Opening of "REpresented", New Jersey Metal Arts Guild

Come out and join the reception this Friday 6-9 PM, of the New Jersey Metal Arts Guild juried member show "REpresented", at the Firehouse Gallery in the cool Valley Arts district of Orange, NJ.

I have two pieces in the show. I am excited to see the growth of NJMAG, with two new co-presidents the upcoming year will be exciting.

"Process" NJ Metal Arts Guild Catalog Available

You can preview and purchase the show catalog for the New Jersey Metal Arts Guild show "Process". The show can be seen for one more week through October 21,  Kean University, Union NJ, Vaughn Eames Building, in the James Howe Gallery.

"Process"

The New Jersey Metal Arts Guild juried member show at Kean University, Union NJ will open  September 1st.  In addition to the art, the show called "Process" will exhibit various support materials to document and illuminate the creative and technical processes artists used to arrive at the completed object. This is our 2nd biennial show, showcasing the diverse jewelry practices of metal artists in the state.



 Ken MacBain is showing a perfectly detailed "Trophy" ring and Jennifer Crupi has contributed a wonderful  piece from her gesture series, a bracelet attached to rings for the perfect graceful hand position. New members, students and seasoned exhibitors will fill out the show. The reception is Thursday, September 8, 6-8pm, the James Howe Gallery, Vaughn Eames Building, Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ

Peek at the Process

New Traditional Jewellery jury in process. There are some photos on Kit and Caboodle (a ning network of jewelry artists) of the jury at work, including a glimpse of my own piece and the many other intriguing entries.

I think the jury process is something worth examining and at the next
New Jersey Metal Arts Guild meeting member Susan Sloan will discuss her experience as the juror for the Lark publication 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs.

Perspectives: New Jersey Metal Arts Guild Exhibition

Thea Clark, "Domestic Inclusions #2", 2009, felt, cotton, pearl, pvc, steel, paint, silver, mica

photo by Larry Sanders

We set up the show "Perspectives" today at New Jersey City University. Participating artists:

Stevie B, Ed Brickman, Thea Clark, Jennifer Crupi, Joan Cummings, Jill Baker Gower,

Robin Hepburn, Amy Roper Lyons, Ken MacBain, Miranda Lark Maher, Gayle Mahoney,

Tabitha L Mitchell, Jennifer Jordan Park and Susan Kasson Sloan.

Exhibition Dates: Monday, November 16–Friday, December 18, 2009.

Opening Reception: Monday, November 16, 2009, 6-8 p.m.

Juror: Ulysses Grant Dietz, Curator, Decorative Arts Department, and Senior Curator, The Newark Museum.

Location: Gilligan Student Union Gallery, New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd.,

http://www.njcu.edu/dept/art/galleries/

The Wonderful World of Meetings

Just back from the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference in Philadelphia. It was my first time attending. As a visual person, I really enjoyed putting faces to the names and the works I've seen either online or in print. I had a great lunch with Lark Book senior editor Marthe Le Van, who couldn't be more personable and enthusiastic about her work.

The weather was beautiful for the self guided gallery tour of exhibitions held in conjunction with the conference. As a volunteer that night, I came home with one of the coveted tee shirts covered in drawings of metalworking tools, worn to identify the helpers. One event highlight was a runway fashion show that took place on the grand staircase inside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. New Jersey Metal Arts Guild own Jennifer Crupi, modeled her piece, Unguarded Gestures 1.

Several other NJMAG members attended as well. Go New Jersey!

Jewelry Day at the Museum of Art and Design

The NJ Metal Arts Guild group met in New York for a day of activities. We started at Tiffany's as member Jackeline Martinez, Tiffany chaser and teacher, showed us her fine work. Then we headed over to the Museum of Art and Design for a public day of jewelry events .

The educational studios were put to use with some informative demonstrations. A SUNY New Paltz student demonstrated enameling techniques. I'd credit her for the tip of the day, but her name wasn't showing anywhere. She used wet cut paper as her stencil for sifting on dry enamel, when finished she simply rinsed it off in a container of water. She also showed the use of squeegee oil which she prefers to klyre-fire as a holding agent, unless you plan to use foil, because they don't work together. Her personal apporach was to start with dirty copper covered with layers of clear enamel, brought just to the point of being overfired. This developed a nice range of gold and green metallic effects. We saw her apply china paints or overglazes, fine particles of enamel combined with lavender or clove oil and thinning agent as desired, using a caligraphy pen. In a short time she demonstrated a range of techniques, fielding questions from a knowledgeable crowd. Hats off to her.

A slide presentation about CAD, from design to object, was offered as well. Afterwards, Ursula Neuman, the jewelry curator, gave an introduction to the history of art jewelry in America. She proceeded to describe the collection on display in the elegant jewelry gallery, which I understand is the only gallery in a museum built especially to house contemporary jewelry. There is enough there to warrent several visits.

Next we attended a panel discussion consisting of Jamie Bennett, Stanley Lechtzin, and Iris Eichenberg. In a nutshell, Bennett spoke of referencing jewelry history, but with a twist or with suspicion. Lechtzin is a true believer in creating meaning and relevance by embracing new technology (and its plastic products). Eichenberg, spoke to the importance of ideas as the basis for creating.

It was the first of such events Ursula Neuman will offer at the museum so keep your eyes open for future opportunities.

Okay, I forgot my camera, was actually sick, but running on adrenaline, so no pics. I noticed a video camera documenting the entire day. Perhaps the museum will have the video on their website eventually.


Jamie Bennett book "Edge of the Sublime: Enamels by Jamie Bennett" we all enjoyed looking at this. The museum shop would have sold several copies if they had them in the store.

A Day At The Museum

Tomorrow about 11 people from NJ Metal Arts Guild will descend on the

 Museum of Art and Design in NYC for a day full of open studios, a  tour and lecture. I'll post with impressions & images shortly after.

New Jersey Metal Arts Guild or Right Time, Right Place

Being a studio artist often comes with a large dose of solitude. However there are occasions when you'd love to compare notes, or have a dialog about ideas. This is what I have missed since moving to New Jersey eleven years ago. When I lived in San Francisco I was part of an extended family of jewelers. We went to and organized shows together. We purchased materials together. We gave one another feed back and support.

Finally, last year I knew I had to do something about the pervasive isolation. I decided to try to organize a guild. I reached out to an artist whose work I knew, whose teaching position I in fact was offered when she left the country for a couple of years, but whom I had never met. 

Amy Roper Lyons and I met for lunch. We discussed our histories, our work, our families, but when I mentioned the idea of a guild, although she liked the idea, she felt it would be too much for her to take on. After our meeting, I was somewhat unsure that I had the will or ability to create something by myself.

But the need for community was too strong not to heed. I would start small, bringing together some teachers for a technique exchange and raise the subject again. Amy Roper Lyons,

 Jill Hurant, Kathy Woods, and I met at the metal studio in the Newark Museum where we've all taught. We had such a lively exchange that the time we had ( shortened somewhat by traffic) disappeared even before we got to my demonstration.  It was completely invigorating. Everyone was enthusiastic about the idea for a guild. What was initially only a concept, now was an experience of community to build upon.

Amy was on board, thank goodness, because going it alone seemed too overwhelming. Next I organized a lecture at the Newark Museum's Arts Workshop in coordination with

 Gallery Loupe while they were hosting the show "Golden Clogs, Dutch Mountains". I promoted the lecture to local university metal teachers, their students, and students from the Visual Arts Center. Gallery Loupe also brought people. Andrea Wagner, the curator of the traveling show, gave a wonderful presentation, after questions and answers with her I spoke about the nascent guild, collecting email addresses of those interested.

From there we held our first meeting at Amy's house with six people in attendance. We chose the name New Jersey Metal Arts Guild. It was clear to everyone that this was the right time and the right place to build a community. We have had four meetings since then. And now we are in the process of officially working to become a non-profit organization.

More have come on board, sixteen, I think, at last count. We have attended jewelry shows together and we have planned our first work challenge with the theme of "Green". We have a wonderful group of teachers, professional studio jewelers, and inspired students. All of them have enough ideas to keep this thing growing well into the future. So if you are a metal artist living in New Jersey and want to be a part of the NJ Metal Arts Guild, just contact me. I look forward to the time when we have a website to link to.