Month: November 2021

Fresh Perspectives: Exploring the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace

We hope you’re enjoying our favorite week of the year, NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

We’re wrapping up our week-long NYC Jewelry Week content with a special feature to celebrate this year’s HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace. Featuring incredible fine jewelry, budget-friendly fashion jewelry, and innovative contemporary work, there is truly something for everyone: it’s a perfect place to snag your favorite piece in time for the holidays.

Learn more about the theme for this year’s HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace:

“As a champion of extraordinary design and a company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion, we at 1stDibs are thrilled to partner with NYC JW for a second year to amplify the work of diverse creators in the HERE WE ARE incubator. 

In the last year and a half, COVID-19 presented a fresh set of challenges for creating and producing new work – circumstances which disproportionately impacted underrepresented makers. We chose the theme of resilience to underscore the myriad hurdles that BIPOC makers faced in producing their latest designs. With the theme of resilience, we hope to start a conversation on finding inspiration in difficult times and spotlighting the “Power of Jewelry” – the core concept that NYC Jewelry Week celebrates this year.”

Nancy Hood, Chief Marketing Officer at 1stDibs

“The pandemic presented unique challenges last year for creating and producing designs. Creators have the opportunity to discuss resilience designing under unprecedented/difficult circumstances as well as staying inspired. Addressing resilience in a space where BIPOC creators are still underrepresented. With Here We Are, they are given a platform to be amplified. NYCJW’s concept this year is the Power of Jewelry and this concept would compliment that sentiment.”

JB Jones, Co-Founder of NYC Jewelry Week on the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace

To give you a special look at the making of the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace, we invited select new and returning participants of the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace to introduce us to their brands and tell us about what this opportunity means to them.
Meet them below:

Sumer Sayan of Harlin Jones:

Harlin Jones was founded by Australian designer, Sumer Sayan. Sumer started his international jewelry internship in Istanbul, Turkey in 1998. There, under the guidance of master jewelers, he was taught the fundamentals of handcrafting jewelry, which in Turkey, are passed down over generations. Over the next 12 months, he worked and studied as a bench jeweler, working with precious metals and gemstones.
After completing his internship in Istanbul, Sumer returned to Sydney where he started a four-year jewelry design apprenticeship. It was during this time that his love and passion for design was born.

Five years into his working career as a fully qualified bench jeweler, Sumer’s itch to create lead him to design and making small collections for himself. Receiving high praise and admiration for the uniqueness, originality, and quality craftsmanship of these pieces, Sumer, at the request of friends started creating pieces for others. The creation of these pieces, along with his travels and personal interests as inspiration helped Sumer in shaping and constantly evolving a style of his own.

The creative freedom and satisfaction experienced making these pieces for friends led Sumer to start his own label, Harlin Jones in 2014. In 2019 an opportunity to move to New York presented itself to Sumer. Sumer made the decision to seize the opportunity and move himself and Harlin Jones there, an easy one. Since then, Sumer has run Harlin Jones from New York, constantly working and evolving, pushing his ideas and creativity, constantly moving Harlin Jones forward.

Pieces from the Harlin Jones collection by Sumer Sayan.

“Being a part of the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace is extremely helpful and exciting for someone like myself. To be showcased by NYCJW as a part of the HERE WE ARE initiative gives it that extra bit of excitement and credibility as an up-and-coming designer trying to find its place in the industry.”

Sumer Sayan, Harlin Jones

Dominique Reneé:

Born and raised in Connecticut, but now based in LA,  I grew up in an environment where creativity and individuality were strongly encouraged. At a young age I discovered that I had a love for music and art, and that I wanted to create. After high school I decided to go to college for Graphic Design, but soon after concluded that my heart wasn’t in it. My dreams of being a designer were stifled only by the feeling that I might not have what it took. When my nails started to turn heads everywhere I went, I realized it was time to go for it. What did I have to lose? I started designing my own nails because I couldn’t find salons that were able to do what I wanted done. It is not exactly how I thought I would get started, I just kind of fell into it, but I am passionate about it. Nails, for me, had become my most important accessory when putting an outfit together. We ALL know how important accessories are. With that in mind I decided to acquire my certification in Nail Technology, and to develop my own line of hand painted nails. After premiering my first couple nail collections, I expanded my line to offer other handmade accessories.                     

Although I have chosen a career in design, music still plays a huge part in my life. I carefully curate a playlist for each collection that helps to set the mood, and to communicate my feelings and the message behind each piece.

Dominique Reneé is a sassy exploration of life, love and loss; that is produced from a playlist of emotions. 

Works from Dominique Reneé’s newest collection, Love Jones.

“Being accepted into the HERE WE ARE initiative and participating in the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace has been such a great experience for me! As someone whose story and work is anything but traditional, I can’t even put into words what it means to be recognized in this way.

Selling my pieces via the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace was so cool! I was a bit apprehensive going into it because I wasn’t sure what the average 1stDibs consumer was like, but when all was said and done, I got my jewelry in front of a brand new audience and I ended up being the top seller!”

Dominique Reneé

Aalia Mujtaba of Metaalia Jewelry:

Aalia Mujtaba is the sole designer and metalsmith behind Metaalia Jewelry. She lives and works in Clarkston, GA, where she shares her life and love of art with her husband and son. Aalia is on the board of the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia, is a member of Society of North American Goldsmiths and the American Craft Council. She has taught metalsmithing at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta for 13 years. Metaalia Jewelry hopes to grow enough to one day relieve her husband from his job.

Works from Metaalia Jewelry’s Protractor Collection.

“The HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace gave my work exposure to a new and discerning audience. Customer interaction facilitated by NYCJW and 1stDibs made the virtual selling experience more human. Among many things, the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace experience taught me the importance of clear and striking photography in communicating my brand to an online buyer. NYCJW provided great resources to heighten my marketing skills to meet the quality of my work.”

Aalia Mujtaba, Metaalia Jewelry

To explore the HERE WE ARE x 1stDibs Marketplace in full, click here.

Quotes courtesy of Nancy Hood and the 1stDibs PR team; and JB Jones of NYC Jewelry Week. Images, bios, and testimonials courtesy of Sumer Sayan, Dominique Reneé, and Aalia Mujtaba. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

A Look at Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins with Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz

Welcome to Day 5 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibition every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today, we’re talking political jewelry with Rebecca Schena and Talia Spielholz, the creators of Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins, a lecture happening tomorrow. During the lecture, jewelry makers and researchers Talia & Rebecca will discuss the symbolism, utility, and history of political pins and their role in constructing an American political identity.
We spoke with Rebecca and Talia their interests in the political power of jewelry, and how their concept for the lecture took shape:

“The idea for Lapel Stories came from the unexpected convergent evolution of our individual research/making practices and, of course, from ✧･ﾟfriendshipﾟ:*. As researchers and makers of body adornment, we are interested in the sartorial presentations of political power and social identity we make each day. We are constantly intrigued and surprised by how subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) acts of adornment can lead to enormous shifts.

In the last few years, political pins have become a topic of increased debate in the United States. Many people, politically inclined or otherwise, use pins to display their opinions on popular and niche issues. With the constant deluge of social media transmissions and the amnesiac churning of the news cycle, political pins and other worn political messages have become increasingly visible. From performative safety pins to pronoun pins to “Black Lives Matter” t-shirts to the assortment of ideological insignias donned on January 6th: what we wear is as political as ever. Yet, coverage of dress and adornment in politics is often discussed in stark, black-and-white terms that consider “style” and “substance” mutually exclusive. As jewelers, who experience style and substance as intimately intertwined, we felt that it may be helpful to speak about how we think about political pins.

As worn objects, pins are a favorite of jewelers because of their ease of wear and their ability to convey billboard-style messaging. However, we thought it was important not to focus solely on art jewelry but to speak to the pin’s utilitarian roots as a readily producible and wearable method of display. From antiquity through the present and in societies worldwide, the desire to share experiences, build communities, and express personal identity through our worn objects has been constant.

We hope that this presentation will reflect the varied purposes of the political pin and its longevity throughout human history. We aim to help jewelry enthusiasts of all stripes place their personal experiences with political pins into their larger historical context.”

Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz

Talia Spielholz’s portion of the lecture will contextualize the contemporary political pin in the US within a broader global and historical framework. Using objects, portraits, and cartoons from different eras and cultures as examples, Talia will discuss the American political pin’s evolution from the Civil War era through to the present. She will underline how, through its utilitarian function, ease of wear, and material construction, the pin became an inseparable part of American political dress and democratic identity.

Rebecca Schena will discuss the communicative potential of adornment, with a focus on how political pins encourage discourse, display identity, unify communities, and project a public self-image. Using examples from the political theater, anti-establishment “guerrilla accessorizing” movements, and contemporary jewelry, Rebecca will demonstrate how costuming is used in the political sphere. She will address the role of political pins through the framework of symbolic interactionism and social psychology.

About the Speakers

Rebecca Schena is a Bay Area-based jeweler, writer, and aspiring maximalist. She holds a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing with a concentration in scientific inquiry from Rhode Island School of Design. Rebecca is interested in jewelry as a method of initiating political discourse and as a way of expressing, manipulating, or distorting social identity. She believes that a healthy dose of humor and blasphemy is necessary to invite us into approaching critical subject matter. In addition to her daily work as a bench jeweler, she is a contributor to Making Progress and Current Obsession Magazine.

Talia Spielholz is a current MA candidate in Costume Studies at NYU Steinhardt. She received her BFA in Jewelry + Metalsmithing from Rhode Island School of Design. Talia’s research focuses on the relationship between dress and power, specifically as it relates to gender. She is interested in how material choices construct identity and mythologies, the overlap between dress and jewelry, and the ability of worn objects to permeate culture, articulate identity, and bridge narratives. She is passionate about educational accessibility and aims to develop approachable jewelry and dress exhibitions.

Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins with Talia Spielholz & Rebecca Schena will be livestreamed Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 2:30 PM- 3:30 PM. For more information on the virtual talk and to RSVP, click here.

Both Talia Spielholz and Rebecca Schena are members of NYC Jewelry Week’s One For The Future program, dedicated to uplifting recent graduates, self-starters, and emerging professionals who embody passion, dedication, and a commitment to jewelry. Learn more about the One For The Future program here.

Lecture description and quotes attributed to Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz. Text, quotes, and images provided by Rebecca Schena. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

Material Matters: In the Studio with Luci Jockel

Welcome to Day 5 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today we’re revisiting the recent launch of our first Future Heirloom column: Material Matters, featuring a behind-the-scenes look into some of our favorite contemporary art jeweler’s studios and interviews about their process. We launched Material Matters with a feature on Luci Jockel, a Baltimore-based contemporary jeweler exploring heirloom, memory, and the natural world through her practice. Read the interview with her on Future Heirloom, and see her exhibition Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity, with her sister Emily Jockel all week long at The Jewelry Library.

Luci Jockel photographed by Lavala Harris.

Luci Jockel is an artist located in Baltimore, MD and holds the position as Metalsmithing and Jewelry Lecturer/Coordinator at Towson University. Luci received her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2016. She has been honored with the 2019 American Craft Council Emerging Voices Award. Her work is in the collections of RISD Museum, ArtYard and Galerie Marzee. She has curated exhibitions including All Decked Out at Towson University, and In-School Suspension with JV Collective. Luci is a member of JV Collective and is represented by Gallery Loupe.

Knotted, necklace, 2019. Snake vertebrae, freshwater pearls, silk thread.

Future Heirloom: Concepts of history, memory, memento mori, and heirloom feel like common threads in your work over the years. Have you always been interested in the history and “memory” of material?
Where did your interest in material arise from for you?

Luci Jockel: Having parents that are antique dealers has had a deep impact on my interest in the memory held within materials and objects. They were and are always on the hunt for treasures, the value of which is determined by its own system.
As kids, they would take my siblings and I to auctions and antique shows that to a kid were places of accumulated, stinky, old junk. Little did I realize how much value these objects held beyond monetary, or that my parents’ passion for junk was being instilled in me- they were giving us “the bug”, as they call it. With each object that my parents bought or sold– a chair, quilt, painting, ring, for instance, there was a story of its origins and past life to be told.
Conversing with customers at antique shows was less transactional and more like sitting by a bonfire with friends sharing lore. There is power and value in an object that retains a story, even if sometimes it’s fabricated. 

“As my parents collected antiques, I began my own collection of found material in our backyard-
finding what I saw as treasures, creating a different system of value.”

Luci Jockel
Bee Wing Lace II, 2014. Honey bee wings, rubber cement; (Left) and an in-progress material sample (Right)

FH: What guides your material interests in your work? How have you selected the materials you’ve worked with?
LJ: I lean in towards objects and materials that speak quietly of fragility, requiring a soft, empathic touch. Perhaps my mother’s passion and artistic career in textiles influenced that gentle quality.
I also choose materials that gain different meaning in relation to another material or within the context of jewelry. For example, the glisten of honey bee wings catch your eye as if they were gold- holding the same preciousness.
Ultimately, I choose what makes me pause and wish for others to take a moment with as well.

FH: Your use of material in your work is always so intricate and thoughtful. Can you speak a bit about your process?
Is your process carefully planned, more improvisational,
or somewhere in between?

LJ: Thank you, that’s so kind! Much of my work is both planned and improvised. When making a piece that has pattern or when carving stone and there is no room for error, it is planned. Depending on the type of stone or material used to make a pattern, however, will determine how I continue to approach that material. It’s a material’s qualities and its past life that guide how to engage and transform.

For instance, I had originally planned to press bee wings into sheet to create a new material, using mixtures of beeswax, glue or honey as binders, which all ended in a complete mess. This then led me to try a more intentional, careful approach to enhance the quality of the wings. I began with small studies of using archival glue and bee wings to create lace. 

Luci at work in her studio.


Being open to failure and to change a design while in the process of making is important.
My latest bee wing piece and largest one to date, Bee Wing Lace Neckpiece, began as a planned design, stemming from these experiments, but morphed as I continued to expand the scale and wore on the body. There’s an adaptability that I’m constantly learning to embrace when working with found materials.

Bee Wing Lace Neckpiece, 2021. Honey bee wings, archival glue.

FH: What does a typical day in the studio look like for you?
LJ: Lately, I’ve been starting with small exercises like quick drawings with pen, colored pencil, and highlighters, that have zero pressure or expectation attached. They are in no way connected to any project I have in the works. It’s so freeing and inspires the energy needed for other projects.
After the exercises, I move on to problem solving a new piece I’ve started until I’m able to find that delicious meditative, repetitive state of working, put on a podcast and dive in! Afterwards I take a break to do a little yoga or, more likely, relax in front of the windows of my Baltimore apartment- the views of the sky are insane and truly decompressing.
If I’m still feeling fresh later in the day, I’ll play with material combinations or even just browse through my collection. I love rediscovering materials whether it’s through pairings or even a shift in light. Many times, I hesitate to intervene with the materials I’ve collected– they are complete as they are.

Some recent material studies.
Study for Gold Veil III

FH: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
LJ: Everywhere! As of the past few weeks:
Historic jewelry: Roman micro mosaic jewelry, morpho jewelry; exhibitions: Life of a Neuron at Artechouse; books: Wild Souls by Emma Marris, Braided Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer; artists: my sister- Emily Jockel, my students, Julia Künnap, Nils Udo, Helen Britton’s milk plastic series, and JV Collective!

Bee Wing Lace, 2014. Honey bee wings, rubber cement.

FH: What are you currently working on? Do you have any projects in the works that you’re particularly excited about?
LJ: There are so many things on the roster right now, and I’m so excited for them all. In preparation for NYCJW, my sister, a ceramist, and I are collaborating on a few pieces for our exhibition, Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity, that are outside of the bounds we typically work within, like adding color, and considering the interplay and crossover of our mediums.

I recently went on a cross-country trip to Oregon with photographer, Lavala Harris, and we’re preparing a few additional projects based on that trip. 
I’m working on a piece for the Baltimore Jewelry Center’s (BJC) Community Challenge, inspired by an archer’s ring within the Walter’s Art Museum collection, using the technique of gold kundan- but with honey bee wings.

BJC, Montgomery College and Towson University are working on a collaborative student/artist show together for Spring 2022.
Lastly, I’ll be preparing for a solo exhibition at Gallery Loupe in the near future!

FH: What does The Power of Jewelry mean to you?
LJ: The Power of Jewelry comes from the memory it carries. It holds the memory not only of its past lives, but of the maker’s energy and care, of the wearer who finds new meaning, and of their kin who inherit the heirloom. Jewelry is a chain linking together generations, continuously given new life.

Works from Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity, featuring ceramics by Emily Jockel and jewelry by Luci Jockel.

FH: Anything else you’d like to share?
LJ: Please join my sister, Emily Jockel, and I during NYCJW from November 15-21 at The Jewelry Library, for our exhibition, Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity!

You can find more of Luci’s work on her website, and keep up with her latest work on her Instagram @lucijockel. Luci is represented by Gallery Loupe.

Our sincere thanks to Luci for giving us a glimpse into her studio and process. Text and images courtesy of Luci Jockel; headshot photograph by Lavala Harris. Interview conducted, edited, and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

Introducing the Commence Jewelry Platform: Interview with Ariella Har-Even

Welcome to Day 4 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today, we’re going behind-the-scenes of NYCJW Educational Partner Commence Jewelry, with Commence co-founder Ariella Har-Even. We asked Ariella to give us the inside scoop on the features of the Commence platform, the curatorial process, and how Commence got started. Read our interview below, and keep reading to find out how to see this year’s Commence Graduate showcase.

More About Commence Jewelry:

“Jewelry is not solely ornament or accessory, but lives as elements communicating our most intimate selves. This virtual, educational initiative serves to partner with graduating jewelers and metalsmiths to create a unified culture of discourse, empathy, and community.

A hub for graduating students, educators, curators, historians and collectors, this webpage dedicates itself to archiving BFA, MFA, and Collective jewelry and metalwork. Commence Jewelry supports rising jewelers and metalsmiths directly from within our maker community. Our focus is the minimizing of vulnerable reflexes that develop after leaving physical educational spaces. Programming posted on this site draws open the curtains to expand the view of our field, broadening its current scope.

We amplify the work of graduating students and emerging jewelers by organizing virtual and physical exhibitions, promoting the production of independent artist publications, posting articles that support the advancement of metalsmithing processes, and sharing a yearly documentation of talent. Through generating and sharing a diverse range of opportunities online, this platform serves as a compass to establish new points of connection that advocate for this generation’s radical and holistic spirit.”

Commence Jewelry

Future Heirloom: Before we jump into discussing the Commence platform,
can you tell us briefly about your background in jewelry?

Ariella Har-Even of Commence Jewelry: Before deciding to pursue art as a career, I worked as a teacher’s aide, working with children with severe disabilities. It was one of the most incredible jobs I’ve ever had, but could also be very physically and emotionally demanding.

After a few years I was looking for something creative to do once a week, even for an hour or two, that would help me regroup and connect with myself. A friend suggested I take some classes with a jeweler, and even though I’ve spent my life immersed in creativity, whether writing or drawing or playing instruments, up until that point I honestly had never really stopped to consider that people actually made jewelry – stepping into a metalsmithing studio for the first time was like stepping into an alien land. I told the instructor I might try it out for a few classes. She gave me a saw, a torch, and some brass, and I fell in love with the process, head over heels. When I eventually decided to pursue a formal education and career in metalsmithing, I got my BFA at the Cleveland Institute of Art, graduating in 2019. 

FH: What led you to start Commence? Why did it feel important to create this platform?
AHE: When the pandemic began to shut down college programs, cancel thesis shows, and lock students out of their campus studios, I was absolutely heartbroken for seniors. To think about all the blood, sweat, and tears spent during four years to then see your thesis show slip through your fingertips at the finish line, was crushing. As a recent grad myself I wasn’t sure what I could do, but I messaged Bella Neyman and asked what NYC Jewelry Week was planning on doing to support 2020 jewelry graduates and how I could help. She put me in touch with Aaron who had been wanting to make a Yearbook, and then with Betsy who has experience with exhibition programming, and together we’ve built Commence into a platform that really supports emerging jewelers from within the craft community. The Yearbook and annual Jewelry Week exhibition present an uncurated, current snapshot of talent entering the jewelry field. Through our other various programming and opportunities, we support and highlight recent graduates and facilitate further connection between collectors, journalists, and gallerists to artists and work they might not have been exposed to. 

FH: Commence is such a robust platform; can you walk us through the features of the site, and the different
opportunities and resources you offer?
AHE: Of course! We do have a lot, and are continuously thinking of more ways to offer meaningful support to emerging artists in all the different forms that might take. We have our annual NYC Jewelry Week exhibition viewable online, as well as the Yearbook, which is where participating grads each have their own page featuring their statement, bio, and additional images of their thesis works. These are grouped by institution and year, making it easier to browse. We publish interviews with both emerging artists and professionals that have been part of the metals field for a longer time, as well as articles written by artists about topics ranging from technical “how-to”s to life after graduation, or applying to residencies. We have some video content as well, a growing list of recommended reading, and a shop where the Yearbook is available for digital download or physical purchase. 

FH: Tell us a bit about the dynamics of your collaborative work on Commence: how did you begin working together? What strengths do each of you bring, and how do you feel your curatorial vision has been strengthened as a team?
AHE: Bella Neyman was the Commence team matchmaker, and I am eternally grateful to her because I’ve gained two incredible friends who happen to be amazing coworkers on this project. We each have our own creative practices, our own 9-5 jobs, and are located in different states, but we balance each other out and really try to be there to support not only the featured grads but also each other. It’s sort of like Captain Planet but instead of our powers combining to make a bodybuilder with a green mullet, we make a jewelry focused platform for emerging artists. 

FH: What has been the most rewarding part of starting the platform? Has anything about the curatorial process
or platform surprised you?
AHE: The most rewarding part of Commence has been getting messages from featured grads and artists telling me how excited they are to be included and how much it’s meant to them! 

FH: What is your vision for the future of Commence? How do you hope to expand and/or shift the platform in the coming years?
AHE: My hope is to continue to connect with artists as they are leaving their colleges and educational institutions, as that is such a vulnerable time in which feeling creatively isolated is so overwhelming. While we do highlight and feature selected artists on social media and our site in various ways, The Yearbook and Jewelry Week exhibitions are a really important balance to that because they are open to all institutions and all graduating students within each class. I really believe that connection over curation is what this field is lacking at the moment, and Commence will always have that at the core of our mission. I’d like to see us continue to partner with other organizations as well, and include even more emerging artists that don’t have a traditional academic background.

FH: How can readers best support Commence?
AHE: This only being our second year, we are in an “all support is good support” stage! Following us on social media and sharing our content is a really great way to help us continue to grow, and we are always thrilled to hear from grads, schools, and artists who have ideas of their own on how to be involved or collaborate. 
We are also currently working with a few organizations on creating some small awards/scholarships for select featured artists, so if anyone reading this is interested in setting something like this up with us, please reach out! 

FH: What does The Power of Jewelry mean to you? How do you think Commence represents The Power of Jewelry?
AHE: To me, the power of jewelry is its inseparability from the body. Adornment relies on the body to exist, and the body relies on adornment as a tool and aid, a way to bring the inside out. This relationship between our Self, our body, and our connection to others is activated by jewelry in a truly special and powerful way. 

“I think Commence is focused above all on the importance of connection – connecting emerging artists with professionals in the field, connecting recent grads with each other, connecting us all to a more holistic view of what the metalsmithing community really is, and connecting ourselves to our own creative endeavors, passions, and curiosities.”

Ariella Har-Even

The 2021 Commence Graduate showcase is on view November 17, 2021 – November 21, 2021 at Industry City, Makers Guild: Industry City, 36th Street, Brooklyn, NY, USA. Learn more about how to visit the show here. You can see more from Commence Jewelry on their website, and follow them on Instagram @commencejewelry. Stay tuned for more from Commence on Future Heirloom in the coming weeks.

Images, quotes and interview courtesy of Ariella Har-Even and Commence Jewelry. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

The Making of I AM MOTHERLAND with Kalkidan Hoex

Welcome to Day 3 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today, we’re bringing you an exclusive look at a brand new project, I AM MOTHERLAND, from multi-disciplinary artist Kalkidan Hoex, in preparation for an upcoming conversation between Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown, host of the Perceived Value Podcast. Today, Kalkidan is sharing the story behind I AM MOTHERLAND, stills from the new short film, and more. Keep reading to explore I AM MOTHERLAND and find out more about the upcoming conversation.

Photography by Mitch van Schijndel

I am MOTHERLAND.

“I am MOTHERLAND.

The work I create is strongly linked to how I experience my mixed identity. As I was born in Ethiopia and adopted to the Netherlands. I find myself feeling like I lived in between two worlds. Where these two worlds overlap a third world was created. The objects I make are an expression of how I perceive my third world. 

Photography by Mitch van Schijndel
Photography by Mitch van Schijndel

I want to show the realm where the blur of these two worlds exists, as together they create the portal to my third world. My third world creates a surrealistic place that conveys a feeling of culture that does not belong anywhere. Conveying through imagery is how I adapted, conscious and unconscious to both cultures.

I use the in-between world to comprehend my reality and create the illusion that I know where I belong. It serves as my safe space and coping mechanism for the mental fractures endured. I AM MOTHERLAND is about how I ground myself. Motherland is an entity I carry within. Where I find my sense of mother. This world is deeply rooted in representational power and symbolic meaning.”

Kalkidan Hoex on I AM MOTHERLAND
Photography by Mitch van Schijndel
Photography by Mitch van Schijndel

Watch the Trailer for I am Motherland:

I AM MOTHERLAND with Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown

About the Speakers:

The discussion between Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2021 from 12:30 PM- 1:30 PM. Learn more about Kalkidan & Sarah below.

Kalkidan Hoex

Kalkidan Hoex was adopted from Ethiopia and brought up in the Netherlands. In her multi-disciplinary work Hoex examines the pervasive feeling of living between two worlds that has followed her for most of her life. The work speaks directly to those she considers a part of her own identity: youth of mixed descent, who were adopted out of their country or origin or had to flee with their families from their birthplace. Despite the differences in backgrounds and upbringing, she feels that they share common interests and viewpoints.

Sarah Rachel Brown is a contemporary jeweler, facilitator, and podcaster. She is the host and producer of Perceived Value, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA where she holds down a full-time day job and hustles as a contemporary jeweler on her nights and weekends.

Photography by Mitch van Schijndel
Photography by Mitch van Schijndel

To see more of Kalkidan Hoex’s work, visit her website, The New Tribe and follow her on Instagram @_____k.t.h._____.

To join us for the conversation on Sunday, November 21, 2021 from 12:30 PM- 1:30 PM, RSVP here. The conversation will be live streamed on YouTube, and RSVP is required to access the livestream. Remember to subscribe to NYCJW’s YouTube channel for access to all our content.

Artist statement, film stills and I AM MOTHERLAND trailer courtesy of Kalkidan Hoex. Photography by Mitch van Schijndel. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

Exploring News From Central Asia with Aida Sulova

Welcome to Day 2 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today we’re revisiting a special feature on the NYC Jewelry Week 21 exhibition, News From Central Asia, curated by Aida Sulova, on view at The Jewelry Library November 15-21, 2021. The works in the exhibition reflect currents in Politics, the Environment, and Culture of the region. Read about the making of the exhibition and Aida’s perspective on the curatorial process below.

Above: Tiaras by Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan.

News From Central Asia exhibition brings together Central Asian artists, makers, and designers whose inspirational works reflect political protests, climate change, collective memory restoration, jewelry as reminders of historical events, transformation caused by modernization. For New York City Jewelry Week 2021, curator Aida Sulova asked Central Asian artists and designers to share the news from their home country in the form of a wearable object – a jewelry piece.

For many artists in Central Asia making art is the only way to respond and talk about the events taking place today. Although the concept of this exhibition has a geographical representation, the themes of the news are relevant to what we are witnessing in the world. Examples include “Kinematics of Protests,” “Perestroika,” “Wearable Memory Card,” “Women of Kashgar,” “Cotton as a Curse,” says curator Sulova. Central Asia is a region which stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and Mongolia in the east. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are former Soviet Republics that comprise Central Asia today. Since its Independence gained after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asian countries have been undergoing a number of major political, social, cultural transformations.

Excerpted from Aida Sulova’s Press Release for News From Central Asia

Aida Sulova’s Curatorial Field Notes for News From Central Asia

I take a deep breath to read the news from Central Asia. News from the motherland worries the most. Born in Kyrgyzstan, former Soviet Republic in Central Asia, I now live in the US. When I call my mother, who lives in Kyrgyzstan, to ask for news, it is never about a new purse that she bought or my relative’s new born baby or anything of that sort, it is always about the politics in the region. 

When I heard that “The Power of Jewelry” was going to be the theme of the New York City Jewelry Week in 2021, I wanted to propose an exhibition that would become a visual and tactile reflection of the news from Central Asia. Through the tapestry of creative visions, artworks, and field notes, I was hoping to portray the complex thinking and challenging statements of makers, designers, and artists from Central Asia. 

Above: “Fate as a Burden” by Altynai Osmoeva, Kyrgyzstan: The heaviness of legacy, knowledge, and fate that women wear.
Felt, metal (tin), crystals, hand printed silk lining; 2021; Attributions: Jewellery & styling : Altynai Osmoeva; Photography: Zemfira Abasova;
Model: Kamila Sarieva; MUA: Bashirova Tokhtykhan; Assistant: Zhypariza Zhumagazieva.

The past year was full of cataclysms that made us turn back while looking forward. Who were we, what have we become, and what have we done? Looking at what I am today, I can see my identity formation through a number of major historical events: being born and brought up in the Soviet Union, experiencing Perestroika, collapse of the old regime, life in the newly independent Muslim state, the Tulip Revolution, the April Revolution, and immigration. Now living and witnessing recent political and social upheavals in the US, I thought I’d developed some sort of immunity to the experiences of that kind. But the news kept coming and my reaction to it proved that one will never develop an emotional stability for today’s atrocities. 

After I announced the theme for the “News from Central Asia” show and sent out invitations to selected artists, I packed my stuff and went to Kyrgyzstan. The trip back home in the post-pandemic period was not only about visiting my family, friends, and memories. It was also about connecting with new people, places, and practices. Looking for new codes, symbols, and answers became a central point of the journey. 

Above: Tiaras by Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan.

I met with all participating artists, both in person and online. We talked about contemporary art and how meaningful and empowering it is when it gets to sending a message into the world. How it can be displayed not only on the walls but also on the body. I told them about The Jewelry Library and its collection of books and jewelry and its projects that unify and inspire a community of makers and storytellers. I am glad that having spent time with artists, after our walks and talks, laughs and tears, I ended up with a collection of art pieces that will be presented at the “News from Central Asia” exhibition in New York.  

How can one tell a story through a wearable object? It turns out that there are many distinctive ways! A jewelry piece called “Kinematic of Protests” is made by an artistic duo, Galina and Evgeny Boikov, who used the real silhouettes of protesters from the Kyrgyz Revolutions of 2005 and 2010 to show that “dynamics of gestures and poses of individuals in extreme situations are identical for all protests and revolutions around the world.” The Tajik artist Diana Rahmanova made a jewelry piece from the household objects that during the Civil War in Tajikistan served as body protection. Two Almaty-based artists restore a forgotten Uighur material culture through costumes, jewelry, folk dances, and stories. Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, proposed tiaras that repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan, an area that used to be a concentration of life, trade, and culture, but now is drying up.

Saule Dyussenbina’s series of photos of people’s trash turned into sculptural jewelry was made during the Lazy Art residence at Issyk Kul Lake. Altynai Osmoeva uses a shape of a child’s bib to reinforce the Soviet upbringing style filled with male cult jewelry. Turkmen artist Jennet presented unusual wearable embroidered portraits of Turkmen women.

Above: Saule Dyussenbina’s photo series reinterpets trash as sculptural jewelry.

“But how would you trust Aida?” – one artist shared her story about her friends’ concern when she decided to send her mother’s jewelry for the show. “I trust her because trust is what we talk about and I hear what I’ve waited to hear. I’d like to tell the world about the richness of Uighur culture while everybody is busy with politics.” 

“I lost my sleep when I read your concept and after we met in my studio. But that is a good feeling because I feel challenged and inspired,” Jakshylyk Chentemirov, a jeweler from Kyrgyzstan told me. 






Left: Work by Jakshylyk Chentemirov

While I was doing my research on Central Asian jewelry art, I met a scholar Ekaterina Ermakova, who shared her article “From Folk Tradition to Original Jewelry Art,” which states: “In Central Asia, designer jewelry emerged in the 1970-1980s. It replaced traditional folk jewelry. The most important characteristics of this jewelry are the amount of information and freedom of choice. Today, three main stylistic directions have been formed. The first is the traditional school, within which the jewelers copy ancient jewelry using traditional materials. The second is ethnic style, the main task of which is not copying old forms, but creating a recognizable image associated with national culture. Third – contemporary artistic style based on individual perception of the national culture. In avant-garde artworks, the artist freely handles new jewelry art materials using wood, leather, felt, bone, silk.” 

Above: Wearable frescoes by Almaty-based artist Guzel Zakir and look from Kashgariya Collection by Judy Ai.

Not all Central Asian artists feel safe and free to share their creative visions today. I’ve met artists who printed their artworks on coffee mugs to show them to the world. And while bringing some artworks for the “News from Central Asia” to the US, I had to go through security control and make a presentation about the artwork that the border officers called “weird looking.” The hardest was to find and ship the work of the artist from Turkmenistan. The borders are closed and locally controlled DHL is the only connecting point. Even while shipping the artworks and through dealing with logistics, customs, and state authorities, one can read the news and feel the temperature of the region. 

IslBG
Work by Shailoo Djekshenbaev.

News From Central Asia is curated by Aida Sulova and presented by The Jewelry Library for NYC Jewelry Week.
The exhibition is on view November 15-21, 2021, 11am-7pm at The Jewelry Library, 1239 Broadway, Suite 500.

For more on the exhibition and to RSVP, click here. Follow curator Aida Sulova on Instagram @aidasulova. You can find more from The Jewelry Library on their website and Instagram @thejewelrylibrary.

Thanks to Aida Sulova for sharing insight into News From Central Asia with us. Text excerpted from press release and Curatorial Field Notes, both written by Aida Sulova. Images provided by Aida Sulova; image credits belong to the respective artists represented. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

Connection & Community—Bonded: Jewelry From the Stay Gold Collective

Welcome to our favorite week of the year, NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibition every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

To kick off our week-long content, we’re giving you an exclusive glimpse into the making of the exhibition Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective with Liz Kantner, the exhibition’s curator and founder of the collective. Read a bit about the exhibition concept below, and then we’ll chat with Liz about the inspiration for the exhibition and some of her favorite inclusions.

Group shots of the jewelry in Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective

Exhibition Statement for Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective

Jewelry inherently tells a story, and that story is shaped between the maker, the wearer, and our culture. Each element provides influence on how jewelry speaks to us. As 2020 formed its own story of isolation and uncertainty, connection and community became the focus of many artists.

In the past 18 months the way we form connections fundamentally changed. What was once seen as an intrinsic part of the human experience became rare as many were pulled back from society and disconnected from everyday life. The isolation that resulted from social distancing challenged how we formed bonds, and catalyzed moments of precious solidarity as new communities formed. From this unique time the Stay Gold Collective, a group of independent designers founded by Liz Kantner, came together.

Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective seeks to showcase jewelry created during this period, focusing on moments of connection and community. Each tells a story.

Amy Delson
Amanda Lockrow
Delicate Hammer
Silver Garden Designs

Future Heirloom: Can you walk us through your background in jewelry, and tell us a bit about the Stay Gold Collective?
Liz Kantner: The Stay Gold Collective is a group I started because I wanted to provide affordable consulting for jewelry designers.
My first job in the industry was as Marketing Manager for Todd Reed and I saw how generous he was with his time and support for emerging designers. I later had the opportunity to curate the New Designer Gallery at JA New York and loved helping designers prepare and participate in their first trade shows, I was also so inspired by the community the selected designers created each show. While the jewelry industry is a hard one to break into, I’ve seen so many designers wanting to support each other and I want to help cultivate more of that! 

Kelty Pelechytik
Alison Macleod
Rings in Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective

FH: What are some of the highlights of the exhibition for you? Could you give us a peek at a favorite piece or story?
LK: One of my favorite stories submitted for the exhibition is from Hilary Finck: 

“Like most jewelry designers, I work alone in my studio. I generate designs that I like to think are original ⎼ designs that no one else would come up with. Well, we all know that in today’s social media climate, it is nearly impossible to not be influenced by other designers’ creations. In late summer 2020, one of my stone sellers posted some gorgeous rutilated quartz spheres, which immediately sent my creative juices into hyperdrive. Instantly I imagined what is now my Captured Orb Necklace, but I was unsure of whether it would work. I made some sketches, bought the stones, and waited with baited breath for them to arrive.

Jewelry by Hilary Finck

When I got the spheres, I pushed all of my other work aside and created my very first Captured Orb Necklace. In my tiny jewelry world, these necklaces became a hit, I made new ones whenever I could get my hands on more stones, and posted them on Instagram to much fanfare. In spring 2021, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw a very similar orb design by a jeweler with about 30x more followers than myself ⎼ a much more well-known and beloved designer. We followed each other’s work and respected each other. My heart sank. Thoughts went through my head: Did she copy my work? Will people think I copied her work? It’s a jeweler’s worst nightmare. So, I contacted the designer, let her know that I felt she had copied one of my signature designs, and politely asked her to not make anymore of those pieces. It felt terrible to send this message, but I felt that I needed to protect my work.

However, she responded that she had also bought the sphere from the same supplier at the same time in 2020 as I did, and had an idea worked out for how to set it. When she saw my new necklace posted on Instagram, she said that her heart sank because it was similar to what she had designed in her head. Kindly, she agreed to cease making more of those designs, but that no longer felt right to me. Instead I asked if she would be comfortable sharing our story about these two necklaces on our Instagram feeds ⎼ discussing our understanding that two artists can indeed come up with similar designs at the same time, and as long as it’s not nefarious, this coincidence is something that can be celebrated. So, that’s what we did. We were so relieved that honest and open communication led to a positive result. It felt great, and it felt right, and our respective communities were thrilled to know this story and to support two female artists who took the collaborative route for an issue that could have instead been very acrimonious and hurtful.”

Hilary Finck, Stay Gold Collective member
Erica Bello
Judith Haas
Mejia Jewelry

FH: Is there anything else you’d like to share about the exhibition, or your curatorial experience?
LK: These past two years especially, I, and many of the designers in the group were so grateful to have a community to lean on. That feeling of support is what inspired the whole exhibition. Every designer within the Collective was invited to submit pieces and it really all came together beautifully. Also, HUGE thanks to Erica Bello, a member of the group who helped with the name / copy. 

Group shots of the jewelry in Bonded: Jewelry from the Stay Gold Collective

See the designs and read the stories from members of the Stay Gold Collective on the exhibition website.
20% of the profits from sales will be donated to NoLo Studios’ Residency Program.
Find out more about the exhibition and corresponding events here. To hear more about the exhibition, attend the exhibition artist talk, The Power of Community: A Discussion, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM. Register here.

Exhibition description and information gathered from the Stay Gold website. Images, interview responses, and quotes courtesy of Liz Kantner. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

The Love Jones Collection: Interview with Dominique Reneé

One of our primary goals on Future Heirloom is to uplift emerging makers and brands who are transforming the jewelry world and making lasting impacts on our community. This week, we’re back with another exclusive peek into a new collection by another of our favorite brands and makers: the incomparable Dominique Reneé (she/her). Get a look at Dominique’s new collection, Love Jones, and read our interview with her below.

Before we dive in, Dominique introduces herself below:

Dominique Reneé

“Born and raised in Connecticut, but now based in LA, I grew up in an environment where creativity and individuality were strongly encouraged. At a young age I discovered that I had a love for music and art, and that I wanted to create. After high school I decided to go to college for Graphic Design, but soon after concluded that my heart wasn’t in it. My dreams of being a designer were stifled only by the feeling that I might not have what it took. When my nails started to turn heads everywhere I went, I realized it was time to go for it. What did I have to lose?
I started designing my own nails because I couldn’t find salons that were able to do what I wanted done. It is not exactly how I thought I would get started, I just kind of fell into it, but I am passionate about it. Nails, for me, had become my most important accessory when putting an outfit together. We ALL know how important accessories are. With that in mind I decided to acquire my certification in Nail Technology, and to develop my own line of hand painted nails. After premiering my first couple nail collections, I expanded my line to offer other handmade accessories.
Although I have chosen a career in design, music still plays a huge part in my life. I carefully curate a playlist for each collection that helps to set the mood, and to communicate my feelings and the message behind each piece.
Dominique Reneé is a sassy exploration of life, love and loss; that is produced from a playlist of emotions.”

Dominique Reneé
Dominique in the Fantasy Love Earrings from the Love Jones Collection.

Future Heirloom: Tell us, why jewelry? 
Dominique Reneé: I choose to design jewelry because it offers me the chance to explore and express myself, while encouraging others to do the same. Creating jewelry allows me to impact fashion and people positively and offers opportunities that are endless. You can wear it with any and everything. Wear it as individual pieces, multiple, or layered. Jewelry is also a great medium for storytelling, something that I have always been into. My pieces tell a story while allowing my imagination the freedom to run wild!

FH: What does the Power of Jewelry mean to you and your practice?
DR: Both the wearer and the observer embody the power of jewelry. Whether it is empowerment one feels by wearing it or the camaraderie of life experiences one feels upon observing it, the power of jewelry is undeniable.

Dominique in the Dum Dum for Love series from the Love Jones Collection.

FH:  What’s the most important part of your creative process?
DR: The most important part of my creative process is being in touch and in tune with my own thoughts and feelings and being able to transfer those emotions into 3D. This process includes: Creating a playlist that speaks to the messages I am trying to communicate, Listening to the music repeatedly, Sketching the pictures that develop in my mind, and then Producing the digital files necessary to move those images from my sketchpad to 3D without losing their intended meaning. This process allows me to create pieces that are as authentic and real as possible.

Dominique in the Dying 4 Your Love Earrings from the Love Jones Collection.

FH: What stories are you telling in your work? 
DR: I tell stories of love, heartbreak, loss, fear, triumph and everything in between. My latest collection, titled “Love Jones” explores my own experience with love. It is the first installment of a trilogy that begins by exploring an obsessive need to be loved. That is followed by fixating on someone who seems to be perfect in almost every way possible, (despite many red flags.) And then, as time goes on, realizing they are emotionally unavailable, and that I should just move on.
But, will I? (dun da dun dunnnn…)

Promotional video for Love Jones by Dominique Reneé.

FH: Describe a favorite piece of jewelry from your collection.
DR: To describe a favorite piece of my jewelry is hard because I’m obsessed with ALL the pieces from Love Jones! If I could only choose ONE I would say my Sucka 4 Love Earrings. They were brought to life by the Danity Kane song (Sucka for Love) and are blow pops that read “”LOVE””. Essentially, they speak to being a person who just loves, “”LOVE,”” at times even to a fault.”

Dominique in the Sucka 4 Love Earrings from the Love Jones Collection.


FH: What do you want your wearer or viewer to “feel”?
DR: While Love Jones, and every other collection I’ve ever designed, has been inspired by my own story, each wearer has a story it relates to. I want my wearer or viewer to feel empowered, to feel strong and to connect with how the pieces relate to their individual story! That unique connection to Dominique Reneé should make each wearer feel as if the jewelry was designed just for them and while wearing it, feel like their best self.

Shop the full Love Jones Collection and see more of Dominique’s work on her website. You can follow Dominique Reneé on Instagram @dominiquerenee.

Thanks to Dominique Reneé for talking with us about her brand and practice, and for sharing a first look at her new collection, Love Jones with us. Images, video and text provided by Dominique Reneé. Interview edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

From Tyson Street to New York Fashion Week: The Style and Influence of Betty Cooke

© Betty Cooke

Coming to NYC Jewelry Week next week: Victoria Pass, faculty member in the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the Maryland Institute College of Art, will be in conversation with Shane Prada, Director of the Baltimore Jewelry Center, to discuss legendary jeweler Betty Cooke’s career and impact on Mid-Century design and Baltimore aesthetics, and her influence on contemporary jewelry.

We spoke with speaker Shane Prada about why she felt this program was important to bring to NYC Jewelry Week audience:

“Betty Cooke is the definition of an understated icon. Her impact on design and decor, whether on the body or in the home, is palpable in and around Baltimore and has been since she opened her original showroom on Tyson Street in 1946.
While most NYCJW patrons may be quite familiar with Betty’s exquisite jewelry, this talk will illuminate the lesser known elements of Betty’s 70-year career and how her legacy impacts today’s contemporary jewelry designers and makers.”

Shane Prada on the Style and Influence of Betty Cooke

During the talk, Pass will tell the story of Betty Cooke’s role as both a Mid-Century Modern designer and taste-maker. While Cooke is best known for designing and fabricating timeless and chic jewelry, she also played a key role introducing the local Baltimore community to innovative modern design first through her home on Tyson Street and then through her shop in the Cross Keys community. The Store Ltd. was one of the first shops in America selling Marimekko fashions, Le Creuset pots, Noguchi paper lamps, and even cardboard furniture designed by Frank Gehry. Pass will also talk about the working relationship Cooke had with others such as fashion designer Geoffrey Beane, and explore her role in the broader context of Mid-Century designers and design intermediaries.

© Betty Cooke

About the Speakers

Shane Prada

Shane Prada began her career working in education in 2004, first as a Teach For America corps member and then as a cofounder of one of the first charter schools in Baltimore city. In 2013, Shane co-founded the Baltimore Jewelry Center. In her role as director of the BJC, Shane oversees the administration and strategic planning of the organization, steers the educational programming, raises funds, manages the organization’s finances, and spearheads community outreach.

Victoria Pass

Victoria Rose Pass is an Associate Professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art and a specialist in Visual Culture, particularly in areas of design and fashion. Her research considers the history of fashion culture in the 20th century and focuses specifically on issues of gender and race. Her essay “Racial Masquerades in the Magazines: Defining White Femininity Between the Wars,” was recently published in the Journal of Modern Periodical Studies. She has co-edited two books, and her writing has also appeared in several publications.

© Betty Cooke

This program is part of a series inspired by Cooke and her artistic practice which accompanies the exhibition Betty Cooke: The Circle and the Line, curated by Jeannine Falino, on view at the Walters Art Museum from September 19, 2021–January 2, 2022. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated publication, edited by Jeannine Falino and published by the Walters Art Museum. Learn more about the Baltimore Jewelry Center here.

From Tyson Street to New York Fashion Week: The Style and Influence of Betty Cooke will take place Sunday, November 21, 2021 2:30 PM- 3:30 pm in the Graham Auditorium and will be livestreamed during New York City Jewelry Week. The event will be live streamed on YouTube, and RSVP is required to access the livestream. RSVP here. Remember to subscribe to NYCJW’s YouTube channel for access to all our content.

All images © Betty Cooke. Images provided by Shane Prada, courtesy of the Walters Art Museum Image Collection. Quote by Shane Prada. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

I’m Gonna Dance the Way I Feel: Anthony Sonnenberg

It’s no secret: here at NYC Jewelry Week—and especially at Future Heirloom—we’re big fans of maximalist statement jewelry. Ceramicist-turned-jeweler Anthony Sonnenberg’s jewelry works bring statement jewelry to a new level, with creative and colorful material combinations, meticulous craftsmanship, and elegant yet playful proportions.
Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews sat down with Anthony to discuss how he got into jewelry making, what excites him about making wearable sculpture, and how ceramics and jewelry come together harmoniously in his practice. For all of that — plus an exhibition tour of his latest solo show, I’m Gonna Dance The Way I Feel at Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, Florida — keep reading.

Sonnenberg’s Orchid Cloud necklace with Rainbow Central Piece; Sterling Silver, over thirty different varieties of precious and semi-precious stones.

“My Jewelry practice is a direct and natural outgrowth of my larger sculptural practice in both the physical and conceptual sense. Jewelry however, allows me to take certain aspects from this larger practice to a new acute degree. The power of beauty, the mechanics and consequences of desire, and the collapsing of time and social hierarchies, all issues I deal with thoroughly in my other practices, are in the jewelry made more direct and intensified. The constant presence of histories both great and small in the form of found object and art historical reference continue, but in a more intimate way as they are explored in direct collaboration with the living body. These presences manifest in many forms that range from the personal, to societal, and the geological, whether it be using recycled heirloom silver, to inset ancient roman coins, to timeless, precious gems and fossils. The goal of the works at surface level seems to be simple: to dazzle and to awe. However, as always in my work, the jewelry also seeks an alternative and more complicated effect, to boost the confidence and self-love we all have within, while at the same time reminding ourselves of the small but precious place every individual occupies in the history of our planet.”

Anthony Sonnenberg’s Artist Statement for I’m Gonna Dance the Way I Feel
Another view of Sonnenberg’s Orchid Cloud necklace with Rainbow Central Piece; Sterling Silver, over thirty different varieties of precious and semi-precious stones.

Future Heirloom: As jewelry is a somewhat recent development in your practice, can you share how you first started
making jewelry?
Anthony Sonnenberg: I started making jewelry as a way of moving forward in a less than perfect situation. About nine years ago, I had just graduated with my MFA, was bouncing unsuccessfully from job to job, had very little money and only had a table in one room of my two room apartment to work from. I had a lot of random beads and bits of metal that I had squirreled away from different projects in grad school (adornment as a concept has been a part of my practice, pretty much from the beginning) and a basic knowledge of low temperature soldering that I had taught myself and which I knew I could source materials from any major home improvement store. Considering all the elements aligning in this moment, jewelry seemed like a no brainer. That is how the proto-bronze flow pieces started.

Sonnenberg’s Silver Flow Necklace (Rainbow Delta Force); Sterling silver, pink sapphire, rutilated quartz, amethyst, Garnet, Chrome diopside, amber, opal, jade, citrine, lapis lazuli, pink coral, rhodochrosite and other precious gems.

At the same time, I also returned back to the metal flower making technique which I had also been self-teaching and developing for about five years before. Funnily enough, that part of the practice started in a previous similar situation that I had found myself in after graduating from undergrad. From about 2013-2014, I focused on making jewelry pretty heavily with somewhat mediocre success. I was so limited in access to materials, equipment and space, and there was only so far that I could go. However, this is when the ball definitely started rolling, I knew I was excited about jewelry, I knew it was sort of possible, but I had to put it on the back burner for a while.  The ceramic, sculpture and performance side in my career started getting traction and I put jewelry on hold for a time.

Fast forward to two years ago, I’ve got a career going as a fine artist, I’m in my first teaching job with an actual salary and I buy some sheet silver for the first time. I then discovered that the soldering method I’ve been using for almost a decade works with silver, something that I assumed for many years and for no real reason would not be possible. Along with that many of the road blocks that had cut my previous adventure in jewelry short were now gone and jewelry making has been at the forefront of my mind since then.

Sonnenberg’s Funny Face Cuff; Brass, copper electroplated leaf, sterling silver, Ruby, star sapphire, emerald, pink coral, and other precious and semi-precious stones.

FH: What excites you about making jewelry?
AS: The difficulty in this question is of course in where to start. I think it’s best to begin with that which is hardest to put into words. The challenge to mix precision of engineering with a direct formal exploration of the timeless question: what makes something beautiful, that is at the core of jewelry making, can at times obsess me. Once an idea or series of objects align, I can feel the need to make a new piece coming on like a fever. I then have to fight to clear out my schedule to make the time I need to sit down and bring the thing out of my head into the world. In a weird way, it feels like the most primal of all the different modes of my practice. 

Urn (Ekstasis); Porcelain over stoneware and found ceramic tchotchkes, glaze, 12L x 13w x 24h inches (Left); and Rainbows and silver Dollars Necklace; Sterling silver, found antique Morgan silver dollar, vintage silver half dollars, semi-precious stones (Right)

The other quality of jewelry making that keeps me excited about it is the apparent, at least from my perspective, underdog status of jewelry in the larger art world. While previous underdogs like ceramics and textiles have been suddenly discovered like manna in the desert over the last decade and a half, the art world still doesn’t seem to know what to do with jewelry with a concept behind it. I know there are certainly many exceptions to my observation, but I have not found much disagreement when discussing this idea with other metal workers. However, the thing about being an underdog is that it leaves the door open for anything to be possible. The stakes are low and since jewelry has been around as long as humans have, there is an endless ocean of past masterpieces to draw and learn from. From my viewpoint as a maker and creative person, sometimes the most fertile creative fields are the ones that no one is looking at.  If historical precedent is to be believed then it is clear that jewelry with purpose will have its day in the spotlight again soon enough, I only hope I’ve caught the train before it leaves the station.

Sonnenberg’s Bejeweled Beetle Cuff; Sterling silver, Malachite, topaz, tourmalines, chrysocolla, sapphire, opals, garnets.

FH: What’s next for your jewelry practice, or your practice overall? Do you have any plans for new jewelry projects that you’re particularly excited about?
AS: The short answer to this question is to keep learning and challenging myself. Right now, I’m in that wonderful stage where it feels like I learn something new and reach a new level with every piece. I want to keep that fire going. I have so much to learn, but I think at the forefront would be adding skills like enameling, engraving, and electroplating into the mix. 
Once again I am, like most makers, faced with the problem of access to essential equipment, as I am not being current attached to any institution with a metals program,  but also feeling lucky to be learning in a time when digital spaces like youtube allow free access to so much practical knowledge that was not there when I first started.

Silver Flow Bracelet (Rainbow with clovers) Sterling Silver, amethyst, citrine, opals, coral, moon stone, turquoise, carnelian, garnet, chrysocolla, rhodochrosite (Top Left) and Double Tier Chandelier (Fabulous Faggot Fantasy); Porcelain over stoneware and found ceramic tchotchkes, glaze, steel, brass, electric lights, 27L x 27w x 40h inches (Top Right and Bottom).

FH: What does The Power of Jewelry mean to you?
AS: It would be fair to say that I come mainly from a ceramics background, and in that background there is a lot of  talk of the potential for intimacy. The way that a ceramic vessel can fit into the domestic sphere and interact with our bodies in ways that are not always glamorous but can yield powerfully meaningful connections between person and object that are essential to life in a way that the more grand arenas of the art world can never really match. Now, while I do think all this is true, I think it is actually much more true for jewelry. 

Sonnenberg’s Charlemagne Pendant Necklace Central Piece; Bronze, brass, copper, silver, found antique Byzantine and Roman coins, topaz, citrine, opal, malachite, amethyst, smokey and clear quartz, garnet, tourmaline, carnelian, and lapis lazuli.

“What could be more intimate than a necklace or ring that a person wears for their whole life?
History is full of stories of people willing to risk their life in the most unimaginable horrific situations to save a piece of jewelry with no real monetary value but of extreme emotional importance.  A piece of jewelry can speak to the wealth of a nation, the love of a lifetime or be a statement about how you see the world. 

The idea that something so small, and in a sense everyday, can have such an impact is to my mind the essence of what it means to be powerful.”

Anthony Sonnenberg on The Power of Jewelry
Sonnenberg’s The Pink Lady Necklace (Pink, white, gold); Brass, found antique miniature portrait, antique roman coin, found enameled petals, pearls, pink coral, pink quartz, pink opal, rhodochrosite, bone.

FH: Finally, how can our readers best support your work?
AS: I would like to start by thanking you for the generosity of this question, I can’t remember the time someone asked me this. 
This is basic but important to state: the easiest and most direct way to support me (or any artist for that matter) is to buy my work. I always say that every piece I sell means another one is able to get made and my ultimate consistent goal in life is to just keep making.

Beyond that, I am looking for help in finding my place within the jewelry community. So if there are any interested and willing curators, educators, or jewelry historians that would be interested in a studio visit with me, virtual or otherwise, I would really appreciate the opportunity to gain some outside perspective. As a maker, whatever your perspective is, it’s bound to have a blind spot or two. Finding these through critique or conversation is an essential element to the fine tuning of a practice and undoubtedly an important next step for me to embark on. 

Anthony Sonnenberg: I’m Gonna Dance The Way I Feel is on view at Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, Florida from October 23 – November 25, 2021. You can view the exhibition on Mindy Solomon’s website here.
You can find more of Anthony Sonnenberg’s work on his website, and follow him on Instagram @anthonysonnenberg.

More About Anthony Sonnenberg
Born in 1986 in Graham, TX, Anthony Sonnenberg earned a BA with an emphasis in Italian and Art History in 2009 and an MFA in Sculpture from the University of Washington, Seattle in 2012. Notable exhibitions include; State of the Art II, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR (2020); the Contemporary Art Museum, Houston, TX (2019); The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA (2019); the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA (2018); the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, TX (2018); Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX (2015); The Old Jail Art Center, Albany TX (2013); the Texas Biennial (2011 & 2013); Old Post Office Museum and Art Center, Graham, TX (2012); Colab Projects, Austin, TX (2012) and the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA (2011). Mr. Sonnenberg lives in Fayetteville AR and Conway AR, where he is currently the inaugural Artist in Residence at the Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College.

Our sincere thanks to Anthony Sonnenberg and Mindy Solomon Gallery for this feature. Interview responses and artist statement by Anthony Sonnenberg. Images courtesy of Anthony Sonnenberg for Mindy Solomon Gallery exhibition, I’m Gonna Dance The Way I Feel. Interview conducted and feature edited, compiled, and formatted by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

The World of Sanct Desiderata: Interview with Julia De Souza

One of our primary goals on Future Heirloom is to uplift emerging makers and brands who are transforming the jewelry world and making lasting impacts on our community. This week, we’re giving you a peek into the World of Sanct Desiderata, one of our favorite New York-based jewelry brands, with a special interview with founder Julia De Souza (she/her) and a look at the brand’s just released and much anticipated documentary Sanct Desiderata/Universe.

Julia De Souza of Sanct Desiderata

“I was born and raised in Costa Rica to a Brazilian mother and a Costa Rican father. I was always interested in art and I started modeling clay since I was a little kid, at 13 years old I had my own jewelry storefront. I founded Sanct Desiderata in the summer of 2012. I wanted to represent my generation and my friends with jewelry that felt fun, interesting and genderless.

Julia De Souza
Jewelry by Sanct Desiderata.

Future Heirloom: Tell us, why jewelry? 
Julia De Souza of Sanct Desiderata: I think jewelry can tell you so much about history and nature and it’s hard to overlook it, it marks history next to architecture and that’s how I connected them both, you can see what people were doing and thinking and developing, the skills and means they had, and it keep changing so makes it very exciting.

FH: What does the power of jewelry mean to you and your practice?
SD: The power of representation, of statements of history and stories and the power of the artist to create all these pieces for someone else.

A still from Sanct Desiderata’s new documentary.

FH: What’s the most important part of your creative process?
SD: I think the most important part of my creative process is to be able to develop an idea to where I want it to go, it takes time on the paper, being able to sketch to detail what i want to make is fundamental, and even after the design is produced the design can evolve, which is even more fun, I love to imagine huge weird pieces and then get them “down to earth” to a more wearable accessory.

FH: Who is your work for?
SD: My work is for people that like to discover new things everyday. I think when you see my pieces they’re full of meanings and representations, and if you try to figure it out you can see where the piece came from. Curious, lovers of the uncommon and people that like to feel ‘that weight’ of the metal.

Stills from Sanct Desiderata’s new documentary.

FH: What are two things that inspire you?
SD: Nature and humans.
Nature is a big part of my background; I’m from two countries that have a lot of rich natural resources, and especially Costa Rica, which is trying to protect their natural habitat so much. I’ve been an animal and nature lover since I can remember and it was kind of forced in my upbringings to protect and care for beings that were here before us.
Humans are very interesting beings, we have destroyed so much of our environment that it’s hard for me to accept us as inspiration for my art. But we’re all part of this universe and I love to study philosophy concepts and theories of everything to learn how our thoughts have evolved and how we develop as a society. I make jewelry for Humans, hopefully for humans that want to be better with each other and to the planet.

Teaser of Sanct Desiderata’s documentary

FH: What stories are you telling in your work?
SD: I’m probably telling those stories you want to keep telling to your people. My preference for custom work allows me to put a mark into people’s life’s most important moments. I want to be telling Your Personal Story, that’s why people come to me for this special pieces, I love to listen and learn as much as I can. We all have a story to tell, however big or small, and if it’s important to them I want to help them keep them forever next to them, and hopefully pass them along the years, like folk legends. Metal has a status of permanence that’s very rewarding.

“My background is in architecture and I appreciate the narrative and process behind every piece that make them what they are. Jewelry, for me, is encapsulated stories, mixed with ancient skills that we have been developing through the centuries, it all feels really magical and transcendental and that’s how I want Sanct Desiderata to be perceived.”

Julia De Souza
Pearl pendants from Sanct Desiderata.

FH: What’s new that you’re excited to share with us?
SD: I’ve just been working on a lot of mini sculptures that have a lot of special gemstones, one of a kind pieces in noble metals. My mini doc is being released this week, we started filming last year and hopefully everybody can see how my jewelry comes to life.

Medallion necklace from Sanct Desiderata.

Head to Sanct Desiderata’s website to view the full documentary on Julia’s practice and inspiration. Follow Sanct Desiderata @stdesiderata.

Thanks to Julia De Souza of Sanct Desiderata for sharing a behind-the-scenes look at her brand, practice, and documentary with us. Images, film stills, and text provided by Sanct Desiderata. Interview edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.