Shell Necklace (001), 2012, polymer, sterling silver, 2 x 2 x 21", $4750.

I’m trying to get used to the clean white finish of unoxidized sterling silver after years of routinely darkening the metal with liver of sulphur.  Dave likes to keep the silver white. Our metalsmith, Maryanne, also likes the unoxidized look saying that it looks more “finished”.  To my eye, it can sometimes look unfinished and unconsidered.

This image shows the same necklace before and after oxidation and the addition of two layers of gold leaf on the shallow sterling cups.  This is the first shell necklace, and I like many of it’s qualities; it has a nice loose slinky feel.  It’s both showy and dressy, but more casual in structure than many of our other more stiffly formal necklaces. While the gold leaf is a surface treatment and vulnerable to wearing off over time, this necklace’s shape protects the leaf from the usual wear and tear.

While I liked the original with white silver, I loved how oxidizing the silver knocked it back and leafing the cups made the whole piece more vivid and punchy.  We’re working on a black and white version for a client, and my plan is to blacken only every other cup to keep up the black and white theme.

So what do you think?  Do you prefer the look in the top image or the bottom one?

This next weekend, for the first time in a long time, David and Steve will be doing  simultaneous shows in different cities.  David, with the help of his wife Debrianna, will be showing new jewelry at the American Craft Council‘s show in St Paul, MN on April 20-22 at the RiverCentre (booth 1203), while Steve will be in Washington for dcTrunk.

It’s been five years since we’ve shown in St Paul, and we’re happy to be back.  The people are always wonderful, and everyone is excited that Spring has come to the frozen north. It’s the best craft show in the region, and this year it looks like about 1/3 of the exhibitors are new to the show.  DeltaSky magazine is promoting our work and the show to their 14 million passengers this month.

A lot has changed with our jewelry in the last five years.  If you’re in the area, come check it out.

In a way, this new work is getting back to our roots with “caning” polymer clay. There is an added layer of my recent interest in printmaking too, as the clay is embossed with a linoleum cut plate. It’s also painted to bring out the texture of the surface, and to complicate the color within the clay itself.

I started making these two years ago, but only recently have I found a good way to use them in jewelry. At first, they looked too Chihuly-ish, which was a reference that I didn’t like. But I’m pleased with the freshness and vividness of this new work. We’re trying to pull a necklace together in time for CraftBoston next week…..stay tuned.

Circle Pin (011), 1997, polymer clay, 3 x 3 x 1/4", collection of the artists

We got an email today, confirming that the Tacoma Museum of Art has accepted a gift of a faceted pillow necklace from one of our collectors for their permanent collection.  That brings the count of museums that have our work to seven.

This fall, the Racine Art Museum in Wisconsin will have a major show of polymer work, including ours.  Called Terra Nova, the exhibition will run through February 5, 2012.  The show will have over 20 of our pieces and the museum will publish a catalog of the exhibit.  Dave and I plan to fly out for the opening on October 21.  Elise Winters has donated many pieces from her personal collection to museum collections to elevate the public profile of work made from polymer.  She was instrumental in convincing RAM to have this exhibit, and we thank her for all her efforts.

I have to admit that I am ambivalent about being identified primarily by our material.  I prefer to promote the vision of the ideas that we’re exploring through the things that we make.  Early on, it was just the opposite.  We promoted our work by promoting polymer clay; “hey, look at the tricks we can do with this great new material”.  As I get older, the same artistic and design themes pop up again and again in paintings, prints, drawings, fabric design, as well as our polymer clay work. It’s frustrating sometimes to not have any radically new ideas.  For better or worse, it also feels authentic.