Published at: 03:02 am - Friday February 26 2010
"Chrysalis" necklace
Philadelphia, Pa. (February 13, 2010)
Jennifer Jordan Park of Budd Lake, NJ has been named a winner in the 2010 Niche Awards for the piece entitled “Chrysalis” in the Metal: Enameled category.
Winners of the 2010 NICHE Awards were announced at a ceremony held during the Buyers Market of American Craft on Friday, February 12, 2010.
Only 161 entries out of nearly 1,000 submissions were named as finalists in this year’s competition. Of that group, 36 entries won awards in several professional categories including ceramics, wood, metal, jewelry and glass.
The NICHE Awards program is sponsored by NICHE magazine, the exclusive trade publication for North American retailers of American Craft. The awards program began in 1990 to recognize the outstanding creative achievements of American craft artists who produce work for craft galleries and retail stores. Judging is based on three main criteria:
• Technical excellence, both in surface design and form
• Market viability
• A distinct quality of unique, original and creative thought
For more information, e-mail jennifer@weareverjewelry.com.
Published at: 01:02 am - Friday February 12 2010
See what’s in store for Spring 2010. Find a show in your area by clicking on “Where to Buy” at weareverjewelry.com or download the pdf catalog for available styles.
Get ready for short sleeves with unique new bracelets. This wristwear uses curvaceous, flowing wire that echoes the lines of the cloisonne enamels. They are substantial, measuring almost two inches in height, yet remain light and comfortable to wear. Clear, intense colors and interesting textures (coiled wire) are eye-catching.
"Pink Ruffle Paisley" bracelet
"Red Flower Paisley" bracelet
Earrings for spring are flirty and dangly. A basse-taille enamel (which means translucent enamel over a textured surface) is the center of each earring. Some enamels are embellished with 23k gold and fine silver leaf. As always, the beads are genuine natural gemstones. This teardrop wire design comes in two sizes–approximately 1.25 inches and 2 inches.
"Teardrop" earrings-Iolite
"Teardrop" earrings--pink tourmaline
"Teardrop" earrings--green&gold tourmaline
"Teardrop" earrings--fire opal
Published at: 05:01 pm - Saturday January 09 2010
Work in stages. I work on one quarter to one third of the surface at a time. I use an organic (hide) glue mixture, sparingly, to glue the granules onto the surface of the tube. I use a 00 or 000 paintbrush to do this. I support the work with small mandrels or dowels, whatever fits. I let the granulation design dry thoroughly, usually near the heat from the kiln before actually putting it in the kiln.
Partially granulated tubes
Use a support structure in the kiln. Sometimes the piece you’re fusing can start melting where it comes into contact with the floor of the kiln before your granules start fusing. It’s easy to become totally focused on the granules and before you know it, a different area of your piece is melted. Coiled binding wire makes a nice nest on which to lay your piece.
Binding wire support
Use carborundum grain when soldering. When joining the woven chain to the finished terminations, bury part of the chain in the carborundum grain. It shields the delicate wires of the chain from inadvertent melting while soldering. For fine silver and 22k gold, I use 14k easy solder; it has an appropriate flow temperature and the color is in between the silver and gold. The hook on the end of the gold termination is also underneath the grain because it would heat up faster than the rest of the termination. You don’t want to risk it becoming overheated and therefore unsoldered. Since the chain is long and must hang over the side of the grain container, I use a third hand to keep it under the surface of the carborundum.
Published at: 02:12 am - Wednesday December 16 2009
"Chrysalis" necklace (left), "Beyond Dusk" pin/pendant (right)
The first piece is the “Chrysalis” necklace in the category of Metal: Enameled. The second piece is the “Beyond Dusk” pin/pendant in the category of Jewelry: Gold.
Only 161 entries out of nearly 1,000 submissions were named as finalists in this year’s competition. The awards program is sponsored by NICHE magazine, the exclusive trade publication for independent retailers of fine craft.
The NICHE Awards program began in 1990 to recognize the outstanding creative achievements of American craft artists who produce work for craft galleries and retail stores. Judging is based on three main criteria:
• Technical excellence, both in surface design and form
• Market viability
• A distinct quality of unique, original and creative thought
Winners of the 2010 NICHE Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Philadelphia on Friday, February 12, 2010, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, held in conjunction with the Buyers Market of American Craft.
Published at: 03:11 am - Saturday November 21 2009
Don’t be tempted by those lower karat golds. You know the ones: 14k or even 10k. Many stores dangle a “carrot,” offering “gold” jewelry at attractive prices. As a consumer, you should be aware of just how much actual gold you are getting in any piece of jewelry.
Pure gold is 99.9% gold and referred to as 24k—it contains 24 out of 24 parts gold. Gold referred to as 14k has 14 out of 24 parts gold. Here is a breakdown of the actual gold content of some common karats:
10k is 41%
14k is 58%
18k is 75%
22k is 91%
Thus the higher the gold content of a piece of jewelry, the more valuable it is. In the U.S. 10k is the lowest karat that can be called “gold.”
Pure gold, or 24k, is very soft and usually not suitable for making jewelry. Therefore, it is mixed with other metals in order to make it harder and more durable. I alloy my own 22k gold—a mixture of gold, silver, and copper—a formula highly suited to granulation and chain-making.
Published at: 07:11 am - Wednesday November 11 2009
Cloisonné comes from the French word “cloison,” meaning cell. Very thin wire like a ribbon is manipulated into a design, creating cells. The enamel, which is the consistency of sand, is wet-packed it into the cells with a tiny paintbrush. The piece is then fired in a 1500 degree kiln for about two minutes. The magic happens when it comes out of the heat—the colors change to their true hues as the piece cools. Most pieces are fired ten to fifteen times, building layer upon layer of intense color.
Oh…but I didn’t mention the prep work or the finishing work involved in creating a piece of cloisonné. That’s for another day.