We have a treat in store in the Showcase this month, not only one but four jewellery artists are displaying their work. Each artist does a slightly different type of jewellery. Lis Simpson makes torch-created glass beads; Karen Hunter, rainbow coloured Niobium; Gini Sage, Precious Metal Clay and fused glass; and Sarah Porter; chainmail and wirewrapping.
Check out the video on My Kawartha (Kawartha This Week's website)
Lis Simpson
Lis Simpson, hot glass artist and jewellery designer, has been making one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces for about seven years. Her glass beads are made on a torch from rods hand-pulled in the glass factory in Murano, Italy, and accented with shimmery dichroic glass. She puts these fine art beads on handmade sterling silver head pins and adds bead accents and chain to display the bead.
Torchworked glass beads are relatively new and unequaled in the jewelry industry. Although glass bead making was an ancient, secretly guarded art, it wasn't until the 1990s that the techniques began to be shared in North America. It can take from one half to two hours to create the bead on the torch, without any stopping!
Besides making glass beads on a torch, she has branched out into fused glass, using the incredible dichroic glass. She also took the wirework course from George Brown College's jewelry program, and four years ago became a certified instructor for the innovative jewelry medium of Art Clay Silver.
Lis Simpson working with her torch in her Studio.
At right is one of her striking beads, this one called "rainbow" |
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Gini Sage
Gini Sage began as a stained glass artist over thirteen years ago and has expanded her art to include silver jewelry crafted from Precious Metal Clay (PMC™), which fires in the kiln to become 99.9% pure silver. Many of her pieces incorporate her custom-fused dichroic glass cabochons. All of her pieces are custom designed, and she sells not only from her studio, Spirit of Spring Design, in Seagrave, but at art shows and several galleries. The inspiration for much her work is drawn from nature and gardens, as she has a Certificate in Landscape Design from the University of Guelph, as well as being a Durham Region Master Gardener. She also creates pieces in the “art nouveau” style, which are truly eye-catching! |
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Here is Gini making her lovely Precious Metal Clay jewellery with fused glass in her studio.
At left a sample. |
Karen Hunter
Karen Hunter's jewellery is handcrafted from Niobium and silver. Niobium is a very rare pure metal which is naturally hypoallergenic and when anodized produces a rainbow of colours. Each piece is hand cut and formed, often with added patterns and textures. Karen graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1985, from the Design Department, and has participated in numerous art shows and gallery showings. www.karenhunterjewelllery.com |
Karen forging a brooch in her studio. At left,
Dragonfly Brooch and Earrings -
Niobium and Sterling Silver, hammered, roller printed,
riveted, anodized. |
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Sarah Porter
After having brief affairs over the past ten years with various artforms, Sarah finally took a simple jewellery course and found her true love! Taking much of her inspiration for colour and movement from nature, she has developed techniques to mix silver chainmail and wire wrapping techniques with semi-precious stones to create truly unique jewellery. Participating in a number of studio tours, including Stouffville and Uxbridge, she enjoys creating one-of-a-kind pieces for others. Her only regret is that she can't keep and wear every piece for her own passion for jewelry!
www.badexcusedesigns.com |
Blue Waterfall
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Foxy Lady |
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