Materials. In an ideal world, I would have loved to work with pure gold, except it’s too soft to create jewels from and it’s also a costly material. When I created my first jewels, I created them from textile cords, and much later from copper wire. A few small scale exhibitions followed in the Netherlands which introduced my work to a wider audience. This was great because I met all kinds of different people who liked to discuss my artworks with me! Showing my work was exciting and scary at the same time. It taught me to think about a new direction in life; was I a jewellery maker, an artist, or could I choose another path?
My work was considered as art by gallerists and experts in the field.
Later, I started to create very different pieces based around a private collection of stones. They were made in silver and were fairly priced. Even later when I made them with 14K filled gold, I kept the prices fair. Maybe this is what most artists do when they sell their first works, making it affordable… I’ve heard it before from fellow artists. My consideration was that my work needed to be affordable, so you could buy a few more… Sometimes, when people would pose the question, what is the material made of? How much material goes into it? Is it a valuable material? Are these stones special? It did make me think.
I looked at other people's art in a different light, because when I would add something to my small art collection or if I would buy something special, it had nothing to do with materials for me. I bought it because it was original or a unique piece. I always have liked originality and after my Art History studies, it made me look at art in a different way. Like trying to understand the emotions that go into a piece, what the artist is about, how original is their idea, who are they, what is the statement, or what are they trying to say? It’s simply all about emotion to me.
Unique to me means something that is created once.
It could also be related to a certain craftsmanship -more artisanal- where the many hours of work that goes into a piece is valued and paid for.
So, I never look at materials when I buy a piece of art. Imagine looking at the canvas of a painting, and you see its paint… then the price of that painting.. it is literally a canvas and paint? Yes in a way, only there is a lot more to it - someone's dedication, passion, love, frustration, mood and personal processes that make it special, next to being one-of-a-kind… often but not always.
To me it is about the emotional state of the artist and the connection to its receiver, that person who gets the message, vibes or feels the emotion. There must be some sort of connection. Originality is important when it is about a new thought or something that you haven’t seen before. When you are touched by it, that has an extra special meaning.
Jewellery is a relatively small item or artwork compared to many other things that are being made such as treasures, trinkets, etc. These objects of desire are made by a person too, you can ask yourself why was it made? It becomes even more interesting when a certain creative way of thinking is implemented which causes the piece to stand out from the crowd and to be original. When it’s right, the best contemporary jewellery is often made by highly creative individual artists.
The owner of a piece of jewel has the luxury to observe it and to return again and again to the object of desire. To maybe study its mysteries, develop more love for its uniqueness, and to know how an object is made and why it was created.
To me, contemporary jewellery is often seen as too radical, not understood at all, and poorly received This has more to do with people not being open-minded or having a liking for a general taste. Well, this is not my problem, it is something I’m challenged by!
The Conversation Pieces can’t really be considered as high-end contemporary art, because here it is mostly about a stone, its design, and a certain beauty. I simply like to create a different type of jewel that needs an edge and it must have an unusual finish - created in my invented technique. There isn’t always a message with a piece other than my passion, emotions and the many hours of labour - even the thinking process. It’s the thought and originality that counts. Each of my pieces is truly made just once.
On the other hand, the Arty Scenes Collection is where I truly put my frustrations, social issues, and more out-of-the-box thinking into my work. I happened to see more jewellery with stones and I considered this a part of my route and one could not have been without the other.
I love that I’m able to use and work with so many different stones! Especially, when I can create something unique in 14 kt gold-filled or in silver. Yes, my prices went up, but you must understand it’s all made by one person (each time I need to find a new energy to work on a completely new design, for each stone) and it’s great to be meeting more people that understand and value my work.
Talking about materials and how we started this conversation, some of my clients like to have their piece created in 18 or 22 kt gold and after I gave it some thought - I decided that there is nothing wrong with it because it is so very pure and just shifting materials. Only, it’s more costly.
“One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art”.
-Oscar Wilde.
New jewels and some that you might have seen before...
Let’s focus first on some elaborate Conversation Pieces, just to illustrate my thought process. Most work in this Collection is made up of one, two or more stones, set in a more minimal way. Then there are my larger jewels with stones for the Conversation pieces Collection, that are a lot more elaborate in design, and they don't come with a certain message.
Conversation Pieces Collection, the real statement pieces:
Splendid, is a ring created around a large Dioptase stone, that's surrounded by an intricate web of wire with moonstones. And she is quite a statement!
Igone, is another independent soul, a one-of-a-kind beauty which is even feistier! The polished blue Kyanite is set at the centre, almost set onto a podium, and for you to admire on your hand.
Deeva, was introduced to you not that long ago, and she is large and slightly lighter, as she is set with many small pearls. She radiates the Universe, at least that's what I think.
Conversation Pieces Collection, colourful exciting and new:
Genivra, comes with a bluest turquoise, set into a warm embrace setting in rose gold, and this pure style ring is what will make your day sunny and bright!
Alessia, yellow, how amazing is yellow? This special and unique natural yellow colour of Baltic amber, comes with a shape, so wonderful and juicy.
Roxy, red is always something that you will return to, is it the colour of a Bordeaux, that makes her so lovely and warm, or is it the rose gold embrace setting of this one-of-a-kind beauty that is giving her her charm?
Ioanna, I recently started to create more double stone rings, just like ring Ianthe which I've made especially for the five-star Kempinski hotel, nearby. These bright and colourful rings are the stars in my current Spring showcase! And new ring Ioanna, comes with a raw aquamarine and a raw ruby, and if you search on my web-shop you will find more alike.. set with two stones, or you could just ask me.
Arty Scenes Collection, have that extra special meaning to me. Not everyone's cup of tea, as most of these pieces were inspired by world events, activism, or things that bother me or else. They are not always easy on the eye.. but then again that's not the point of Art...
Do check out more work on my website and hopefully soon I will be able to show you my latest work, which will be introduced to you in another blog.
Defender, yes.. just because women need to defend themselves... How awesome to have this special jewel with you? Silver and raw pyrite, and she comes almost with magical powers, that doesn't feed aggression.
Cornucopia, is a deep dark silver neckpiece. This horn of plenty is a comment on our society where materialism is running wild these days. Where people are willing to pay enormous sums for things that are made in abundance, and where there is nothing unique about it to mention, just its price and the brand...
