CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION
2
WELCOME TO CHARM CITY
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
ARTISTS Debra Adelson Petra Class Carolina Cole Donna D’Aquino Janine DeCresenzo Elizabeth Farber Mary Filapek & Lou Ann Townsend Theodora Fine Michele Friedman Cornelia Goldsmith Christina Goodman Lori Gottlieb Gabrielle Gould Andrea Haffner Dahlia Kanner Christy Klug Loretta Lam Keith Lewis Tara Locklear Terri Logan Sydney Lynch Lauren Markley Karen McCreary Rebecca Myers Judith Neugebauer Elizabeth Novak Meghan Patrice Riley Biba Schutz Eric Silva Christine Simpson-Forni Patricia Tschetter Myung Urso Carly Wright
Whether it’s a single statement piece dangling from your wrist or a full-on array, charms are back from the fashion past and more chic than ever.
Above: American Craft™ Charm Collection artist Myung Urso’s “May Be” charm necklace is inspired by the colors of spring. Its delicate stitched silk charms flutter like flower petals in a May breeze. Cover: Urso at work in her Rochester, NY, studio
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Myung Urso
Whether you favor high-end studio jewelry or a more alternative aesthetic, you can start your charm collection this year and continue to build it as new designs are introduced annually.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
That’s why we’ve tapped our talented pool of jewelry artists to create exclusive charms, charm bracelets, cluster pendants, and pins as part of our inaugural American Craft™ Charm Collection, which will launch, appropriately, in Baltimore, also known as Charm City.
WELCOME TO CHARM CITY
Baltimore is a city full of hidden gems. From Mount Vernon and Charles Village to Fell’s Point and the Inner Harbor, Baltimore’s quirky neighborhoods are filled with charm. Beautiful architecture, unique museums, American history, and the harbor — all come together to create our beloved Charm City, and Baltimoreans embrace the city’s charm with pride. With the launch of the American Craft™ Charm Collection in Baltimore, the American Craft Council brings another kind of charm to Charm City. Many of the pieces in the collection represent the things that make Baltimore so charming. ACC artists have created special jewelry highlighting many of Baltimore’s favorite things: black-eyed Susan flowers, raven feathers, crabs, orioles, and Edgar Allan Poe. Whether you’re looking to celebrate Charm City, represent a special memory, or just bring a bit of sparkle to your life, the artists of the American Craft™ Charm Collection are sure to have a design that will charm you.
Lori Go tt
lieb
Elizabeth Novak
Rebecca Myers
Theodora Fine
le
Christina
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Go
uld
Goodman Opposite page: Maryland-based artist Lori Gottlieb’s pin features charms that evoke specimen boxes, each with a piece of local flora or fauna: oak leaves, a black eyed Susan bloom, and a Baltimore checkerspot wing. Left: Gabrielle Gould’s feather-tipped lariat necklace is shown with three red rock crab charms. Crafted of sterling silver and enamel, these charming little crabs feature articulated claws. Above: Christina Goodman has created a set of charms paying homage to the symbols of Maryland. These tiny, handpainted portraits include the state bird, flower, and tree of Maryland, as well as Poe’s raven.
Andrea Haffner
Sydney Lynch
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
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Ga
Myung Urso
DEBRA ADELSON
Artist Statement I am drawn to working with acrylic because of its versatility. It is virtually weightless and can easily be shaped, formed, and colored to suit any of my designs, which are inspired by modernist jewelry from the 1930s — 60s as well as pop culture and design from my childhood in the 1980s. I choose not to treat the acrylic like a gem. I want it to be its own material, so I don’t set it in traditional settings. My newest body of work combines hand fabricated hollow formed sterling silver with layers of acrylic that I have carved, heat-formed, dyed, or reverse painted, and then riveted with the settings of semi-precious gemstones. All the work, from start to finish, is done by me. Each piece is a labor of love. Collingswood, NJ debraadelson.com jewelry@debraadelson.com Booth 1504
Over the years, I find certain themes reccurring in my work, the rhythmical arrangements of several elements, repetition of similar forms or colors, the unexpected contrasts of differently textured materials ... I am endlessly fascinated with gemstones, precious or not ... by the wealth of different reds found in nature, by the sea of blues, the opaqueness of lapis, the transparency and subtlety of a lightly lilac-colored sapphire. One can almost paint with these stones. Within the self-imposed limitation of, for instance, making a gold brooch, I feel I can, through my choice of colors and textures, communicate a certain mood, an attitude toward life that in turn will be, I hope, sensed by whoever is looking at the piece ... like a improvisational jazz melody, like an abstract landscape ... San Francisco, CA petraclass.net
Booth 505
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
slapclass@aol.com
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PETRA CLASS
Artist Statement
CAROLINA COLE
Artist Statement Usually given as gifts to commemorate happy occasions or milestones, charms are uplifting and always personal. My first edition of charms is focused on capturing all kinds of love — from the most passionate to the most supportive. I’ve designed and made all my charms with a versatile clasp that opens and closes securely, allowing your charms to be worn on any of my bracelets or as pendants on your favorite chain or piece of ribbon. Deerfield, IL carolinacole.com carolinacole@comcast.net Booth H32
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light, and shadow. This work is based in the act of drawing and inspired by interior and exterior architectural structures such as bridges and telephone towers. Bethel, ME donnadaquino.com daquino15@yahoo.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 600
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DONNA D’AQUINO
Artist Statement
JANINE DECRESENZO
Artist Statement I make sculptural jewelry for women and men, fusing antique with space age, organic with an industrial twist, and comfort with individuality. Natural materials such as coral and lava are speckled with bezel set stones and 18k gold details. Starting with a simple sheet of silver, designs are cut, formed, and fabricated, evolving into wearable art. Philadelphia, PA janine.decresenzo.com janinede@yahoo.com Booth 222
As a jewelry designer, I create unique works of art that are soft and sensuous, whose movement and texture seduce the wearer. Once put on, each piece appears to come alive, moving with a woman’s body, adapting to her kinetic energy. My work combines the ancient with the contemporary. Adapting ancient bead weaving techniques, I hand weave fine gemstones, silver, and gold, with a contemporary sensibility and edge. Each piece is unique and intensely personal, often taking more than 100 hours to create. My art explores the connection between hard and soft. While pieces are at once hard — made of stones and metal — their ultimate effect is soft, like a piece of woven fabric that is draped over a woman’s wrist or around her neck.
Minnetonka, MN elizabethfarber.com bethefarber@gmail.com Booth 335
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
The designs of these tapestries of precious metals and gemstones are meant to evoke exotic lands. Drawing inspiration from my international experience, they are all imbued with the colors and visual flavors of the countries and cultures that I have known.
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ELIZABETH FARBER
Artist Statement
MARY FILAPEK & LOU ANN TOWNSEND
Artist Statement Our design sensibility is heavily influenced by a mid-century modern aesthetic. Crisp, strong lines, clean color, and a relationship to the universe and its machinations, infused throughout with a sense of joy and hope. The creation of our work always begins with the metal. Whether sterling silver, gold, or bronze, utilizing both fabrication and casting methods for manipulation, the foundation of every piece is built in metal. After the metal work is complete, some pieces are further flushed out with color from polymer clay or semi-precious stones. Concord, NC maryandlouann.com jewelry@maryandlouann.com Booth 103
My bead weaving work revives a skill I first learned as a child from my maternal grandmother, Rose. During summers on Cape Cod, she kept my little hands busy with needle, thread, and tiny beads. Those same tools, and the muse Rose awakened in me those many years ago, continue to keep me just as busy and creative today. Bead weaving is an exacting, methodical skill that is also liberating and creative. A project begins when I carefully select tiny glass seed beads, crystal, semiprecious stones, and found objects with an eye toward realizing a particular new design concept. The end product is a magical melding of color and texture, achieved with an eye toward the elegant, the unusual, and, on occasion, the quirky. A tiny “signature” in the form of a single purple bead is hidden in each piece ... but don’t look for it. Often, it is tucked away inside, hidden, but we know it’s there!
Ellicott City, MD theafine.com editted@gmail.com Booth 316
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
At its root, the work is all about threading a needle and connecting an ancient craft with a contemporary art form we now call bead weaving. For me, it’s also a connection of the heart across generations.
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THEODORA FINE
Artist Statement
MICHELE FRIEDMAN
Artist Statement Since developing my first line of all-metal jewelry in 1994, I had wanted to incorporate color into my work without setting stones. The challenge was determining an alternative material. After much trial and error, I concluded that wool felt would be an excellent candidate. It possesses rich, saturated color, a hint of texture, and is flexible and durable. After experimenting, I began to love the interplay between the bright, soft wool felt and the dark, hard oxidized silver. I make and set wool felt stones into my jewelry. The metal work acts as a backdrop to showcase the rich wool felt. These two materials constantly provide challenges and rewards as I continue to explore and push the envelope. Chicago, IL micheleafriedman.com mafdesign1@gmail.com Booth 1501
Through my jewelry designs I strive to capture the preciousness of life and its magical flow with elegant and simple designs. I often use many symbols derived directly from nature, such as expansive oceans as a figure to express our interconnectedness, our oneness; droplets of water as a metaphor for individuality; the warming sun as a giver of life; or delicate flowers symbolizing the beauty and fragility of life. My work is largely a reaction to these kinds of images — at times it contains fragments taken directly from them, and at other times contains only abstract offshoots which have evolved indirectly from those images. Furthermore, I feel the techniques I use are merely a tool, a means to get my message across. I believe that the use of various techniques can be likened to something like language, whereas the designs of the pieces communicate the ideas and the real message. San Francisco, CA corneliagoldsmith.com
Booth 416
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
info@corneliagoldsmith.com
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CORNELIA GOLDSMITH
Artist Statement
CHRISTINA GOODMAN
Artist Statement These small objects, paintings, and wearable miniatures are hand painted using extremely fine brushes and a magnifier. Each piece is built out of wood or cast resin, gilded with 22k gold leaf, then individually painted in acrylics. The work is inspired by Renaissance painting and frames, trompe l’oeil, manuscript illumination, and all things miniature. Alameda, CA christinagoodman.com cg@christinagoodman.com Booth 105
I always have found a truth in the saying “when one door closes, another one opens.” I practiced surgery for 15 years, but also pursued art as a hobby. When my vision made it impossible for me to operate anymore, my “hobby” became my new career. It allows me the opportunity to be creative and continue to work with my hands. This career change has had other benefits as well. It gives me the opportunity to pursue my other passion — bike riding. And that in turn provides endless amounts of inspiration for my jewelry. When I ride, I am struck by the beauty around me and am inspired by the textures, patterns, and colors. I embrace asymmetry, fluidity, and lack of perfection in a traditional sense and create pieces that are versatile and make the wearer feel good. Owings Mills, MD lorimegdesigns.com lorimegdesigns@me.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 229
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LORI GOTTLIEB
Artist Statement
GABRIELLE GOULD
Artist Statement My jewelry focuses on the natural wonders of my surrounding environment. I am interested in the use of natural elements combined with precious metals to achieve a fresh, contemporary feel. St. Augustine, FL gabriellegould.com gabgould@bellsouth.net Booth 305
I am interested in small containers and the way they can serve as both holders of precious things and deliberate points of focus. Composed of natural found materials in resins and silver, my jewelry pieces often focus on details from the natural world that might otherwise be overlooked. The containers I create can be their own small worlds, holding a caught moment, a meditation on form, or a subtle gesture. Ojai, CA andreahaffner.com andrea@andreahaffner.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 1701
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ANDREA HAFFNER
Artist Statement
DAHLIA KANNER
Artist Statement My work is inspired by plants, skeletal remains, and molecular structures. I translate these elements of life into bold, highly textural wearable forms. My materials of choice are sterling silver, 18k, and 22k gold. I graduated RISD in 1996 and have been making jewelry in Rhode Island since then. Kingston, RI dahliakannerstudio.com dahlia@dahliakannerstudio.com Booth 531
There is an enigmatic beauty in things that have been made by hand with an intimate knowledge of materials, but always with the personal passion of an artist. My goal is to create work that will stand the test of time for the confident woman. Chicago, IL christyklug.com christy@christyklug.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 1601
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CHRISTY KLUG
Artist Statement
LORETTA LAM
Artist Statement I create dramatic art jewelry in lush forms and sophisticated color inspired by nature’s bounty. I am interested in creating a rich surface experience by overlapping pattern and texture which invites you to linger, savor, and touch. Carmel, NY lorettalam.com trinkets@lorettalam.com Booth 506
In my work I celebrate the materials, textures, and surprises found in nature. I am currently using amber mica, which I layer with 23k gold leaf, and am carving volcanic stone and anthracite, which I inset with natural pearls and precious stones. I contrast this formal construction with serendipitous surface treatment, such as my version of a very old Japanese patina. I heat copper to bright red, expose it to wood particles, and then plunge it into boiling water which creates an organic and unpredictable “raku” effect. For vivid color, I create a clear oxide on niobium, which develops into interference colors as in a soap bubble or blue jay feather. These diverse materials require a combination of goldsmithing techniques and necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention engineering for me to turn them into a piece of finished jewelry. I strive to capture the beauty found when working with natural materials. Rifton, NY keithlewisstudio.com
Booth 319
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
info@keithlewisstudio.com
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KEITH LEWIS
Artist Statement
TARA LOCKLEAR
Artist Statement The sculptural designs I create are a formal response to materials. The visual dialogue communicated from the objects informs the final product. These compositions resonate an industrial persona challenging adornment ideals of value in our urban lifestyles. I am drawn to sustainable, industrial components, reclaimed objects, and materials that require multiple processes. The research, exploration, and formation of these materials are at the very core of my practice. Interpretation, evolution, and the re-invention of adornment are critical concepts to my creations. Collectively, body adornment is redefined through my contemporary vernacular. Raleigh, NC taralocklear.com lockleartara@yahoo.com Booth 602
Primarily self-taught, my work is based on formal concerns, design, and function. Coming from a fine arts perspective, function is a new and important dimension for me. Coming from a psychological perspective, I make jewelry because of the intimacy the function allows. I use metal and stone (river rocks) because they are inherently strong materials. The combination of metal and stone allows me to integrate the industrial and organic elements of our world. These materials are rich in their historic value and intrinsic to our growth as a civilization; their abundant character, separate or in relation to each other, offers me infinite possibilities as a language. Richmond, IN tlstudios@aol.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 606
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TERRI LOGAN
Artist Statement
SYDNEY LYNCH
Artist Statement My jewelry designs are influenced by the places where I live and travel. At home or on the road, I take photos constantly to record shapes, colors, textures, and patterns that may inspire future designs. My house is filled with collections of rocks, shells, pottery shards, and other found objects that have caught my eye during years of walks and travels. Creating jewelry is, in a sense, miniaturizing a vast landscape by focusing on the details of my surroundings that might otherwise be easily overlooked. I work in mixed metals, combining oxidized silver with 18k and 22k gold, as well as 22k gold/silver bimetal. My one of a kind work, particularly, includes a wide range of colored stones and pearls. Lincoln, NE sydneylynch.com sydney@sydneylynch.com Booth 422
Lauren Markley is a native of Kansas currently living in North Carolina. In her current body of work, she uses a variety of materials including sterling silver, brass, reclaimed wood, and textile. She explores themes of architecture, schematics, structural disintegration, and decay through use of surface treatments such as painting, burning, scratching, mark making, and stitching. Her work can be found online and in boutiques and galleries throughout the United States. Raleigh, NC laurenmarkley.com antigenre_arts@yahoo.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 3207
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LAUREN MARKLEY
Artist Statement
KAREN MCCREARY
Artist Statement My designs are an exploration of light, color, and visual illusion. Combining hand-carved transparent acrylic with 22k gold leaf and sterling silver, I mix contemporary and traditional materials and techniques to create pieces with a simplicity of form but enough complexity to hold the eye. Long Beach, CA galleryred.com/mccreary karen@galleryred.com Booth 216
I find sublime beauty in simple natural forms. My designs embrace the materials and techniques of fine crafted jewelry, but also capture the contrast in materials and the dichotomy inherent in nature. When you wear a piece of my jewelry, it is understood that nature is a part of your philosophy and the way you experience the world. I have been designing and fabricating custom jewelry for more than 20 years. My jewelry echoes a passion for my garden and the allure of the natural world. I am constantly inspired by nature’s curiosities and feel a deep sense of awe when the seasons come alive. It’s what drives me to evolve my technique and produce work that is current and grounded. In my world, fashion and art are bedfellows. My work appeals to women who appreciate the depth of technique of well made, fine crafted jewelry, but ultimately are attracted to the way the jewelry makes them feel. Baltimore, MD
info@rebeccamyersdesign.com Booth 412
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
rebeccamyersdesign.com
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REBECCA MYERS
Artist Statement
JUDITH NEUGEBAUER
Artist Statement A previous career in classical ballet and theater instilled within me a deep awareness and appreciation for movement, line, and balance. These are the classical qualities I have always tried to incorporate into my jewelry designs ... and my life. Milford, PA judithneugebauer.com tomnjudy@ptd.net Booth 210
Creating is part of who I am. I can’t imagine life without it. I believe in great craftsmanship, and I am excited by interesting textures, rich colors, and soothing forms. My work is often described as “industrial” and “organic” in the same sentence. I am constantly taking in inspiration from the things around me: natural forms, like river stones and nests, and structural, architectural details, like rivets in the crossbeams of a bridge. I use the age-old process of enameling to add durable color to my formed copper pieces. I then fabricate intricate sterling silver settings to hold them, incorporating cold connections to hold the enamel in place. This process takes considerable planning and creative problem solving to execute. St. Louis Park, MN bethnovakenamels.com
Booth D14
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
beth.novak.enamels@gmail.com
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ELIZABETH NOVAK
Artist Statement
MEGHAN PATRICE RILEY
Artist Statement I create light and kinetic wire jewelry. With a background in math and geometry, each piece is inspired by volumetric forms and is fabricated by hand. Using sterling silver and gold fill tubing with nylon-coated steel wire as fiber, I am able to form small line segments to create geometric shapes and forms that are lightweight, flexible, and which adapt to the wearer. Geometric shapes were chosen as the foundation because they are simple, basic, and elementary but can be expounded on to create multidimensional forms. Each form acts like a link to interconnect with other forms creating an even larger volumetric structure. The resulting pieces are extremely light, web-like structures that have glints of precious metal connectors amongst the flexible metal wire. New York, NY meghanpatriceriley.com mpr@meghanpatriceriley.com Booth 302
Starting at birth, and on every birthday until I was a teenager, my Aunt Helen gave me a charm. By the time I was seven, I had a fabulous charm bracelet and my collection continued to grow. Though my bracelet was stolen when I was in college, I can still remember the links of the bracelet and most of the charms. Memories ‌ My jewelry is personal. New memories to share ... New York, NY bibaschutz.com biba@bibaschutz.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 405
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BIBA SCHUTZ
Artist Statement
ERIC SILVA
Artist Statement Eric Silva’s work reflects his individual artistic viewpoint, which combines natural and industrial materials in a small, thoughtfully constructed space, and which highlights the often-overlooked details found in daily life. He believes in the simplicity and integrity of the materials themselves, and for those who own his work, Eric affirms that a unique bond is forged between artist and owner. Whittier, CA ericsilva.com info@ericsilva.com Booth 301
Chicago, IL christinesimpsonforni.com csforni@me.com Booth 1309
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
For me, art is my life. It’s the way I communicate ideas, understand nature, and learn about life. I enjoy drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and photography, but I love the engineering and intellectual challenges of metalsmithing and making jewelry. With wearable art there are so many more objectives to consider than any other art form. The human form is my canvas, and someone’s wrist can become the pedestal for one of my sculptures. There is something magical about moving metal and transforming it into other shapes. I enjoy the sound and power of the hammer hitting the anvil. There is an intimacy because of the size of the pieces that extends all the way to the person who chooses to wear it. Lately I have been concerned about the over harvesting of coral for the jewelry industry and how that is affecting our coral reefs along with global warming. I have chosen to communicate this message in a beautiful way, one person at a time, when they come to see my work. They always ask me if these are found objects from the beach or real coral, and I tell them it is porcelain or enameled copper to pay homage to the diminishing reefs.
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CHRISTINE SIMPSON-FORNI
Artist Statement
PATRICIA TSCHETTER
Artist Statement Patricia began her jewelry career in 1998 after having been a marriage and family therapist. After taking classes at the Craft Guild of Dallas, she went on to take workshops from various teachers at The Revere Academy in San Francisco, through the Florida Society of Goldsmiths, and others. Her most influential teacher has been Jean Stark, from whom she learned granulation. Patricia’s work has been featured in Modern Jeweler, National Jeweler, Niche, Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist, Ornament, JCK Style, Couture International Jeweler, Metalsmith and Art Jewelry Magazine. Her work is carried by galleries nationwide, and she has exhibited around the country. Patricia lives and works in Dallas with her husband, Bob, and two dogs, Rufus and Lucy. Dallas, TX tschetterstudio.com pt10988@sbcglobal.net Booth 315
Jewelry as an art expression transforms itself from my imagination and observations from life. My work figuratively shapes itself from either abstraction or illusion through the use of hand-stitching applications and black and white Asian calligraphy. These two primal, ancient, fundamental techniques support the basis for my contemporary jewelry. Each jewelry piece evolves in its own way through a creative process that is balanced between shapes and special influences. My jewelry forms are often realized in the moment rather than manipulated in a controlled way. Rochester, NY myungurso.com myungurso@aol.com
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Booth 207
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MYUNG URSO
Artist Statement
CARLY WRIGHT
Artist Statement I draw inspiration from the amazing rock escarpments near my home. I look for interesting compositions in the crevasses and sedimentary layers. I aspire to emulate the ancient feel of stone in my jewelry work by texturing and oxidizing the silver, and matte finishing the enamel surface with an acid etch. Fine glass granules are inlaid and fired in a kiln in the technique known as champlevĂŠ. My work has often been described as architectural and painterly. Berne, NY carlywright.com cb.carly@gmail.com Booth 423
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A M E R I C A N C R A F T C O U N C I L 1224 Marshall St. NE, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55413 (612) 206-3100 craftcouncil.org