LOOK CLOSELY: COURTNEY LIPSON Presented by Stonington Gallery
LOOK CLOSELY: COURTNEY LIPSON September 2014 at Stonington Gallery 125 South Jackson St Seattle, WA 98104 Located in Historic Pioneer Square 206 - 405 - 4040 art@stoningtongallery.com www.stoningtongallery.com Open Daily All works in this publication are available to purchase at time of publication. Please inquire with gallery for current availability and pricing. All works and photography by Courtney Lipson. Commissions available.
I recently took 6 months off from jewelry-making to act as Interim Arts Director for a non-profit arts center in Lynden, WA. During that time I connected with metalsmiths on Facebook in a couple of groups specifically organized to share information and network. This broadened my knowledge and interests while I was away from my bench. It gave me access to some interesting and incredibly talented metalsmiths from around the world. The camaraderie and open sharing of techniques within the groups played a role in this new body of work at Stonington Gallery. I thrive on challenge and change, and was encouraged and coached by the other smiths to try hammer setting techniques for stone setting. This enables me to create substantially thicker and more secure bezels to house gemstones. Changing techniques meant making my own tools, altering my bench setup, and just plain learning something new. During the time apart from my tools, I invigorated my thought process, instilled new abilities and enabled greater design flexibility. I have accumulated some large cabochons over the years, which I’ve often refrained from using because adding micro-mosaics creates quite large pieces of jewelry. Devising a way to add micro-mosaics to the back of a stone via a swiveling double bezel allowed me to revisit the stones I’ve been holding on to and still create everyday wearable jewelry. In addition to the technical growth explored in this work I create with joy. Determining whether or not that positive attitude carries over to the object is up to the wearer. Look closer and discover the hidden patterns in this jewelry.
COURTNEY LIPSON September 2014
PROCESS: MAKING MICRO-MOSAIC CUFFS
1. For these sterling silver bracelets, square wire is bent into the shape and size of a bracelet, the ends soldered together for a continuous frame.
2. This flat oblong frame is then soldered to a sterling silver sheet for the backing of the cuff.
3. The excess metal is sawed off and then filed by hand to contour and smooth the edges of each cuff.
5. Each piece is hallmarked and quality stamped.
4. They are further sanded, then polished on a dental lathe using polishing wheels varying from 80 grit-1 micron.
6. Lipson then shapes them into a cuff using a steel mandrel and rawhide mallet.
7. Once the cuffs are shaped they are further polished before beading begins.
8. Beads are adhered to the interior surface of the frame using epoxy.
9. Beading in progress. The entire surface is then sealed with colored grout.
Green Moth Cuff - 2013 Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout
INCLUSION
Inclusion Necklace (Right): Prehnite, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Inclusion Link Bracelet (Above): Prehnite, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Inclusion Earrings (2 Similar Sets Available, Above): Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Inclusion Cuff Bracelet (Next Page): Prehnite, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Each piece sold separately.
L: Inclusion Cuff Bracelet R: Inclusion Necklace & Earrings
I
nclusions are a characteristic enclosed within a gemstone.
-Courtney Lipson
OPEN
Open Reversible Pendant - Beaded Side
Open Reversible Pendant (Left & Right): Bumblebee Jasper, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Open Cuff Bracelet (Left & Next Page): Bumblebee Jasper, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Open Necklace (Next Page): Bumblebee Jasper, Turquoise, Citrine, Spinel, Hessonite Garnets, Pearls, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Open Earrings (Hooks) (Next Page): Turquoise, Pearls, Hessonite Garnets, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Open Earrings (Posts) (Left): Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Each piece sold separately.
L: Open Beaded Necklace R: Open Cuff Bracelet
ACCORD
Accord Reversible Necklace (Above, Right): Pietersite, Rutilated Quartz, Tiger Eye, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout. Handmade Chain: Sterling Silver, 14kt Gold. Pendant is reversible, reveals micro-mosaic on back (above) Accord Cuff (Right & Next Page): Psilomelane, Sterling Silver, 14kt Gold bezel, Glass Seed Beads, Grout. Accord Earrings (Right & Next Page): Sterling Silver, 14kt Gold, Glass Seed Beads, Grout. Each piece sold separately.
S
urprised by the compliment these stones paid each other on my bench, I chose to combine them using contrasting blackened silver and bright gold. -Courtney Lipson
Above: Accord Earrings L & R: Accord Cuff Bracelet
PERIAPT P
eriapt: an amulet of earth and water.
Periapt Reversible Necklace (Far Left & Left): Boulder Opal, Chrysoprase, 14kt gold, Hessonite Garnets, Citrine, Smoky Quartz, Tourmaline, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Periapt Cuff Bracelet: Boulder Opal, 14kt Gold, Glass Seed Beads, Grout
PRESERVATION Preservation Cuff Bracelet - Gold (Left): Dinosaur Bone, 14kt Gold, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Preservation Cuff Bracelet - Silver (Right): Dinosaur Bone, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Each piece sold separately.
METTLE
M
ettle: boldness; strength of character. Filework comes from the knifemaking tradition: decorative marks cut by
hand into a knife’s backspring or the spine of the blade.
-Courtney Lipson
Left to Right: Mettle III : Variscite Reversible Filework Pendant Variscite, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Mettle I: Red Jasper Reversible Filework Pendant Red Jasper, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Mettle II: Turquoise Reversible Filework Pendant Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout Photos at left show the same three reversible pendants, front and back. Photos at right show back of each pendant in order.
T
hese are personal amulets with positive intent. Beauty not being
in the eye of the beholder, but in the inner strength of our quiet power. That secret place within that holds our truth and spirit.
Left (Front & Back): Mettle IV: Jasper Reversible Filework Pendant Jasper, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout
Right (Front & Back): Mettle V: Pietersite Reversible Filework Pendant Pietersite, Sterling Silver, Glass Seed Beads, Grout
Process: Filework on METTLE Pendants
To create the filework designs on the edges of these pendants, the metal is first coated with a blue marker. Then, dividers are used to scribe the pattern lines. Using files and saw blades of varying shapes and sizes the pattern is incised and cut into the edges, revealing a repeating sculptural pattern. The edges are refined and polished carefully to retain the definition in each cut. The pendant is then cleaned and patinated, the raised surfaces polished to create contrast and further expose the filework.
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