Forging Communities, a MAGSF Symposium

Just a quick shout-out about this very exciting event.  If you are a local artist in San Francisco, it is a must!  Here is the schedule (starting as early as next Thursday, November 20, 2011) and description:

Remembering MAG

Lireille Gallery, Oakland

October 20 – November 13, 2011

Opening Reception Oct 20, 5:30-8:30pm

Live music by Brandon Mei

3980 Piedmont, Oakland CA 94611

www.lireille.com

Remembering MAG is an invitational exhibition in celebration of the guild’s 60th anniversary and coincides with MAG’s November 12th symposium, Forging Communities, at the Oakland Museum. Selections from the MAG Permanent Collection will be shown alongside work from founding members Tex Gieling, merry renk, and Florence Resnikoff. The exhibition will also showcase past MAG Presidents work from the era they were president as well as a piece that represents their current aesthetic. Historical documents and photos 
tracing MAG’s early years will be part of the exhibit.

Conspicuous

California artists in collaboration with Anzfer Farms

Monday Spaces, San Francisco

November 10-21, 2011

Opening Reception Nov 10, 6-9pm

2441 Balboa St @ 26th Ave, SF CA 94121

www.mondayspaces.com

Conspicuous, hosted by Monday Spaces in collaboration with MAG, is an intimate exhibition that speaks to jewelry and how we can put it on view in our personal settings. Conspicuous is a collaborative exhibition with Anzfer Farms who respond to the featured jewelry by creating interactive, custom displays for showcasing the work in a personal setting. Their interest is in exploring these objects as a visual experience and the role played when they are taken out of a functional context.

MOveMENT 

California artists embracing the movements that define the Bay Area

724 Studios, San Francisco
November 4-19, 2011
Opening Reception and 11-11-11 Celebration Nov 11, 6-10pm
Live music by Ramshackle Romeos and DJ Nicky
724 Valencia St @ 18th St, SF CA 94110

The Bay Area has been defined by the many movements that have come through it, and often sets the stage for the rest of the country to follow. California metalsmiths respond to the theme of MOveMENT in this juried exhibition. Jurors Julie Muniz (Curator of Decorative Arts, Oakland Museum), and Harriete Estel Berman (artist, creator of The Professional Guidelines).

 

11-11-11 Celebration
Nov 11, 6-10pm
FREE
An Artist Reception for MOveMENT as well as a Pre-Symposium Party , the evening will kick off with live music from Ramshackle Romeos and hors d’oeuvres and drinks made by mixologist Scott Beattie from SpoonBar (Healdsburg). MOveMENT jurors Julie Muniz and Harriete Estel Berman will be present to discuss their selections for the show. MAG will recognize a dedicated, long-term member with a special award for their commitment to the field of jewelry and metals and the Metal Arts Guild. Party kicks into full gear with dance tunes by DJ Nicky  in 70s power pop/glam and 80s punk/pop/garage rock. Local food cart vendors will be selling their bites well into the evening. An event not to be missed!

Plus see work by Forging Communities presenters:

Lola Brooks and Andy Cooperman

and work by Amy Tavern: This is How I Remember it

Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco
November 2-30
Opening reception for symposium artists Lola Brooks and Andy Cooperman, Nov 12, 7-9pm
Opening reception  for Amy Tavern, Nov 4, 6-8pm
2015 Polk St, SF CA 94019
www.velvetdavinci.com 

New Jasper Pendants

Been neglecting this little blog of mine lately.  Now that summer months are almost gone, I'm getting back into the show circuits.  Here are a couple of pendants using some new materials I got recently.  I was immediately captivated by their vibrant yellow and orange striations.  This jasper came from Indonesia.  Aren't they cool?

Right:  Large Oval Jasper Pendant
Left:  X-Large Long Oval Jasper Pendant

The large one (left) is huge, about 2-5/8 inches long.  The shorter one is about 2 inches long.  Both are set in heavy gauge recycled sterling silver for a strong sturdy frame.

RAW 52/31 - Black Tourmaline in Quartz

Here's a ring where I used a quartz that has black tourmaline inclusions.    According to Wikipedia, Tourmaline is a crystal boron silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. You can see the roughly triangular outline of the elongated crystal structure.

Tourmaline in Quartz Ring

RAW 52/30 - Pyrite in Quartz

A cute button shaped quartz with glittery pyrites, and it has such a wonderful tactile feel.  I might have to keep this one.  :D

RAW 52/29 - Misty Mountain Ring

Another incredible picture stone I picked up recently.  It's a Montana Moss Agate that has landscape-like dentritic moss.  I think it looks like one of those Chinese ink paintings where the misty fog hovers around a mountain top.  To preserve the translucency of the chalcedony, I left the back of the ring open.  It makes me want to stare at it to see if I can find any human inhabitant.  Can you hear the two birds flying above?

Misty Mountain Ring with Montana Agate

RAW 52/28 - Labradorite Ring

Blue Labradorite Ring

This labradorite has a really nice brighter blue sheen to it, which contrasts nicely with the silver.  Ring is listed in my etsy store.