THE JEWELERS’ PALETTE, 3/15/2025
From Warren and
Land of Odds
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March 15, 2025
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Hi everyone,
Some Updates and Things Happening.
(Please share this newsletter)
In this Issue:
1. HANDWORK & DESIGN 2025 in Munich this March — take a look!
2. I recently was a guest on a webinar sponsored by the Bead Society of Northern California
3. Clamshells fascinate a Greek jeweler
4. Aging new beads to match old beads
5. To keep your artist statement evolving as you evolve
6. Art Blend — a community of creatives in Columbia, TN
7. Find a great source of bead weaving tutorials from Jill Wiseman
8. Some jewelry galleries of note — must sees on your travels
Some articles you may have missed
Featured
1. HANDWORK & DESIGN 2025 in Munich this March — take a look!
HANDWORK & DESIGN is an annual international trade fair for crafts of all kinds. It highlights new techniques, award winning designs and new designers.
At the event, masterful technical execution meets a pronounced awareness of good design. Individually, and sustainably produced in local small businesses, the artisanal products incorporate the latest ideas and innovations. Here you can discover things that are not found in any catalogue.
Humans are makers: we have always designed our environment according to our own needs and it is never solely about functionality, it is always equally about beautyorg. The focus of «Handwerk & Design» is entirely on this creative aspect of craftsmanship. Once a year, creators from Germany and abroad showcase their art here.
Metal-free unique furniture that relies entirely on centuries-old wood joints, handmade lamps made of glass, fountain pens made of wood, headdresses made of straw or “Suiddys” made of high-quality woollen fabrics, a mixture of jacket and hoody for men: «Handwerk & Design» offers 11,000 square metres full of perfection in craftsmanship and design!
Jewellery is traditionally particularly well represented at «Handwerk & Design». Whether unusual one-off pieces for everyday wear, jewellery made of precious metals and precious stones, or artistic jewellery that tells stories. From personal memories to political statements: there is nothing that cannot be expressed with jewellery. Traditional and contemporary techniques and materials go hand in hand. Unk Kraus makes colourful brooches out of corn starch, Christine Demmel creates delicate flowers out of hand-painted parchment, and Christoph Straube’s illusionist enamel painting is so deceptively real that you can hardly believe your eyes.
Here are some websites to peruse as you explore all the various offerings at this trade fair:
https://klimt02.net/institutions/organizations/handwerk-design
Handwork & Design website
Contemporary jewelry
Schmuck Munich 2025
Instagram
2. I recently was a guest on a webinar sponsored by the Bead Society of Northern California
Here’s the link to the recording.
[Had a technical glitch right at the beginning, but soon corrected.]
TOPIC: Contemporizing Traditional Jewelry
GOALS:
Understanding the differences between traditional jewelry and contemporary jewelry.
Exploring why people feel connected to traditional jewelry.
Comparing a traditional Etruscan necklace design with my attempts to contemporize it.
Discussing why developing skills for “contemporizing” is important for jewelry designers.
Guiding Questions
(1) How do you marry personal artistic intent with traditional ideas, keeping the jewelry design essential and alive for today’s audience?
(2) Why do so many people draw inspiration from traditional pieces?
(3) How is contemporary jewelry different from traditional jewelry?
(4) To what degree should the contemporary piece reference the traditional piece which inspired it?
(5) If the wearer does not feel a connection between the jewelry and society, culture or history, can the piece of jewelry still be successful?
(6) What would be considered “good” contemporary jewelry design, and does this conflict with ideas and goals for contemporizing traditional jewelry?
ABSTRACT:
Many people, jewelry designers among them, draw inspirations from traditional jewelry styles. One thing they seek to create through jewelry is a feeling of connectedness, coupled with a desire to feel connected. Traditional jewelry provides clear clues about what society and culture consider appropriate, good and even necessary ideas about connectedness.
But the core issue for jewelry designers today is how to achieve jewelry design which is more contemporary than merely a replay or reworking of traditional preferences and styles, that is, how to contemporize it. How to construct ideas into objects, challenge history and culture, produce that which typically ignores (or even is in opposition to) socio-cultural norms, standardization and monotony.
Contemporizing Traditional Jewelry has to do with how designers take these particular traditional forms and techniques, and by substituting their personal values for traditional socio-cultural ones, bring into being jewelry more connected and relevant to today’s sense of fashion, style, individuality and personal expression. The challenge for the designer, when contemporizing traditional jewelry, is how to marry personal artistic intent with traditional ideas, keeping jewelry design essential and alive for today’s audience. What helps here is understanding contemporary jewelry as a way of thinking through the design process, rather than something representative of a particular look.
Here’s the link to the recording.
[Had a technical glitch right at the beginning, but soon corrected.]
3. Clamshells fascinate a Greek jewelry
Original article
Melanie Georgacopoulos website: https://www.melaniegeorgacopoulos.com/
The purplish shells of quahogs, treasured in the past by Native Americans, now appear alongside gold, mother-of-pearl and onyx.
“For centuries Native Americans treasured quahog shells, the purplish hard coverings of clams found along North Atlantic shores, which they fashioned into beads called wampum to adorn ceremonial garments and, later, to use as currency.
Today, however, quahogs are primarily a food source, often found in clam chowders, and their shells are discarded.
Melanie Georgacopoulos, a jewelry designer known for her unconventional use of pearls and shells, had never even heard of quahogs before she began work on her new Katina collection.
“When I saw them, I fell in love with the shells,” said Ms. Georgacopoulos, who was born in Greece and now works in London and Hamburg, Germany. “At first, I was drawn to its beautiful purple color, but after researching, I realized it has a significant history and carries a people’s culture.”
She learned about them when Brendan Breen, an entrepreneur in Boston who has had a lifelong fascination with quahogs, asked if she wanted to buy some shells.”
Original article
Melanie Georgacopoulos website: https://www.melaniegeorgacopoulos.com/
4. Over the years, I have gotten asked about aging new beads to look like old beads.
Often, someone has an old beaded dress or wedding dress, with a lot of beads missing. Usually these beads are crystal silver lined. The older beads have faded and darkened somewhat. The new beads are very shiny.
Here are some things that you can do: The goal is to slightly darken or tarnish the silver lining inside the beads without damaging the glass exterior.
1. Ammonia Vapor Method (I always try this first. Darkens things slowly).
- Spray the beads with Windex with ammonia
- Place the beads in a small, sealed container with a few drops of ammonia on a cotton ball (do not let them touch).
- Leave them for a few hours or overnight, checking periodically.
- This method can give a slightly aged, yellowed effect without darkening too much.
2. Sulfur Exposure (Safe Patina) (Can darken things too quickly).
- Place the new beads in a sealed container with a hard-boiled egg (shell removed and mashed) for 24–48 hours. The sulfur in the egg will oxidize the silver lining and darken it. If resorting to sulfur, I’d start with the hard boiled eggs before going to liquid of sulfur.
- Check periodically to avoid over-darkening.
- Rinse the beads thoroughly and dry them completely before use. You can stop the darkening process at any point by dumping the beads into a bowl of water that has 1 tbsp baking soda in it. But then immediately was the beads in regular water.
3. Liver of Sulfur (Stronger Patina)
- Mix a very diluted solution of liver of sulfur (LOS) with warm water. You can used a Liver of Sulfur gel. Put the solution in the microwave for 1 minute. You want the temperature of the solution to be different than the temperature of the beads. The greater the difference, the faster the darkening.
- Submerge the beads briefly (10–30 seconds), then rinse immediately. I actually like to put them into a solution of water and 1 tbsp baking soda. This stops the darkening process, and then rinse them in plain water.
- If necessary, repeat for a deeper patina.
- Buff the exterior glass gently with a soft cloth to remove any residue. You can use a paper towel or 0000 steel wool.
4. Tea or Coffee Staining (Subtle Tinting)
- Soak the beads in strongly brewed black tea or coffee for a few hours to add a slight antique warmth.
- This won’t tarnish the silver lining but may subtly warm the color of the glass. The resulting color is pretty but brownish, so probably won’t match the older beads in the dress.
5. Diluted Paint or Ink Wash (For Controlled Aging)
- Mix a very diluted wash of brown, black, or sepia acrylic paint or alcohol ink.
- Apply lightly with a fine brush or dip quickly and wipe off excess.
- This can create an aged appearance without chemical reactions.
- I have never tried this, but I’m thinking, but do not know, that this will leave a glossy finish on the outside glass of the beads, as if they were painted with clear nail polish.
5. To keep your artist statement evolving as you evolve
📝 To keep your artist statement clear and relevant…
- Your statement should evolve alongside your artistic practice. Review it periodically to ensure it reflects your current work.
- Even if you’ve explored different mediums, highlight what connects your past work to your present practice. Ex.: “My past work with acrylics taught me blending techniques that I now apply in my current series.”
- Keep your biography separate — your statement focuses on your work and process, while your bio should include education and background details.
Review and Revise to keep your content clear, concise and consistent…
- Focus on clarity and intentionality. Every sentence should serve a purpose, whether describing your artistic process, inspirations, or themes.
- Reinforce a central thread throughout your statement. If you begin with a theme, weave it into the conclusion to create cohesion.
- If a word is commonly used in an artistic context, consider if it truly adds value or if a more precise term would be better. Be mindful of overused words.
- If your statement already feels focused and intentional, small edits — such as removing a concluding sentence that doesn’t add depth — can make it even more powerful.
Keep the focus on YOU and not your Viewer…
- Keep the focus on your experience and process — avoid phrases like “I hope the viewer will feel.” Allow the viewer to find their own connection to your pieces.
- Highlight tangible aspects (e.g., techniques, materials) to create a connection between words and visuals.
- Maintain a concise and engaging statement; quality matters more than length.
- Expand only if something essential feels missing, not just for comparison to others.
6. Art Blend — a community of creatives in Columbia, TN
I had the recent opportunity to attend the monthly get-together of Art Blend — a community, grass-roots group of creatives in Columbia, TN. It was exciting. Lots of synergy in the room.
First, they define ARTISTS very broadly to include all creatives. Visual artists, theater folks, crafters, jewelry designers, wood workers, cake decorators, writers, interior designers, musicians.
They hold their events at local coffee shops, restaurants, and pubs. The first part of the mixer was open-ended. Then, the core of their program was show-and-tell. Visual artists presented one or more of their works and talked about their inspirations, their journey as an artist, their hopes and fears. Musicians and song writers sang songs their wrote. Writers read from pieces they were working on.
The broad representation put an emphasis on commonalities, particularly in terms of the prospects and struggles of tapping into your personal creative spark and translating that into something creative to share with others. It also clearly was a significant support system.
The last part of the evening was time to walk around and view many of the works close-up and talking with each creative. Getting more of the story. Learning more of the insights. Feeling a part of someone’s journey.
On Instagram: @artblend-columbia
7. Find a great source of bead weaving video tutorials from Jill Wiseman
Jill wiseman is a prominent bead weaving author and instructor. On her YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@JillWisemanDesigns) , you will find many free instructional videos on how-to do various bead weaving techniques. She has many free pattern tutorials for projects you can work on. You even documents some of her bead weaving experiences and travels.
8. Some jewelry galleries of note — must sees on your travels
Galerie Cebra (https://www.galerie-cebra.de/die_galerie/)
https://www.instagram.com/cebragalerie/
Located in the heart of Düsseldorf’s Old Town, GALERIE CEBRA is a welcoming space dedicated to contemporary jewellery.
Pistachios (https://www.pistachiosonline.com/)
https://www.instagram.com/pistachiosjewelry/
Pistachios is a contemporary art jewelry and objects gallery in downtown Chicago, curating the most talented and cutting edge artists from around the world.
Patina Gallery (https://www.patina-gallery.com/)
https://www.instagram.com/patinagallery/
Downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS by Warren Feld
Sat, 3/15, 2–3, LET’S MAKE A STRETCHY BRACELET, Maury County Library, 211 W 8th St, Columbia, TN
Register: Call (931) 375–6502
Sat, 3/22, 12–3, PEARL KNOTTING, Middle TN Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson, Fifty Forward
Register: Call 615 883–8375
Sat, 4/12, 2–3, LET’S MAKE EARRINGS, Maury County Library, 211 W 8th St, Columbia, TN
Register: Call (931) 375–6502
Sat, 4/26, 1–4, PEARL KNOTTING, Hoamsy, Nashville, Fait La Force Brewery,1414 3rd Ave S, Ste 101, Nashville
Register: https://www.hoamsy.com/experiences/detail/z1IFcpOwTimeKRYk1akv
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Register :https://www.hoamsy.com/experiences/detail/6azTthSZL5h76jCqKjNp
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