I seem to have a crash on wooden surfaces and objects lately and I’ve discovered some beautiful pictures from the following artists.

Jakob Nyberg - Photo from http://jacobnyberg.blogspot.com/

Jakob Nyberg - Photo from http://jacobnyberg.blogspot.com/

Jakob Nyberg - Photo from http://jacobnyberg.blogspot.com/

Djurdijca Kesic - Necklaces from the "Cities" series. Oak, Sterling Silver, Paint, Silk thread (photography by Andrew Bachram). Photo from http://www.djurdjicakesic.com

Djurdijca Kesic - "Despina" from "Cities" Series. Necklace. Pine, Paint, Silk thread (photography by Andrew Bachram). Photo from http://www.djurdjicakesic.com

Djurdjica Kesic - "Nomad 7". Necklace. Reclaimed timber lamp, linen thread. Photo from http://www.djurdjicakesic.com

Jorge Castanon - "The Yellow box". Brooch. Found Wood, 24 karat gold, sterling silver and steel. Constructed. Photo from http://www.jorgecastanon.com.ar

Jorge Castanon - "Refuge II" (2009). Brooch. Ebony and nickel silver. Constructed. Photo from http://www.jorgecastanon.com.ar

Flora Vagi - "Azur" (2005). Necklace. Ebony, silk, cold enamel, 18ct gold. Photo from http://www.floravagi.com

Flora Vagi - Spiral bracelets (2004). Oak, steel, cold enamel. Photo from http://www.floravagi.com

Flora Vagi - Leaves necklace (2008). Ebony, padauk, silk. Photo from http://www.floravagi.com

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are all direct links to their respective websites.

Thank you for reading.

Photo by CrisisCorps

Isn’t it ironic? Life is so the opposite of boring I tell you, I just love it! While I was talking about the benefits of blogging in my last post, Alchimia’s blog was being hacked and is now out of service…

Instead of getting all angry and sentimental about this, why not think about what we can all learn from it? Is it possible that one can prevent this from happening? I did some research and although there is no 100% hack-proof solution, it seems that there are some things one can do to make it a little more difficult for our friendly hackers.

Here is what WordPress has to suggest.

1. “Keeping your secrets secret”
Use a difficult-to-guess password. Do NOT share your password and do not use easy-to-guess words or birthdates…

“All it takes is one person to guess your password and they can delete every post you ever made. They could deface your site. They could read you emails or hijack your address and impersonate you. They could ruin what you have taken time to build.”

2. Choosing and using good passwords
Invent difficult words or phrases as passwords with capital letters, numbers and special characters. But how will you keep track of all these difficult passwords??? Use can use a password management software to control your passwords they are too difficult even for you to remember.

“These are some the password managers we use for our own passwords:

• Keepass – Open Source, free to download and use. Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
• LastPass – Free service with premium option. Available for all major OSs, browsers and mobile devices.
• 1Password – Paid download. Available for Windows, Mac and iOS, with support for all major browsers.“

3. Logging out to prevent public access to your Dashboard
Manually log out from your account each time you shut down you pc or even just the browser, especially if you’re working on a public computer.

“If you don’t log out, someone may be able to access your account just by viewing the browser history and going back to your WordPress.com Dashboard.

To log out of your WordPress.com account, select My Account → Log Out from the gray toolbar at the top of any WordPress.com page.“

4. Safely sharing control of your site with other users
Determine specific roles for each of your blog’s users. Have only one Administrator and appoint the rest as Contributors, who cannot make significant changes to the blog but can only write or draft posts. Do not even use the Administrator role yourself unless necessary and use the Editor’s role instead for day-to-day business.

“[...] be particularly stingy with the Administrator role. When you make another user an Administrator on your site, you’re literally creating a separate set of keys for your site and handing them to someone else. Not only will they be able to take your site for a joyride,  just having an extra set of keys laying around significantly increases the risk of your site being hijacked.”

5. Using a secure connection to log in to WordPress.com
“When you sign in to WordPress.com via a public Internet connection, such as a Wi-Fi connection at a library or a coffee shop, your account may be vulnerable to hijacking.

To keep the bad guys out, you can use a secure, encrypted connection to connect to your Dashboard. Under Users → Personal Settings, check the box that says “Always use HTTPS when visiting administration pages, and click Save Changes.”

6. Augment your password with an extra layer of authentication
“With the Text Messaging feature, you can use any SMS-capable phone as a unique key to your blog. After you sign up for the service, we will send you a one-time code in a text message when ever you try to log in to your blog. You will only be able to complete the log in by entering this code. This means that even if someone gets your password, they won’t be able to log in without getting your mobile phone as well.“

Wow… this trully seems like a lot of work but it IS worth it in the long run, isn’t it? Imagine all the stress and disappointment you will put yourself through, if something like this happens to your little blog.

I have to admit that I’m going right to the Settings page on my account and changing all these things right after uploading this post.

Alchimia have informed me that they are already working on fixing things and girls, don’t you worry. Your new blog will be better and more secure than the previous one!! Baci to all of you!

Thank you for reading this and let’s hope that the next post will be contemporary jewellery-related

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are all linked to their respective websites.

Update: 17.02.2012
Alchimia’s blog is back online! Keep up the great work people!

I’ve discovered that most contemporary jewellery artists (especially Europeans because Americans are way ahead of us in this) seem to still be internet-shy. They either do not have any online presence at all (!?!?!!!) or their web site is so out-of-date (FrontPage much?) and difficult to navigate through that sometimes I just give it up for the sake of my sanity. I bet these artists are thinking:
“Internet is not for me and if I upload good, high resolution pictures of my work they’ll steal my designs” while hammering away in their workshops.
Meanwhile, other artists who may or may not be more talented than you, have been online so long and playing the social media game so well that you should not be surprised when everybody’s talking about them, buying and copying their work and nobody is buying or copying yours.

This trend is slowly changing of course, so a big thank you to all of the artists out there who have a user-friendly web site with great pictures of their work, taken by professionals. You make my life so much easier.

And for those of you who might still be thinking “hosting a web site and paying professionals to take pictures of my work costs money” here are a few tips only a google-click away. I’m sure you can find more and better advice if you take the time:

• There are at least “25 Free Blog Hosts” out there. Take your pick. I’m using WordPress.com and if I can do it so can you.
• Study other web sites that you like. What do you like about them? Study web sites that you hate. What do you hate about them? Make a list of do’s and don’ts and keep it in mind when you’re creating your blog/web site. Ask a friend web designer or search the internet for tips. It’s for free.
•  In the beginning, learn how to take good pictures of your work or create your own equipment if you can. And it’s almost certain that you have a friend or a friend of a friend who is an amateur photographer and is willing to help you out.

No pictures were downloaded or copied for this post. Really.

Thank you for reading.

Coco Dunmire - "A lightness" collection (2008). Brooch. Resin, pigment, silver 925, steel, iron.

Being one of many contemporary jewellery addicts out there, I never stop searching the internet for new pictures, ideas and inspiration from artists that use a variety of materials.

This time I came across the work of Coco Dunmire, yet another Alchimia alumna (they are everywhere I tell you!). Just by reading her CV, I cannot understand where exactly she was born but there is no place on earth this girl has not been to, from Poland to Kuwait, Italy, Germany and the USA (I’m suspecting she comes from the latter, please confirm if anyone knows for sure).

It’s not just the shape of her resin objects but also the colour palette (ah, the aquamarine…) as well that make me want to stare at these pictures for hours.

Coco Dunmire - Untitled. Brooch. Resin, silver 925, iron, steel, pigment.

Coco Dunmire - "The Captive" (2008). Ring. Resin, pigment, iron.

Coco Dunmire – Untitled (2009). Brooch. Resin, pigment, silver 925, steel.

Coco Dunmire - Untitled (2008). Brooch. Resin, pigment, iron, silver 925.

Coco Dunmire - Untitled (2008). Brooch. Resin, pigment, iron, silver 925.

Coco Dunmire - Untitled (2009). Brooch. Resin, pigment, steel, silver 925.

Coco Dunmire - Untitled (2009). Necklace. Resin, pigment, 18k gold, shibuichi.

Coco Dunmire - "Moon Rock" (2008). Necklace. Resin, pigment, elastic.

And since we’re on the topic of resin, have you ever used bio resin? Do you have any feedback, comments on this? It’s made out of “sunflower oil and other natural ingredients“. I suppose it would not only be safer for the environment but also for ourselves. Who likes enhaling all this toxic stuff anyway, right? Let me know if you have had experience with bio resin and whether you would prefer it to the “usual” stuff.

Thank you for reading this post.

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are all directly linked to their respective web sites.

Wood seems to be her favourite material at the moment and as a wood lover myself I can almost feel and smell the different kinds she incorporates in her pieces. Her web site is mostly in German with an exception of an English Q/A section.

“1. why do you work with wood?
I have a great freedom in exploring the material on my own, as I didn’t have a special training in wood. I was allowed to find my own ways of treating the material without a “right” or “wrong” in my mind. This is a precious situation while working.

2. you used different types of wood, is that for any particular reason of color, texture, origin ?
I want to understand the characteristics of the material. Wood is very inhomogeneous, every piece is different and therefore very interesting to work with. I enjoy to explore the subtle differences within the same species of wood as well as in contrasted types like limewood and ebony. Also it is one of the most beautiful materials for asthetical reasons as well as haptical.
I search for the fragility and the limit of the wood. And again and again I am surprised how strong and flexible this natural material is.” Jasmin Matzakow

Jasmin Matzakow - "The City" from the Skepsographia series. Brooch. Anjan, silver.

“Nach viel Natur in meinem Arbeiten, habe ich mich diesmal auf städtische Strukturen bezogen. Gerade Linien durchziehen dieses Holz wie Straßenzüge die Stadt Athen.” Jasmin Matzakow

free translation: she has used the subject of Nature many times in her work and this piece is based on city scapes. Straight lines go through this piece of wood like the streets go through the city of Athens.

Jasmin Matzakow - Skepsographia series. Pendant. Bubinga, fiber.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch. Found object, ebony, silver, steel.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch. Oak, silver, steel, colour.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch, backside. Cocobolo, silver.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch. Cocobolo, silver.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch. Ebony.

Jasmin Matzakow - Brooch, backside. Ebony.

Jasmin Matzakow - "Tilasm 1". Brooch. Bocote, silver, steel, gold.

There is also the exhibition “BreakThrough” coming up together with Dana Hakim in Galerie Louise Smit opening on 26th February till 29th March 2012.

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are all links to the respective web sites.

Nevertheless, a few months ago, I realized that something must be wrong when I started noticing all things orangy around me. Today I know I’ll always cherish the beautiful times red and I had together but I think that orange is here to stay.

For now…

Have a nice weekend everybody.

Christiaan Buy - "Ode to Imperfection" (2010). Silver, polyurethane, pearl. Photo from http://www.buychristiaan.com

Andrea Wagner - "Mind the gap". Pendant/brooch. Silver, stained bone china, ceramic transfers, synthetic resin, paint. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

Mark Vaarwerk - Brooch. Expanded polystyrene food box, acrylic car indicator covers, stainless steel, sterling silver. Photo from http://vaarwerk.com

Mark Vaarwerk - Brooch. Expanded polystyrene food box, acrylic car indicator covers, stainless steel, sterling silver. Photo from http://vaarwerk.com

Tobias Alm - Necklace. Wood, paint cotton. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

Inari Kiuru - Brooch. Steel, enamel, silver. Photo from http://inarikiuru.blogspot.com

Julia Turner - Brooch. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

Natalia Milosz - Pendant. Photo from http://ahhness.blogspot.com

Melinda Young - Spurt Brooch. Coral, Plastic Costume Jewellery, Wood, 925 Silver, Paint. Photo from http://www.fingers.co.nz

Lina Peterson - Brooch. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

Lina Peterson - Brooch. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

Lina Peterson - Brooch. Photo from http://www.apparat.be

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are direct links to the respective web sites.

It’s so inspiring to see that jewellery is not always only about what’s beautiful. It can also be about what’s wrong in this world or it can give us hope that maybe if we tried, we could make it a little better.

We could, right?

Right???

Name: Malaika Najem
Born: 14/08/1989 in Malaga, Spain (nationality: dad is Lebanese and my mom is half French and half
Lives and works in: Beirut, Libanon

Malaika Najem - "A long way gone". Necklace. Pink fabric, aluminium, iron, shibuichi, brass. Picture courtesy of the artist.

Contemporarty™: Tell us how you discovered your passion for contemporary jewellery.

Malaika: Well, to be honest when I graduated from high school I was looking for jewelry schools in the UK and then decided to look at Italy. I never knew there were many different types off jewelry. When I came across Alchimia’s web site, I read it and fell in love with the pieces that  I saw and the philosophy of the school and knew that was what I really wanted deep inside. To me, it was perfect; it was a way of expressing myself artistically and emotionally through a piece of Jewelry.

Malaika Najem - Necklace. Aluminium. Photo courtesy of the artist.

C: Who or what inspires you?

M: Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to go into the arts and especially into jewelry! It’s something I always used to do as a kid… My presents always used to be beads and I would sit around and make things and invent new designs and would sell them to my friends; thinking like a business woman at 12 .

This passion grew and I wanted to learn how to use metal and make everything myself; to be able to express myself and try out new things… Most of my inspiration for using my hands comes from my roots… my mom is a painter and I grew up in West Africa surrounded by local artisans and watching them sculpt or paint or make things with their hands with little equipment was what intrigued me and persuaded me in going to this direction.

Malaika Najem - Brooch. Picture courtesy of the artist.

C: How do you start creating a piece? By drawing, working directly with the material or do you have another approach?

M: Most of the time I start by just using the material itself and playing with it and trying it out in many different ways… But I also usually pick a theme that I work around. Then I research the materials that fit in with my theme and that express what I am trying to convey. Last comes the creation of the piece itself. It’s a whole process of thinking and researching about how one could express this feeling  (of the theme chosen) without being too literal.

C: What attracts you to the materials you use?

M: Personally, I am attracted to neutral-colored materials and hard ones. I love to have this challenge with the materials I use; to feel as if I’m fighting with it! I work a lot with silver, ebony wood, iron and Shibuichi.

Malaika Najem - Bracelet. Picture courtesy of the artist.

C: Which piece is the most representative of your work? Give us some information on the making process.

M: I think the piece that represents me the most is “A long way gone”. It’s a necklace that is part of my Child Soldier collection… It’s a piece that was inspired by the story of a child soldier and book I read that was called A long way Gone and dedicated this special piece to the story. The theme of Child Soldiers is very close to my heart. It’s something I hope to be able to help in the future and continue sending a message out to people. A message showing them that in our society and today’s world such horrors still exist in third world countries, where children are taken as war objects, to fight. They are forced to kill and are manipulated or brainwashed into committing these horrors…

The piece itself is made of pink fabric that was hand-stitched into forming a necklace. The fabric represents the child; the pink is the innocence, the color one would refer to as a baby pink, something soft and innocent. On this fabric are sewn many guns (AKA 47′s, pistols) and grenades that were hand cut in many sizes and in different poor rough materials such as aluminum, iron, shibuichi, brass…. When the piece is warn, one can feel a weight around the neck and when you walk the piece giggles and calls for attention in a way. This is the message I was trying to give. Make people be curious enough to come and look closely at the piece and imagine the story behind.

Malaika Najem - Ring. Picture courtesy of the artist.

C: What is the most indispensable item in your studio?

M: I would have to say the saw blade and the drill machine to make holes… I’m known for making holes

C: What project are you working on now?

M: Right now I’m working on a few projects at the same time… I just finished a new collection called “the adventure of change” and I am preparing my second collection for Starch (which  is an ONG founded by Tala Hajjar and Rabih Kairouz to help promote and support young Lebanese designers). I am also working on some pieces for an exhibition I will be having with a group at the Marzee Gallery.

C: Contemporary jewellery is…

M: This is always a hard one! To me contemporary jewelry is a piece of art, a mini sculpture that one can carry around and wear on the body. It is a personal attachment one can have when buying a piece.
These are usually unique pieces that have a meaning behind them, an expression that one creates with the materials used.
Its a way of sending out a message to the public but making at the same time a statement because you wear the piece, and to wear a piece you have to feel confident and support the piece you are wearing.

Malaika Najem - "Forgotten" from the "Child Soldier" Series (2010). Necklace. Shibuichi, silver, gold. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Malaika Najem - Pendant. Picture courtesy of the artist.

Malaika Najem - Pendant. Picture courtesy of the artist.

Thank you Malaika for the interview and for sharing with us your dream of one day living in a world where innocence will not be sacrificed anymore.

Update (06.02.2012): Pictures were courtesy of the artist.

“While they await extinction”-is jewellery that has its origin in nature and the animal kingdom. Images of endangered animals and plants merge into each other and create new form of life. The forms are inspired by species unable to adapt or in some cases even completely died out. The jewels are affirmations for the different species, but also a commentary on the responsibility that we as humans hold. By wearing these jewels we become reminded of this responsibility on our own bodies in the form of memento jewellery.

Humans often have a romantic idea of the natural world and the relationship we have with it, but in reality we are in conflict with nature by having a major negative impact on biodiversity. Our destructive behaviour negatively affects the environment and ultimately ourselves.” Hanna Hedman

Hanna Hedman - "While they await extinction" (2011)

Hanna Hedman - "While they await extinction" (2011)

Hanna Hedman - "While they await extinction" (2011)

Hanna Hedman - "While they await extinction" (2011)

Hanna Hedman - "While they await extinction" (2011)

No photos were downloaded or copied. They are direct links to the respective web sites.

If you do, you should learn how to knit metal.

Now.

Doris Maninger is the wonderful co-founder of Alchimia (together with the other wonderful Lucia Massei) and her workshop “Textile techniques in metal” teaches you how to knit metal.

“Introduction to free interlacing (technique developed in Alchimia), preparation of the forms to be covered by the interlaced wire, finishing of the created piece;

Introduction to crochet, basic stitches, working in three dimensions, free experimentation, inventing your own stitches, finishing techniques.”

Date: Friday 17/02 to Sunday 19/02

Timetable:
Friday: 17/02 from 5p.m. to 8p.m.
Saturday: 18/02 from 10a.m. to 5p.m.
Sunday: 19/02 from 10a.m. to 5p.m.

Bracelet: free interlacing in sterling wire

Necklace: crochet in sterling wire and beads

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are direct links to http://blog.alchimia.it

Lucia Massei - "Mon coeur" (2010). Brooch. Silver, pigments, fine gold.

I have been waiting for this exhibition for some time, and now I’m so happy to inform you that Gallery Antonella Villanova in Florence will show new works by Lucia Massei (ciao bella!). The opening is on Saturday 21.01.2012.

Lucia is a master of transforming metals with pigments and I’m so excited that we’re going to see new pieces by her.

Lucia Massei - "Ophelia" (2011). Necklace. Silver, fine gold, yellow gold 18 kt, pigments

What I am interested in…

“The evocative form, what is the suggested but unsaid, the energy retained, the empty space as a contrast, the intermission of silence between musical notes or words, the suspension. The perception of a form, more than the definition of a shape. The colour. Sensuality and seduction. The Drama. The Poetry. The irony. The combination of strength and fragility.

The state of feeling through the senses, not with the senses.” Lucia Massei

Lucia Massei - "Madama Butterfly" (2011). Ring. 18kt yellow gold, red tourmaline. Photo from http://www.luciamassei.com

Lucia Massei - "Le parole vengono dopo" (2011). Ring. Yellow gold, fire opals. Photo from http://www.luciamassei.com

Lucia Massei - "Ophelia" (2011). Necklace. Silver, white gold, pigments. Photo from http://www.luciamassei.com

Lucia Massei - "Mon Coeur" (2009). Brooch. Silver, yellow gold, iron, pigments, black spinels. Photo from http://www.luciamassei.com

No pictures were downloaded or copied. They are all direct links to their respective sites.