Fine Craft Shows at Chautauqua July 12–14 & August 9–11, 2024
http://www.deboraharmstrong.com
After viewing Portrait Of Adele Bloch Bauer at the Nueue Museum in NYC, I was struck by the way he created patchwork patterns in gold and mixed them with the fabric of her dress. All these contrasting geometric patterns emerge as a fluid design, framing the “jewel” Adele Bloch Bauer. I thought what an inspiration to surround my jewels with these geometric shapes to feature and frame select stones while keeping the necklace a fluid entity to flow around the neck. The bezels are created in sections to hold the shape yet let it articulate. Select stones are surrounded with etched patterns in 18k gold sheet and soldered to the sterling. I applied that technique to other pieces in all sterling, open wire work and partial cascades. My Lucian bracelet was inspired by the tiles in southern Spain. After photographing countless tiles, I did cutouts for the back, built the sides and finished the tops with a combination of fabrication and wire work. These “tiles” were then cast and later finished