Linda Gebert: Abstracts and Color!

Linda Gebert

I first encountered Linda Gebert through the Ganoksin Gallery. Her work stood out to me as particularly colorful and joyful. Then I discovered that aside from her jewelry designs, Linda also works in fibers. I asked her about working as a metalsmith, enamel expert and fiber artist:

I hadn’t consciously considered a connection before, but since they spring from a common brain they must.

I transitioned from painting to enamels, then included metal working, missed working with color there, so

combined enameling into my jewelry. I had always wanted to try silk painting, loving the lush way silk absorbs

dye, but held myself back, thinking I needed to narrow the focus and perfect one medium, instead of being all

over the map. The restless mind would not behave, so I started with silk painting, and gradually added the

needle felting too. I enjoy the different way of working, actually, physically, that each presents. I find there’s

also new sense of enthusiasm in being away from one media for a while. It renews the spirit, and spurs the

muse.

Your enamels have a quirky, joyful quality...how would you describe your style?

Abstract, first and foremost. Every piece is approached as a new direction, to see what the serendipitous

medium of enamel can do. I often work on several little “canvasses” of copper or silver, concurrently. Then I

decide which speak to me the most, and the chosen ones become pieces of jewelry.

Linda also specializes in "faux bone" pieces. I asked about the attraction to this material.

This is something that appealed to me, but I’m very new at it, and my pieces are pretty derivative of the

wonderfully inventive Robert Dancik’s examples so far. Things from the natural world, rocks, leaf skeletons,

bone, shells have always held a fascination, and this product is so easily made to look like something natural

and organic. Germinating in my head right now, are ideas of the earthy, primitive look of bone, combined in

pieces, with enamel. Stay tuned.

Who have been your greatest influences over the years?

First I have to answer to “what”, and that is growing up visiting the Wichita Center for the Arts, and it’s vast

collection of enamels. From childhood, I knew I wanted to work in that medium. For many years we had the

“Midwest Enamelist Guild”, founded by Australian enamellist Glenice Lesley Matthews, who was Director of

the Center for a time. Through this organization we brought many renowned enamellists to the Center,

including Rebekah Laskin, JoAnn Tanzer, Harlan Butt and others. Rebekah Laskin probably influenced me the

most, as to the style of working. In painting? Larry Rivers.

How fortunate to have studied with John Cogswell! What do you think has been the most valuable lessons

from your teachers?

I’ve had workshops with many fine enamellists, as well as several metals people. From the Cogswell workshop,

I learned to dispense with formalty, as to the “proper way” to accomplish something. Instead, be pragmatic.

If it works for you, do it that way. It was license to experiment, and “cut corners” if the outcome was successful.

And what did you most enjoy about teaching?

I loved teaching enameling. Everyone knows how to make a line with a pencil on paper, but executing many

lines to make a stunning drawing is the real trick. But students come to enameling not knowing anything

intuitively, or experientially, about it, so creating their first object in enamel is such a thrill of discovery for them.

That makes it all worthwhile. I always emphasized that it is the most empirical of learning experiences. Enamel

is very serendipitous, and you only become an expert when you can figure out why it did something unexpected,

and find you have the ability to duplicate what happened.

What advice do you have for weathering this economy?

Since I don’t depend on sales of my work as my only income, I’ve been disappointed at the drop in sales at the

galleries and museums where my work is placed, but not devastated.

What advice do you have for fledgling jewelry designers?

Wow, if I had a wonderful nugget of advice, I’d give it to myself. I’ve always had to balance my art with making a living elsewhere, and earlier, raising children too. I never had the luxury of doing it full time. I guess the best advice would be to study with someone who will push you to your limits. And keep learning, always.

Where can your work be seen?

I show in local and regional galleries in Kansas, the Wichita Art Museum, Karg Glass Gallery, and several others

around the state. I found it was difficult to monitor what was happening with work placed farther away. Your readers/viewers can see my work at www.lindagebert.com

I really appreciate Linda's sense of abstract color! Her work is ever so lovely!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sally

Steve Shelby: Nature Reflected In Brass

Steve Shelby

I found Steve Shelby on Ganoksin Gallery and asked him to participate even though he's not a jewelry designer but rather a metalsmith working on a larger scale to create lovely, gentle and flowing objects from brass. Here's what Steve had to say:

Your work has a graceful quality; tell us about what you try to achieve with your pieces?

I like curvy things, especially growing plants, like vines that you can practically see growing. I have grown gardens and observed and studied these things since I was a small child. My sense of aesthetics is based on these forms found in nature; they are ingrained in my subconscious mind. What I am trying to achieve is to translate my sense of beauty into forms in metal.


How would you describe your style?


I think my style most closely resembles Art Nouveau, which, from the time I was first aware of it, I have considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing style. I'm not trying to imitate Art Nouveau, but since my inspiration is the same as that of the artists of that style, the results are similar. My style in some ways could also be called impressionist, since rather than putting a highly refined, perfectly smooth surface on my pieces, I leave them showing the hammer marks that created them. I also strive for simplicity and elegance. I admire the way that Constantin Brancusi was able to take a subject and simplify it to an extreme. I don't go nearly that far, but I try to avoid getting involved with a lot of detail, the only adornment being the texture created by the hammer.


Why do you focus on brass? What do you find special about this metal?


The reasons are many. It started with my teacher in college who said that brass was more appealing than copper. Then when I worked for Fox Products Corp., making parts for contrabassoons, I worked with brass constantly, getting to know the material intimately. That brass was finished off perfectly smooth and silver plated. I like the looks of brass that is aged and takes on a mellow brownish-ochre tone. Then there's the durability factor. I never thought I was making a statement with my art, but I just realized I am in a way: I really hate the way everything we buy today is meant to be used briefly and then thrown away. It bothers me that possibly in future ages, our era's greatest monuments will be our landfills. Anyway, I want to counter that by making things that last, and brass is strong and durable enough to last a long, long time. The fact that I use brass also makes me somewhat unique, and I have never been one to follow the crowd. I started doing what I do now only about six years ago, and prior to that I was largely uninspired. At the risk of sounding crazy, I was hit with a vision one morning upon getting out of bed. It was something made of brass, like a vase. I took it as a message that it was time to get started on a new course. I ordered a sheet of brass and made the vase in the picture. I have had more inspiration than time ever since.


How do you think the work primarily differs from work done by jewelry metalsmiths?


Mostly in scale. I made jewelry when I was a student, and got so I wanted to make bigger things. I did make some rather large pieces of jewelry, and I've seen some really outlandishly large art jewelry, but I really doubt if anyone wears it. I decided that I would rather make larger pieces and forget about jewelry. Since what I make is larger than jewelry, generally the tools are also larger, and I need a slightly larger area in which to work. I have narrowed myself to pretty much just hammer-forming. I don't do any casting or stone-setting, although I'm taking a departure on a piece I'm working on now, which has a large cabochon as its focal point.


How did you come to make a career out of metalsmith work?


It took a long time to get to that point. After many years of doing other things, I came to the realization that it's what I enjoy the most, and what I feel I was meant to do. I'm not a particularly religious man, but I feel that somehow I've been guided into this by an outside force, and I'm just going along with it.

What advice do you have for fellow metalsmiths on surviving this economy?


Hope...pray...I wish I knew. I try not to dwell on it too much, it's too depressing. My hope is that the people who buy art will not be the people who lose their jobs, and so we'll continue to sell our art. It's hard to talk about it without sounding selfish. I feel for anyone facing hardship because of the economy, and I hope and pray I don't have to become one myself.

I love Steve's work and love his quote about having more inspiration than time. What a great way to wake up each morning! You can see more of Steve's work at his own website: shelbyvision.com.

Happy Holidays to all!
Sally

Brittany Golden: Sundance Sensations!

Brittany Golden in Utah

I found Brittany Golden through the Ganoksin Gallery and was impressed with her rugged, natural style. It wasn't surprising then to discover that she lives surrounded by the mountains of Utah and is the resident artist and silversmith instructor at Sundance Resort.

Here's a few moments with Brittany:

Sundance has a very relaxed energy, kind of a well worn feel to it that helps keep me grounded. I am able to have a great balance of work and play there, in the summer and fall after spending the morning in the studio, I love to trail run up to the waterfall and look out over the valley. In the winter I can go ski for a few hours and show up to teach in my ski pants and my students will have just come off the slopes themselves, then we make jewelry over hot chocolate with rosy grins. I love my life and it helps to keep the creative energy flowing!

You mention that you grew up learning to appreciate beauty...what was your path to silversmithing and jewelry design?

I have always been an artist since I could hold a crayon! I have always been in an art class and have done almost every medium out there. I have also enjoyed teaching many things. After making jewelry for a few years I knew I had found my life calling when I walked into the Art Shack Studios at Sundance and told them that I wanted to teach their jewelry classes and they said that their instructor had just quit!

What have you found to be the most challenging part of trying to make a living at jewelry design? Most enjoyable?

At first it was selling things at all because I would get so attached to my pieces! Once I got over that it's been a lot of fun to see people wearing my jewelry. I recently observed someone complimenting someone else on a ring of mine that they were wearing and the person replied that it was their favorite ring, neither of them knew the artist was watching the interaction, those moments are rewarding.

What appeals to you about teaching?

I like seeing the joy people get from having a completed piece that becomes priceless to them because they made it! The moment I see the light bulb go on for someone, when the inspiration kicks in and they get into the flow, I know they are hooked and will be back to see me again! Everyone sees things so differently and having people from all over the world and all walks of life challenges my perceptions of things and inspires me to look at things differently. It makes every class different and I love it!

How has the price of metal and the economy affected what you are doing?

Positively! I have started exploring other metals and non-traditional materials, the possibilities are endless!

How would you describe your style?

Organic. That word seems to encompass all the pieces I've made up till now. They all have that handmade, not too perfect look that gives them a very comfortable feel. I like mixing metals and textures for more visual interest while keeping things simple.

What have you found to be the best way to find clients?

Talking to people, wearing my jewelry and being passionate about what I do. People like sharing their jewelry stories and listening had gotten me some faithful clients. Having a relationship with someone through jewelry is special for me, I think it creates a deeper connection for the me and the wearer.

What advice do you have for fledgling jewelry designers?

It's an old saying but still true, do what you love and the money will follow! Never lose faith, just because things don't happen on your time frame doesn't mean that they will never happen, the universe probably has something better in mind! Before taking my jewelry class I had applied at Sundance (my favorite place to be) to work in the store and didn't get hired! Shortly after that I signed up for a jewelry college course and took it 5 times. Almost 3 years later I was hired as the Resident Silversmith and Instructor, a job I'd much rather be doing but may not have if I had gotten the store job earlier!

More of Brittany's work can be found on her website and at the Sundance Gallery as well as the Thanksgiving Point Art Institute Gallery.

I love Brittany's positive attitude about working with rather than fighting against the economy challenges!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sally

Sarit Wolfus: Lyrical Jewelry From Israel!

Sarit Wolfus

I found Sarit Wolfus through the Ganoksin Gallery. I was interested to learn that Sarit’s main occupation was music for over 20 years. She started out in the Israeli Army Band, went on to studying music at Tel Aviv University Music Academy and then spent many years playing the trumpet in most of the professional orchestras and chamber ensembles in Israel, as well as at theater productions.

So it's no wonder then that I immediately saw a lyrical quality to Sarit's jewelry. Blending her passions together, here's what she had to say:

My basic belief is that we all have freedom of will and the freedom to choose to fulfill our wills. That is why after more than 20 years in a successful career as a performing musician I turned to fulfill my dream of jewelry making, and that is why about a year ago I added 'coaching for life' to the things I do. Today, I share my time harmoniously between the three arts/professions. I coach people to discover their true wills and how to choose to fulfill it, I create a diverse and wide range of jewelry designs, letting others discover their own personal self in a piece, and I play the trumpet. I do believe that the same love of creating art for the enjoyment of others that illuminated my career as a musician also sparked the discovery of my ability to design and create unique jewelry.

I enjoy most "the freedom to be on the edge", a theme derived from my very basic beliefs both as an artist and as a human being. Freedom and endless imagination are the basic ingredients of my work. Some of my pieces reflect my belief in the right to choose and in stretching the limits of will and abilities of each of us. Other pieces are much more "classic".

I love to bring out the beauty of stones by wrapping it in silver or gold. I often wrap-set a stone with a band of gold/silver that follows the contour of the stone without covering it. Other times I use bezels for standard size stones and add a touch to the bezel for breaking the symmetry.

How do you think living in Israel influences your work?

While Israel is a modern western country, in many aspects living in Israel is means "being on the edge". We, Israelis, got used to living full normal lives while we stand at the front of the worldwide conflict between the western modern culture and other cultures. Living under this constant pressure many times serves to bring out the positive side in our spirit and strengthen values as humanity, friendship, thinking out of the box, creativity, etc.. Telling from my personal experience, my elder son was injured in a terror attack and lost his leg about a year ago. Today, now that he has been fully rehabilitated, I can tell that all of us in the family are now stronger and better people. Our believe in positive thinking, humanity and good will got much stronger.

You seem to direct much of your marketing to the U.S. market--such as 4th of July jewelry..why this focus?

I've decided to use the internet as a main marketing channel. Therefore, I have a dual language site: Hebrew for the Israeli local audience, and English for English speaking countries. Naturally, the USA has the largest and most experienced audience for online shopping, hence my focus in the American market.

The most challenging part of my work is the marketing. Needless to say, this is a completely different profession. My husband is an internet expert and he does all the work of maintaining, promoting and marketing our site.

What advice do you have for fledgling jewelry designers?

Unless you have exceptional marketing skills, do not get attempted to do it yourself. This is a full time job so it is best if you leave it to professionals and focus on design.

More of Sarit's beautiful work can be seen on her website and she sells online through Ruby Lane and throughout Israel and abroad in various galleries.

I love Sarit's unusual style! It was a pleasure meeting her!

Thanks for stopping by.

Sally