guest star friday no. 2...iris bodemer

back in january 2004 i was feeling a little burnt out by the previous busy holiday season so i took a week off from work (my studio) and took a class with maria phillips at pratt fine arts center in seattle. it was one of the best things i have done for my jewelry/career so far. i had five 8-hour days to learn new things and experiment. this is when i learned how to solder steel which has lead to a successful line of jewelry that i love making. it was also when i first heard of german metalsmith, iris bodemer. maria had brought in all kinds of jewelry books and exhibition catalogs, among them a book of iris' work. i remember it had staples as part of the design of the book itself and they gave it a lovely handmade feel. inside, her work was unlike anything i had seen before. the pieces were like sculptural drawings: abstract, minimal, and quiet. she used metals and alternative materials and i especially liked her use of thread. in 2006 i went to see an exhibition of her work. it was a duel show with maria phillips titled "sculpture becomes jewelry." one of the gallery walls was covered in 12 x 18 canvas boards that served as the framework for 64 different jewelry compositions, each made up of an abstract brooch and a simple drawing; the two meant to be viewed as one piece. i loved the emphasis on form and how the jewelry related to the drawing and vice versa. they were captivating and it was thrilling to see one of my hero's work up close.

images from top: cover of the aforementioned book. a piece similar to those in the 64 canvas board installation, 2005-2006. mixed media.

thanks for reading.