I Left My Jewelry in San Francisco: Part 7

My show closes in just two days. Two. Crazy! All that work, all that time. Nearly a year in the making, it was an absolutely incredible experience and totally worth it--every little bit of stress, uneasiness and insecurity, all the excitement and triumphant moments. I have added a series of process images to Flickr so you can see how I made most of work. I haven't shown these images (except Cleopatra) until now because I decided to keep the work hidden while I was making it. In hindsight, I know this was a good choice because making this work was involved and challenging in a way that I had never experienced before. I often had no idea what to say and had to internalize my thoughts and feelings. However, keeping it hidden also made it feel unreal, almost like it didn't exist, and this made me feel unsure about the work. I realize now I was at once intimately involved and aware of each piece, yet I was also disconnected. Then, when I saw it all together during the installation, it felt real to me and I was finally able to feel excited.

When I returned to Penland I put together a show of process works, titled "With My Heart on My Sleeve." You can also see images from that event on Flickr. Finally,  I added a series of images to Facebook that show highlights from the show and my trip to San Francisco.

Thanks for reading and thanks for all your support and encouraging words over the past year. I sincerely appreciate every little bit!

For the Third Time, I Left My Jewelry in San Francisco: Part 1

Today begins a series of posts about my recent trip to San Francisco and, of course, my solo show. I will begin with the opening reception...It was absolutely wonderful and even more fantastic than I had imagined! Lots of people were there including my family, close friends, colleagues, students, and many people I didn't know. The work looked beautiful and I got some great feedback from attendees. I was overwhelmed and did not fully relax until the last 20 or 30 minutes. Afterward a small group of a few friends, my family, and Mike and Elizabeth from the gallery went to dinner. Then I celebrated some more with my friends and ended the evening in a diner near my hotel with a stack of pancakes. The entire evening was very special. It felt amazing.

More on Flickr.

Thanks for reading.

With My Heart on My Sleeve

I will host an exhibition this Sunday, November 13 from 7:30-9:30 in the slide lounge at Northlight at the Penland School of Crafts. The show will feature process works from my recent exhibition plus sketchbook images, books I used for research, and other bits and pieces from the making of "Fabricated Memory" and "Collected Memories." I will also create an installation of the finished works using the beautiful photographs taken by Hank Drew. 

With My Heart on My Sleeve
Sunday, November 13, 2011
7:30-9:30pm
Slide lounge at Northlight
Penland School of Crafts
champagne and treats will be served

Thanks to Beth Schaible for the lovely flyer.


Thanks for reading.

Opening Tonight!

 

Green Leaf Brooch and Earrings

in sterling silver, spray paint, diamonds

After a year and a half of planning and making, the opening reception of my show is finally here! If you are in the San Francisco area I hope you will attend.

This is How I Remember It
Solo Exhibition
Opening Reception tonight, Friday, November 4 from 6-8pm

Velvet da Vinci Gallery
2015 Polk Street (near Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.441.0109

The show runs through November 30, 2011

 Brooch No. 5 

 in brass, glass beads

Thanks for reading.

A Little Bit More

 

While I was installing my work last week at Velvet da Vinci, I told Mike and Emma about different pieces--how I made them, what ideas were behind them, who they are about. Mike asked me to choose a few pieces and write short statements about each, thinking viewers will be interested in the stories, too. I choose five pieces from both series and these statements will be posted near the pieces for everyone to read. Here are two examples:

Bow Sweater Holder (pictured above)

This piece represents a gold-tone sweater holder with two bows and a short chain. I chose to exaggerate the form and the faded, worn appearance of the original by using multiple bows and chains and by intentionally scratching away the vermeil. 

Brooch No. 8

In 2000 I began working towards my BFA in metalsmithing at the University of Washington. A dear friend gave me a cast lace necklace she made in a class we took together that year. In 2004 she passed away and I feel very fortunate to have such a lovely reminder of her and the time we spent together. The paper doily in this piece represents that necklace and my friend, as well as our inevitable loss of innocence.

I will post the other statements with the pieces on my website and Flickr soon so you can read then, too!

Thanks for reading.

 

Now That's a Big Ad

Velvet da Vinci has published an inner-cover full-page ad for my show in the latest issue of Metalsmith. Again, another surreal moment in this whole process and another piece of concrete evidence that this show is happening. The ad is beautiful.

I was also surprised and excited to discover my Line Drawing Brooch in an ad for an exhibition I'm in at Aaron Faber Gallery called "In Line/In Metal." The show will be exhibited at SOFA Chicago this weekend and includes a fantastic group of artists who all feature line in their work.

Thanks for reading.

All 58!

Round Crystal Brooch, sterling silver, spray paint

You can now view my solo show in its entirety on my website,  Flickr, and Facebook! There are two bodies of work: "Fabricated Memory: Jewelry Box, 1980," which includes 24 pieces in sterling silver, 18K gold vermeil, spray paint, and diamonds and "Collected Memories: 1974-Present," 34 brooches and necklaces in a variety of found objects and mixed-media.

 Brooch No. 6

 Necklace No. 12

 Lavender Pearl Necklace

Oak Leaf Brooch

Thanks for reading.

The Installation

Yesterday morning I went to Velvet da Vinci to install my exhibition. I took the above photo moments before I walked in the front door. Then I spent several hours displaying the work with the help of Mike and Emma. It was a fun day and a wonderful experience. It made the show finally feel real instead of just an abstract concept in my mind. The work looks beautiful in the space. "Collected Memories: 1974-Present" hangs on a wall, while "Fabricated Memory: Jewelry Box, 1980" is arranged in a series of vitrines. You can view most of the work on the Velvet website now and next week I will post all 58 pieces on my website, Flickr, and Facebook. 

More on Flickr.

It's Starting!

 

Images and information about my upcoming solo exhibition at Velvet da Vinci are starting to be posted online. You can now view many of the 58 pieces on the Velvet website as well as read my artist statement and get details for the opening. Velvet will continue to add photos over the next few days.

 
This is How I Remember It
Solo Exhibition
Velvet da Vinci Gallery

2015 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

415.441.0109

November 2-30, 2011
Artist Reception Friday, November 4 from 6-8pm

I will be getting postcards any day now. If you would like one, please send me an email with your address to amy@amytavern.com

More soon...

Thanks for reading.