2020-05-01_Lapidary_Journal_Jewelry_Artist

(Joyce) #1
and dance in Western civilization,
stretching across two centuries.
In non-Western cultures, dot pat-
terns have symbolic and sometimes
shamanic meanings, thought to
convey magic, strength, and triumph
of the hunt in some African cultures,
as well as prayer and meditation in
Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic design.
The theme took artists in many
directions, infl uenced by patterns in
our natural world, cultural markers,
dance, art, and spiritual symbolism.

DOT IN NATURE
A number of artists were inspired by
dot patterns in nature.
For Paula Crevoshay, nature
reveals compelling imagery in polka
dots, like the blue ring octopus that
is the muse for her Cecaelia sub-
mission. “Small, cute and relatively

docile, they possess highly toxic
venom,” she describes of the octopi.
“If provoked, they give warning by
turning bright yellow with rings that
fl ash iridescent blue around black
dots!” Her piece is spot on in black
diamonds, moonstone cabochons,
and 18K yellow gold.
Merry-Lee Rae found the same
thrill imagining the seedpod of a lo-
tus fl ower she spied on a recent trip
to Bali, crafted in cloisonné enamel
with sapphires and rubies set in 18K
yellow gold for her project piece.
“It’s a far cry from my usual work
and one of the things I really love
about participating in the Ameri-
can Jewelry Design Council Theme
Projects,” she says. “I’m able to push
my limits and design things outside
my comfort zone. Pure joy is what I
experienced developing this piece!”

Always moved by nature, Katey
Brunini says the polka dots theme
initially presented “a bit of a conun-
drum” for her in how to approach it.
But the challenge made her realize
that “polka dots are all around us like
stars in the night sky.” She found her
nature connection in a spotted carved
agate leaf, crafted as a talisman
encircled in bark-like black oxidized
sterling silver and accented in 18K yel-
low gold on fabric ribbon necklace.

FUN DOTS
Researching polka dots for design
and process inspiration, Whitney Boin
took the “fun” aspect of the defi nition
he came upon, with polka dots com-
monly associated with toys, clowns,
and folk art. He created a ceramic and
lava rock bracelet that he says “steps
outside of his traditional jewelry

Elizabeth Garvin
Polka Dot Brooch
Oxidized sterling silver, 18K yellow
gold, black diamonds, black onyx
drusy
PHOTO: ELIZABETH GARVIN

Merry-Lee Rae
Polka Dot Brooch
Cloisonné enamel, 18K gold,
sapphires, rubies
PHOTO: SARA REY

Pascal Lacroix
Somewhere in the Milky Way Ring
Sapphires, diamonds, blue zircon, 18K gold
PHOTO: PASCAL LACROIX

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