2020-05-01_Lapidary_Journal_Jewelry_Artist

Doer’s Profile

96 LAPIDARY JOURNAL JEWELRY ARTIST

LAPIDARY JOURNAL JEWELRY ARTIST

DONE

Have supported myself

for 45 years through

modelmaking and

fabrication to create

one-of-a-kind custom

orders and limited edi-

tion jewelry,exhibited at

American Craft Council

shows and the JCK

Vegas show, sold my

jewelry on television, and

shown many designs in

magazines and books.

Received second prize

in Intergold Contest

for a cuff link design.

Graduated summa cum

laude from Fashion

Institute of Technology

(FIT), where my jewelry

is now in the permanet

collection. Worked as a

journeyman jeweler at

Oscar Heyman to per-

fect my soldering and

fabrication skills,and

fi ve years ago taught

myself cloissoné enam-

eling by reading 12

books and performing

200 color tests over six

months before designing

anything.

DOING

I combine cloisonné

enamel designs with

Anita Selinger

Doer’s Profile

Bouquet Cloisonné

Necklace

Sterling silver, 18K gold,

sapphires, ruby, tsavorite garnet

PHOTO: STEVEN FINELL

one-of-a-kind sculptural

settings, experimenting

with diff erent enamel-

ing methods, as in a

transparent-colored

champlevé butterfl y

pendant originally cre-

ated in wax, then cast

in silver and depletion

gilded. Also exploring

the technique of keum

boo. Now off er enamel-

ing workshops in addi-

tion to my wax carving

and metal technique

classes.

FIRST PIECE

I created a very simple

enamel pendant when

I was an art educa-

tion major at New York

University. It hangs on

the knob of my china

closet.

HEROES

My mentors, teach-

ers, and friends at FIT,

including Anthony Lent,

a master of chasing and

repoussé, and Maurice

Galle, who was the top

designeer of Tiff any &

Co. Also the uncredited

Art Nouveau jewel-

ers, model makers, and

enamellists of Tiff any &

Co., René Lalique, and

the lapidary artists of

Fabergé.

DESIGN SOURCES

Art museums, architec-

tural detailing, nature,

paintings, history —

whatever catches my

eye. Working directly

with individuals to cre-

ate custom wearable art

is very fulfi lling. Color

inspires my enameling,

gemstone choices, and

mixed metal combina-

tions. An unusual gem-

stone, forming and tex-

turing metal, and playing

with diff erent types of

waxes also inspire new

designs.

FAVORITE PART

Learning and combin-

ing many techniques

because of the amaz-

ing possibilities.I love

painting and rendering

designs on paper, sculpt-

ing the wax, soldering,

and working the metal.

Experimenting with the

enamel process is pure

joy in the moment.

THE ONE THAT

GOT AWAY

My designs never get

away. There is no “expi-

ration date.” Recent or

15 years old, my note-

books can inspire

something new.

ON BENCH NOW

A silver setting cast

from a wax I carved for

a cloisonné design, 18K

ornaments and settings

for gemstones to be sol-

dered, and a fi ne silver

keum boo pendant in

progress.

SEE MORE AT

https://AnitaSelinger

.com

96 Doers_Yovovich_LJJA_MJ20.indd 96 3/19/20 11:38 AM