Headed out to Tyler School of Art tonight to purchase some jewelry from the Lamina Production Show held by the Metals department of the school. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they extended their hours this evening so that their show coincided with the MFA Thesis Show.
I have done this show in the past back in my Tyler days, but I must say this group was very well put together and prepared to professionally display their work. One of the most difficult things about jewelry is the display. At craft shows I often see veteran artists make the mistake of cluttered or unflattering displays that take away from their work, but here, these students used see through acrylic. It was crisp, clean, easy to see, and I was not distracted by the display at all. It actually fell out of notice when I engaged with the jewelry.
Another aspect of the exhibition I liked was the professionalism. The artists were standing ready to show their work, answer questions, and assist in trying on the jewelry. The even had alcoholic wipes to disinfect the earrings after their were worn, something you see in retail jewelry stores. They were able to establish and ground their pop up show by using cleverly placed decal stickers. It gave a more polished presentation and legitimized the temporary show as an exhibition.
The work on display was definitely on par with things I would see at a craft show. Each piece was excellently executed and functioned flawlessly. There was also a wide range of work from powder coated copper, classic silver, and well rendered CAD pieces. Being in a classroom, it's often you see that students influence each other, and you tend to see repeated techniques or similar designs. I did not see that here. Just well thought out, diverse designs.
My only criticism of the pop up show would be the lack of display and attention to the statement pieces. Most were just laid out on the table next to the displayed production jewelry. It gave the insinuation that those pieces were put there as an afterthought. The pieces themselves were gorgeous and very well done, I just wish that the same attention that went into making them was evident in their display.
I have a slew of photos of the event to be enjoyed. If in the Philadelphia area please make an effort to go support these up and coming artists during tomorrow's business hours! I believe they are there Saturday the 26th 9am to 5pm
These silver ruffle like earrings were one of the pieces I purchased, very light
This statement necklace I absolutely loved, the focal point was made up of silicon extensions that
flexed to the touch
Fabric material and pearls giving nice motion to the pieces
This was my second purchase, dyed nylon, CAD modeled earrings
I see a future in toy design here, more dyed CAD pieces
Fun colored powder coated pieces
Nice contrast utilizing CAD
