I am attracted to the idea of jewelry taking different roles other than simply ornamentation. Ideas such as jewelry suggesting garment, jewelry taking over the body of the wearer, and jewelry breaking out of the traditional role of adornment are some ideas that enthrall me. The shift in scale and the use of nontraditional material in jewelry making allowed me to challenge these ideas. My work is predominantly made out of wool, and I explore forms and ideas of jewelry through texture, color, and overall composition. The softness and curves are inviting aspects of my forms; the sensuous properties of felted jewelry are uncommon and strike new challenges for the wearer and the viewer alike.
Jewelry does not have to come from one source, or convey one idea. It can be collaboration of techniques, ideas, and materials that converge together to make different emotions and meanings. I investigate the sensuous properties of wool and apply seductive aspects of jewelry to create alluring forms. The work's nature can be both humorous and arresting for the viewer and wearer alike, while adding to the vocabulary of contemporary jewelry and fashion. I strive to create beautiful wearable pieces that provoke wonderment, attraction, and disturbance.
An MFA graduate of the Jewelry and Metals program at SUNY New Paltz, More of her work can be seen here
Stackable Necklace merino wool
Blooming Brooch merino wool, silver, thread
STACEY LEE WEBBER object
I come from a lineage of laborers, men and woman who worked farms, printing presses, trucks, factories and construction sites. i value skilled physical labor and am proud to follow in my parents' and grandparents' footsteps by working with my hands. Unlike my forefathers, as an artist in the twenty-first century I am able to make art objects that exist as declarations of the importance of the handmade while challenging these same systems. Through material, technique, skill, and creativity my artwork attempts to question preconceived notions of the human hand's capabilities while brining to light the varying value systems of labor not only in our democratic society but internationally. By limiting myself to making sculpture with money, I have been able to push the objects i unexpected ways and evolve specific techniques pertinent to working with the limitations intrinsic in the found objects. I love to create, to play in my studio, to push the boundaries of my materials and hands. It is this love if manual creation that has not only fueled my quest for precision but has also been the basis of my artwork's conceptual explorations.
Stacey completed her masters of fine arts in 2008 at the University of Wisconsin- Madison.
FANCYWORK: One Dollar Bill money, thread
FANCYWORK: One Dollar Bill money, thread
LESLIE SHERSHOW jewelry
My aesthetic has been greatly influenced by an over-stimulating contemporary culture. The work I create illustrates internal panic, chaos, and distractions; reflecting the constant barrage of visuals we see on an everyday basis. I fabricate patterns and elements that don't necessarily belong together, and assemble them to create jewelry I find visually pleasing. By manipulating patterns and structure, I construct a contemporary illustration of ornamentation; a modern day, almost campy version of baroque design. Bright colored stones and plexiglass, along with perfect circles and baroque ornaments that have become flattened and disfigured, establish a composition of contrasting elements. Raw and uncut stones are contained, while structural elements have been manipulated to create chaos. Bright colors accentuate non-traditional stones and gems, creating an almost pornographic setting. Antiqued, tarnished silver contrasts with bright, shiny plexiglass and sparkly or polished stones. Rigid lines create imperfect shapes, and organic elements coexist with manufactured ones.
Leslie earned her BFA in metals from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. She has also studied at the Studio Arts Center International in Florence, Italy, and at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. She currently teaches metalsmithing classes at the Brookline Arts Center in Boston. More of her work can be seen here
