Showcase 500 Art Necklaces by Kathy Sheldon
This is another gorgeous ‘500’ title from Lark Books. More eye candy and inspiration for all kinds of creative people.
This book starts off with an introduction by the juror Chunghi Choo, a professor at the University of Iowa. The introduction is interesting, because Chunghi mentions that “…making art objects…are now wide open to the free use of varied materials, found objects, and flexible meidums.” He is clearly in awe of the freshness of designs as artwork and fashion.
The photos in this edition in the “500 series” depict necklaces. And in this department extreme design is not an overstatement. The artists really press the boundaries of what can be worn as a necklace as well as the principles of design.
Again, neutrals such as bronze, grey, black, gold, pearl and silver dominate the colors in this book, but color is well represented. Vanessa Walilko’s Red Queen necklace is a striking piece is vivid scarlet. The elements of the design look like the tails of a fabulous bird. Marian Acosta Contreras’, pg.344, is a wonderful study in turquoise, using a variety of values in that color family.
The delicate wire structures by Louise Makowski, Dominique Thomas (pg.131), Kristen Baird and Susan J. Cross (pg.130) are examples of equally wonderful yet completely different designs in necklaces.
One piece, Karolina Bik’s Chaos necklace, pg.267, I noticed looked like a melting ice structure. The sterling silver, 18 karat gold and 24 karat gold flakes are mixed with acrylic fiberglass to achieve a completely different look from many of the other examples in this book
Look at the shapes, materials and colors and be inspired.
Thanks to Lark Books for sending this book to me to review!
