Happy Saturday!! With the summer, has come a change in the windows display at Jewel Envy. It’s a bit different from our recent displays: one window is a fibre art collaboration piece, and the other two contain some fibre/silver jewellery pieces.
What’s that? You say? Well, about two years ago, I met a lovely fibre artist, Carolina Reis, when I was doing a studio tour show. I was a guest in her house, and we got to talking about all things fibre. One of Carolina’s interests is in networks (mostly social, community, etc.). Well, I like fibre art, and there are lots of networks in immunology, so I suggested we do a collaboration. This piece entitled (IMM)UNITY was the final result!
This is a bit of a teaser – it’s really better to see it in person! Also, there’s quite a long explanation about the intentions and concepts of the piece that is posted along with it. Made from quilted embroidered panels, and joined with crocheted cotton elements to make a whole, it incorporates (among other things), the feeling of togetherness, connection, and conflicting ideas, as well as representations of different cells, systems and concepts around vaccination and the immune system.
In the other two windows, I’ve placed a complementary series of necklaces and brooches, that I’ve called Portholes on Immunity, and mostly (but not entirely) is an homage to different cell types of the immune system. When I was thinking about making this series, I was reminded of various sci-fi films where you see people shrunk into miniature, along with their little submarine, journeying through the blood. So, these are how I imagine cells would look from the porthole window on a teeny tiny vessel in the blood.
This is a large multi-panel necklace. Again, the pictorial elements are embroidered quilted panels that I made, with some trapunto effects (this is a quilting technique where you add additional batting layers in selected parts to raise the profile). The panels are inset into sterling silver frames, or portholes.
This is the last window – a series of four brooches, and a single pendant necklace, using similar techniques to the above necklace. And bonus – there I am trying to take a picture without too much reflection (clearly that wasn’t entirely successful!).
If you’re passing by the studio this month, I hope you’ll try and take a look – they are all much more interesting in person! The large necklace is not for sale, but if you’re interested in any of the brooches, or the single panel necklace, stop in and ask us about them! Given the fabric nature of the pieces, they won’t be up for long, they will probably come down by the middle of July at the latest to avoid any sun damage.
Enjoy the nice weather, whatever you’re doing, and hope to see you soon!
-Robin (House of Cassady)