First off Atlanta isn’t as hot as it is here in the Birmingham area, so I’m not sure why we all call it that, unless they’re talking about the Atlanta jewelry and metal art scene. I really keep my head in my workbench for the most part, so I don’t really get out and meet other artists. But, when I saw someone’s post about the Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show this Friday and Saturday, I woke my daughter sage up at the crack of dawn and bolted this morning. I was glad that she was as excited as me about going. I am very happy to be sharing my craft with my daughters as my father shared with me.
Helen Blythe-Hart
- A unique work by Helen Blythe-Hart. It is glass and enameled copper, roughly about the size of a basketball.
It really just takes about two and a half hours to scoot between Birmingham and Atlanta, but Sage and I took our time and took as many bathroom breaks as we wanted, sometimes we would stop just to buy a fresh bottle of water. We’re wild and crazy like that. But we arrived in time to take a leisurely stroll through and make notes of what we definitely had to see.
Carolyn Morris Bach and me
The show consisted of 26 invited artists, most of whom I have been admiring for their work for years, all in one building. Several are teachers, who are reaching rockstar fame in the metal world, and a couple seemed very new. The Defoor Building is a perfect venue for this show. The layout of the show was very comfortable, with plenty of room to talk to the artists without blocking viewers from getting a peak at the beautiful and interesting works that were on display.
Deb Karash and Me
It is so interesting to me how different artists produce. The staff of the Barbara Heinrich Studio explained that Barbara has a staff of studio artsts who create the work and they were a part of her team that handles shows. She was actually in Chicago, but none-the-less it was incerdible to hear about how she has this extencive staff of interesting and creative people working for her. Whereas, Carolyn Morris Bach has a smaller studio and creates her work herself. Barabara’s studio seems similar to how Jeff Koons works, but much smaller work. I think that most of us imagine a single artist working at an easel, workbench, or pedestal when we think about an artists, but this tradition goes back to Michelangelo with his extensive artisans creating all of his designs. Or, Andy Warhol, with his New York studio, called The Factory.
Michael Boyd and Me
Michael Boyd, not only creates his own work, but he also cuts his stones. Amazing work, amazing! If you get a chance, peruse through his website, you will not be sorry.
It was also great to be able to talk to these great personalities about whether they teach to supplement, or as a main career, or whether they avoid the whole teaching this altogether. But, I do think that everyone who works with a craft should give it a try. I think that coaching someone through a technique that you use everyday opens your eyes to some nuances of proper form that maybe you hadn’t been aware of. You always learn tons from your students.
A Leigh Griffen work, and an example of how lousy my camera captured these beautiful works.
I would have included more of the pictures I had taken while in the show, but these buzzing lights that supposedly show true color were lousy on on my iPhone camera, and my eyes. I would love to see more information on how these actually improve the color. They always seem to buzz and dry my eyes.
If you get a chance to check out the show next year, please do. You won’t be disappointing.
For me, I enjoyed discussing shop with fellow artists. I don’t get my nose out of the benchpin very often, and it is nice to be inspired. I think I’m going to cut some stones this evening. I hope you enjoyed 
Truly a good blog . I very much enjoyed reading about your trip to Atlanta.