Ornament is the leading magazine celebrating wearable art. Explore jewelry, fashion, beads; contemporary, ancient and ethnographic.
Issue link: http://ornamentmagazine.epubxp.com/i/104373
postscript O UR T HIRTY -N INTH Y EAR perceived as being preoccupied with fashion, it may have been because 'not merely her appearance but also her reputation was at stake.' " The messages clothing communicated were so paramount that every painting has subtle context for which a modern viewer is most likely unaware. from the editors Dear Ornament Reader, As a new year arrives, we take a deep breath and consider our surroundings. 2012 was perhaps for you, as it was for us, a rollercoaster of joys and trials. Now at the end of that ride, we find ourselves pondering what is next. Ornament's mission is, in some measure, part of that answer. Even in times of change, there are basic things, underpinnings of life, that must be kept, continued and encouraged, for without that we are unmoored, lost at sea with no anchor. It has always been our belief that an unwavering dedication to the propagation of craft, the handmade, is just such a vital element. The beauty of craft is an expression of humanity's limitless potential, a sky with no ceiling, that gives us room to grow and evolve. 80 ORNAMENT 36.2.2012 So with the advent of 2013, regardless of what other changes may come, we continue that quest to bring that meaning to you. As part of a larger picture, our article on Gustav Reyes presents not just a master craftsman, but a craft activist who has an intuitive understanding of business strategy. Reyes's wooden rings, bangles and brooches are a sublime combination of graceful forms with an ephemeral substance. Like the tree which he venerates, Reyes brings subtle wisdom to many branches of life. Art imitates life, and life imitates art. This paraphrase is eminently suitable to Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell's essay on the exhibit "Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity," soon to be shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. The author paints a fascinating portrait of how dress shaped the hierarchy of society in mid-nineteenth-century Europe. ChrismanCampbell writes, "If the bourgeois woman, in particular, was Jürgen Busch delves into the ethnographic with the Kiffa beads of Mauritania. An integral part of the fabric of Mauritanian society for centuries, a recent terrible drought in the country drastically altered the cultural landscape, effectively destroying this beautiful artform and its female makers. That such things of beauty were made extinct by environmental changes give us a critical sense of what our world stands to lose as our climate continues to shift. The Windgate Fellowship is a diving board for young craftspeople that allows them a head start in pursuing their dreams and careers. Ashley Callahan provides an overview of how a number of these artists make use of the grant. In an era where funding for the arts in education has been severely curtailed, the Windgate Fellowship is important for encouraging its pursuit in the next generation. There are many parts of life which, while seldom noticed, are vital in forming the functional whole. This feature is drawn from the photographic archives of Ornament to present a catalogue of clasps, that essential and unique component of the necklace. Like a menagerie, the article exposes this often unseen element in all its myriad forms. In 2012, the craft world experienced the passing of another seminal artisan. Merry Renk was a jeweler, occasional painter, full-time adventurer. Known for her wedding crowns, Renk's works are like stars and atoms. Her life, a series of metamorphoses, is a lesson in making the most of what you are dealt. In our turbulent times, we can all take a page from Merry's ebullient grasp of life. We hope that in our pages you find lessons both great and small, and find strength in the beauty humanity has to offer. May we all pursue positive transformation in 2013.