Ornament Magazine

VOL35.5 2012

Ornament is the leading magazine celebrating wearable art. Explore jewelry, fashion, beads; contemporary, ancient and ethnographic.

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51 ORNAMENT 35.5.2012 BZZZZT NECKLACE of sterling silver and colored aluminum; forged, pierced, fabricated, 2007. the chain, and silver balls. The elements "rotate, interlock, slide, spin, flex, and flip," and can be rearranged (and played with) as they are worn, creating the same asymmetry and whimsy seen in her earlier earrings and brooches. Channeling her grandmother's sartorial influence, she states, "The jewelry is not static, the same way people are not static." In one recent series, Gold based her work on photographic images of line studies. She describes these as found lines— both natural and manmade—observed while going about her daily activities. For example, while walking her dog she found a bit of yarn on the sidewalk and while harvesting basil she admired the juncture of the leaves with the stem, and she documented both lines. The prominence of line in her work is not new, but the austerity of this series is. For Effluence, based on the concept of the fluidity of form that can be shared by flowing water and forged metal, she gracefully suspends from a simple round wire collar a gently meandering line, balancing a small, faceted aquamarine near the bottom just after the silver turns to wind its way almost back to the start. While this work relies on visual rather than physical movement, the eloquently simple expression results in an equally dynamic feel. Ever practical, Gold adds that with the increasing cost of precious metals, working spatially rather than massively (with line rather than solid form) makes sense. Despite subtle stylistic shifts, playfulness and an emphasis on design have remained constants in Gold's work throughout her career. As an established, successful artist, Gold now makes "more one-of-a-kind pieces" and enjoys a less marketplace-driven approach. She continues to deploy her basic ingredients—silver, aluminum, movement, color, and geometry—with an attractive economy. Gold has a natural sense of curiosity and believes that simply paying attention, especially when encountering new environments, helps her to keep her work and process fresh even after nearly forty years as a jeweler. Inspired by the little surprises and pleasures she observes in her daily life and international travels, Gold has developed an aesthetic sensibility that results in idiosyncratic jewelry brimming with an air of intelligence, fun and delight. Gold remains engaged in the field and looks forward to the next Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show "like a kid in a candy store." For more images visit Web Exclusives at ornamentmagazine.com SUGGESTED READING Gold, Debra Lynn. "Debra Lynn Gold—Autobiography." Goldsmiths Journal (June 1978): 14-15. MacLeod, Heather. "Debra Gold Hammers It with Metals; Diamonds Are a Businesswoman's Best Friend." Atlanta Business Chronicle: June 10, 1991: 34A. Zimmerman Murphey, Debra. "Debra Lynn Gold," Niche: Winter 1996: 121.

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