Discover the transformative potential of jewelry beyond mere adornment. Hand-crafted and artistic, these exquisite pieces serve as reflections of our individuality, allowing us to proudly exhibit our true selves to the world. Through self-expression, we communicate our passions, loves, and values, transcending the ordinary and embracing the extraordinary.
Our designers create stunning, one-of-a-kind wearable art. They also focus on using responsible-sourced and sometimes reclaimed materials to help prevent damage to our world and the people in it. When you wear jewelry designed and created by local artists, you’ll experience the high quality that shows through. You’ll experience the beautifully rich metal, vibrant gemstones, and unique details that make each piece its own.
We invite you to learn more about our featured jewelry artists at Sparks Gallery, and how jewelry can also be a form of self-expression as wearable art.
Errant Gem is the culmination of Rafael Rios-Mathioudakis’s years of travel and apprenticeships across Latin America. Silversmithing from Mexico and goldsmithing and filigree work from Colombia combine to create unique pieces. His work has recently been exploring electroplating to create raw, earthy designs.
Alexandra Hart focuses on creating and promoting ethically and responsibly-sourced jewelry. She creates both conceptual art and couture jewelry using her two decades of experience.
Slipped’s designer, Chelsea, uses an organic and intuitive process to create practical pieces while still adding unique adornments that showcase individuality. This emphasizes basic design principles while adding complexity, asymmetry, and geometric patterns.
ENJI Studio is focused on creating modern and luxurious designs that use ethical and responsibly-sourced materials. The artist, Niki, finds inspiration from the gemstones she works with and uses hand-made settings to bring out their natural beauty.
All of these artists can be found in our online catalog, or for a personalized experience, step into our physical gallery and experience these treasures in person. If you happen to be acquainted with a local artist not yet showcased on our website, kindly reach out to our gallery director via phone or email. We are eager to expand our knowledge and appreciate the talents that abound.
FAQs
How Should You Style Your Rings?
The way you approach styling your rings will vary depending on where you’re wearing them, your mood, and even your outfit. You want it all to blend. But, the ideal way to do this depends on the piece itself.
Larger, more extravagant rings tend to look best when they can be the centerpiece. For instance, a cocktail-type ring can be worn on the right hand, traditionally on the ring finger. However, wearing yours on your middle or index finger is acceptable.
These types of pieces are meant to stand out on their own. You’ll want to avoid wearing any other large rings so it doesn’t appear overdone. But you can still choose to wear other jewelry pieces that complement your ring. You might wear a necklace with a pendant of the same stone or a similar style. Or, you could choose statement earrings to tie the two together.
When it comes to smaller rings, you have a bit more flexibility. A popular trend is to stack multiple rings on the same hand or finger. This works best with thinner, more dainty rings. Pair rings of a similar style to create a cohesive look. Or, you could opt for a mix-and-match look as long as each piece generally blends with the other.
The only point to be wary of when stacking rings is to avoid damaging them. Having the rings rub against each other could lead them to break down, wearing the metal finish off. Ensure your rings do not touch each other, or use ring guards to prevent damage.
What Kind of Materials Do Your Artists Use For The Jewelry?
Each artist we feature chooses the medium they are inspired to work with. This means you’ll see a mix of gold, silver, and other metals, as well as a variety of gemstones. But the importance of material choice goes further than how a piece looks once it’s finished.
The traditional jewelry supply chain can be haunted by war, exploitation, slave labor, pollution, and deforestation. It’s a complex process spanning dozens of countries. Several of our local artists specifically choose their materials from sources that negate these concerns.
Ethically traced jewelry allows you to see each step of the supply line that a piece has gone through. For example, you can specifically know which mine a gem came from and where it was shaped and polished. Each step in the process is done so that workers have safe work conditions and fair wages. This allows the jewelry to avoid harming the people involved in its production.
Sustainable jewelry is often confused with ethically traced jewelry. While a material might be both, there is a difference. Ethically traced focuses on the effects on the people producing the material, while sustainable jewelry focuses on how it impacts the environment. When these materials are produced, they should not harm the environment.
Recycled jewelry takes materials that have been used for another purpose and uses them to produce beautiful new pieces. This might look like using a piece of broken glass as the centerpiece of a necklace. But, it could be as simple as melting down old jewelry to use the metal. This is a sustainable way to repurpose unused jewelry or pieces that have seen better days.
What Is Wearable Art Jewelry?
You might sometimes hear wearable art called “artwear” or “art to wear.” This is a category of clothing, jewelry, and other accessories that intends for the wearer to use as a vehicle for creative expression. Just as a painting or sculpture has a message the artist is trying to convey, so does wearable art; you just happen to wear it on your body.
These pieces are one of a kind and often hand-crafted, making each one special. Wearable art jewelry is an accessible way for anyone to partake in this unique form of expression, as anyone can wear these pieces.
What Are Wearable Art Designers?
Wearable art designers are artists that use jewelry, clothing, or other wearables as their medium of choice. They find inspiration and use metal, cloth, or other materials to create something that speaks to them. Often, these designers work in a specific niche, focusing on a medium, such as jewelry.
These artists have studied and honed their technical skills to create high-quality pieces. But they infuse their passion into each one as well.
Who Is Famous for Wearable Art?
The term “wearable art” wasn’t coined until the 19th century. But the concept dates back to ancient times when humans wore beautiful pieces to express themselves.
More modern artists, even some you may know from other mediums, also dabbled in wearable art.
This includes:
Salvador Dalí
Giacomo Balla
Henri Matisse
Frida Kahlo
Andy Warhol
