Inspired by: Pierce Healy

Memory Map 11 by Pierce Healy

Memory Map 11 (detail) by Pierce Healy

I was recently introduced to the work of Dublin jeweler Pierce Healy via Velvet Da Vinci Gallery's current exhibition of his work entitled: Memory Maps on view November 3 - November 30, 2010. The show features Healy's illustrative jewelry works which simply blew my mind.

Memory Map 4 by Pierce Healy

Healy creates intricate, narrative dream-scapes with a sophisticated graffiti quality. I love how they feel like hand-drawn, like free-form doodles, yet painstakingly rendered using time-intensive engraving techniques. I never really had a burning desire to learn how to engrave, but these works definitely make me want to try!

Memory Map 6 (detail) by Pierce Healy
Memory Map 6 by Pierce Healy

Along with each one-of-a-kind in the show, Healy also includes an intaglio printed image from the corresponding engraving. Oh my, how I would love to own one of these. What do you guys think? Are you drawn into these works as much as I am?

If you're interested in knowing more… below is a video about Pierce and his process (ps. who doesn't love an Irish accent?) Be sure to check out the full exhibition online at the Velvet Da Vinci website.

KameraKazi Shoots Pierce Healy (SNEAK PREVIEW!) from KameraKazi TV on Vimeo.

NEW! In my shop

My etsy shop is re-stocked with all new work for the holidays. Be sure to scoop up your favorites before it's too late! And remember, all purchases automagically include my lovely holiday gift wrap.

Thought Bubble Necklace in black

Sweet Embrace Necklace

Quote Bubble Necklace in red

Smooch Necklace

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so thankful for all of YOU; my loyal collectors, followers and fans! You enable me to continue to do what I love, day in and day out and for that I am forever grateful. Have a wonderful holiday!

NEW Holiday Work for Facéré Gallery

Facéré Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle has some of my new work, just in time for the holidays!

I'm excited to introduce my new Thought Bubble Necklace…

Thought Bubble Necklace in berry
sterling silver, plastic Barbie doll part, pigmented resin
© Margaux Lange 2010

(pensive counterpart to my Quote Bubble Necklaces - she thinks before she speaks) What do you guys think?!

Every year Facéré kicks off their holiday shopping season with an opening reception and annual Holiday Ornament Giveaway. Facéré artists are asked to create a small ornament for the event which are then given away by drawing names at the opening (you must be present to win.) This year I decided to make a festive Peppermint Pinwheel Shoe Ornament for the event!

Peppermint Pinwheel Shoe Ornament
plastic vintage Barbie doll shoes, sterling silver, ribbon
© Margaux Lange 2010

If you're in Seattle, I hope you'll attend the opening.

Facéré Jewelry Art Gallery
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
5 -7 pm
RSVP to place your name in the drawing for ornaments
206.624.6768

Holiday Gift Wrap in Silver and Red

Anyone who has ever purchased work from my etsy shop knows that I take a bit of pride in my gift wrap. Whether your purchase was a gift for someone else, or a gift for yourself, my feeling is: presentation matters. I want my buyers to feel like they're receiving something truly special from the moment the box gets delivered to their front door. This is what buying handmade is all about! Unique, beautifully hand-crafted items, with attention to every detail. Beautiful gift wrap should absolutely be a part of that experience.

My etsy shop has not been re-stocked with the new holiday work jussst yet, but fear not! It will be by this Wednesday at the very latest, so stay tuned!

New Retailer: Mary Woerner Fine Arts Gallery

Mary Woerner Fine Arts Gallery in West Palm Beach, Florida is now carrying my Plastic Body Series production line. If you live in the sunshine state… go check it out!

Mary Woerner Fine Arts
3700 South Dixie Highway #6
West Palm Beach, FL 33405
Website: marywoernerfinearts.com
Phone: 561.832.3233

Inspired by: Jennifer Davis

Pair © Jennifer Davis 2010

Just when I think I couldn't possibly adore the work of Jennifer Davis any more than I already do, she comes out with something new.

I recently purchased this print of hers from tiny showcase, which of course I love, however, someday I WILL own an original painting.

I heart podcasts

One of my favorite tweets came from Rachel of Red Prairie Press: "In my studio, time is measured by @ThisAmericanLife 's not hours."

So true. I've spent many-a-workday magically swept away into podcast-land, hunched over my jeweler's bench, only to look up and suddenly realize: it's gotten dark outside and whoa… I've just listened to 5 consecutive This American Life episodes in a row.

Today I thought it might be fun to share a listing of all the podcasts I like to measure my studio time with. (quick disclosure here: I'm an unabashed liberal and a bit of a public radio addict so a lot of these come from NPR and it's affiliates…)

1. This American Life: seriously, who doesn't listen to this one, right? Ira Glass makes my heart swoon.

2. Radiolab: a "life science" podcast for the every-man/woman. An exploration into life's big questions, ideas and science, always presented in an engaging manner. Really worth checking out if you haven't!

3. Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen: a closer look at pop culture and the Arts. An all-time fave of mine.

4. Wait Wait Don't Tell Me: Weekly NPR news quiz show. Always entertaining, hilarious and informative, another all-time fave.

5. 51 Percent: A podcast about women. Not didactic feminist propaganda, just solid information ranging from political issues, women's health, to women and money, etc.

6. Real Time with Bill Maher: Bill has always been my guilty pleasure.

7. The Moth: Features people telling stories live on stage without notes on a huge range of topics. Very entertaining!

8. The Media Project : A weekly discussion of news/media related content. Alan Chartock may be a bit pompous in his delivery, but I do often tend to side with his ideals.

9. The Health Show : A weekly discussion of all things health related.

10. Fresh Air : Host Terry Gross, favorite interviewer of all time. I love to catch this show via podcast so I can download just the interviews I'm really interested in listening to.

11. Planet Money: Making sense of our global economy, the information is presented in a way even I can understand (for the most part.)

12. TED Talks: Just as they say, "Ideas Worth Spreading." Recorded from annual TED conferences. Engaging and forward thinking individuals presenting a range of ideas on stage live.

13. Selected Shorts: short fiction read by actors. This one is hit or miss for me but I still give it a go every now and then.

14. WhaleyStudios: Jay Whaley interviews interesting metal artists/jewelers, "famous" amongst our little world of art jewelry.

You can subscribe to all of these podcasts via itunes. OK, now it's your turn! What podcasts are you listening to?

New Shoes

These are two new custom shoe rings recently completed and shipped off to their proud new owners!

Pinwheel Vintage Shoe Ring in 14k gold vermeil
© Margaux Lange 2010
sterling silver, 14k gold.

Pinwheel Vintage Shoe Ring - white
© Margaux Lange 2010
sterling silver, plastic Barbie doll shoes.

Meet Kait!

Kait is my fabulous new intern who has been working with me once a week to help me through the madness of the holiday season this year.


She's currently enrolled in the metals program at SUNY New Paltz (about 30 minutes from where I live in Beacon) but she's also an FIT graduate and was part of the crew that came out for my studio tour last month. Kait definitely knows her way around a jeweler's bench, and I couldn't be more pleased to have her help. Thanks Kait!

daydreaming about a backyard studio…

My jewelry in Tasmania

If I could go back in time and tell my 21 year old, fresh outta college self that one day my work would be for sale at a museum in Tasmania, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have believed it. (of course I'm pretty sure being on German television falls under the same category!)

MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, will be opening January 2011 in Tasmania {quick geography lesson here: Tasmania is an island off of the southern end of Australia.}

Last week I shipped off a large 26 piece order for the museum's new gift shop…

For more information about this exciting museum, check out their website: www.mona.net.au

Museum of Old and New Art
655 Main Road Berridale, Hobart Tasmania, Australia
Email: info@mona.net.au
and you can also find them on Facebook

German Television Feature

A film crew from RTL German Television came out to my studio last week to shoot a TV feature for one of it's weekday morning shows. Most of it I can't understand unfortunately, but it's kind of fun to hear it all in German anyway. Many thanks to Silke Haas for the opportunity.

Alumni Press

Juxtapositions is the alumni publication of the Maryland Institute College of Art (my alma mater) and the current issue features an article on wearable Art jewelry made by MICA alumnae.


Additionally, on the MICA website I'm featured in an extended interview, answering questions such as: "What are your thoughts about the idea that jewelry is wearable sculpture?" For the full feature and to read my interview visit: fyi.mica.edu

It feels nice to be recognized by my old college, however it's slightly disappointing that the concept and validity of jewelry as Art --with a capital A-- still requires explaining in this day and age (particularly to an Art school *sigh*)

Jewelry/metals unfortunately was not offered as a major at MICA, however there was an off-campus jewelry center, which always felt a bit like the red-headed stepchild of the school. The work that was created there was not given exhibition space in any of the main campus galleries and many students didn't even know the center existed. Alas, perhaps our alumni insights will shed some light on the world of Art jewelry for Juxtapositions readers and give the MICA jewelry Center the attention it deserves.

Renewal Notice Press

Renewal Notice - the exhibition in West Virginia where I have two pieces of jewelry currently on exhibit - has been getting some great press!

American Craft has a blog post and slide show of it on their website…

As does Readymade…

And of course, Extreme Craft has a post up about the show as well (Garth Johnson is the show organizer after all.) About the exhibition, Garth says:

"Last year, I released my first book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, which is a collection of 1000 images of jewelry, clothing, art, design and technological geekery. As a follow-up to the book, I was asked to curate an exhibition based on the book for the American Conservation Film Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia."

This is one of the photos taken at the installation of the show. (You can see my jewelry in the center frame on the back wall if you look close!) If you're near Sheperdstown and you're interested in checking out this exhibition I suggest you hurry up! It closes on November 7th. More info about the show and the film festival here.

A belated Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween weekend! I certainly did. My all-time favorite holiday always lifts my spirits and makes me feel like a kid again.

This year I went classic [read: easy] and dressed as a witch.

Dave and I went upstate to visit family and went trick-or-treating with our nieces and nephew around their neighborhood in Niskayuna. Here's a shot of our silly crew…

I'm definitely experiencing a bit of a candy-hangover. One of my biggest "treats" from the weekend however, was a garage sale in my sister's neighborhood where I was able to score 50+ Barbie dolls!

(note the one lone Ken in the bunch - lucky guy)

Celebrating 70 in Ornament Magazine

There is a fabulous four page spread in the latest issue of Ornament Magazine (volume 33 No. 5) which features an article about Karen Lorene and this past summer's Celebrating 70 Exhibition at Facéré Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle, WA. A photo of each jewelry piece created by the 70 artists invited to participate in the exhibition (including yours truly) can be seen in the Ornament article. I was thrilled to discover that my piece, Breast to Breast Brooch: Homage to Ruth Handler received special mention closing out the end of the article. It reads:

"Margaux Lange distilled her idea for the year 2002 to seven pink plastic orbs buzzed into what appears to be an abstract brooch. The orbs actually are pink plastic Barbie doll breasts. Breast to Breast: Homage to Ruth Handler, commemorates the extraordinary careers of Ruth Handler (1916 - 2002), the woman who not only invented the Barbie doll, but who, after her own mastectomy, went on to found a company that made prosthetic breasts for cancer survivors. Lange wrote, "Handler made an immeasurable impact on the lives of younger girls and older women. I felt that was worth honoring."

Breast to Breast Brooch: Homage to Ruth Handler
© Margaux Lange 2010. photo by Cole Rodger

page 56

(Click on the images to enlarge)

page 57

Renewal Notice: Creative Reuse in Contemporary Art & Design

Left Open Armlet
© Margaux Lange 2005

Renewal Notice: Creative Reuse in Contemporary Art and Design. An exhibition during this year's American Conservation Film Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia will be opening November 4, 2010 and on view through November 7, 2010. The show will be on display in a beautiful gallery next to film festival headquarters at The National Conservation Training Center.

The exhibition is a collaboration between film festival organizers and the artist, author and well known blogger Garth Johnson of Extreme Craft, who has been busy lecturing around the country with his latest book "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse" of which I had the great pleasure of getting published in (pages: 114, 115.)


Garth contacted me to see if I would like to be a part of this exhibition and I said sure! I will have two pieces on display, my Left Open Armlet (as seen above) and my Half Moon Hand Necklace on Torque. If you'll be in Shepherdstown, West Virginia Nov. 4th-7th go check it out! For more information visit: The American Conservation Film Festival.