Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Small But Perfectly Formed

Our season of Blame It On The Bling continues here at AJF with a new show at AJF member Gallery Lulo in Healdsburg, California. Jeweler Elisa Bongfelt tells us why size matters in her work, and why the small and perfect brings a sparkle to her eye.

Elisa Bongfelt, Petals necklace, 2010, oxidised sterling silver, white diamonds, 17 inches long

I recently began using diamonds as a way to add the undeniable sparkle they possess to my work. Because diamonds are so eye catching, I think one of the biggest challenges in contemporary jewelry is to allow the work to be the focus, not the stone in it.

Elisa Bongfelt, Petals choker, 2010, oxidised sterling silver, white diamonds, 17 inches long

The contrast between oxidized silver and the diamonds is quite dramatic, and yet the forms of the pieces are not overshadowed by the stones. In this particular body of work, I have chosen to use diamonds that are quite small, so they are a subtle addition to the pieces; they draw you in to look closer.

Elisa Bongfelt, Stacked bracelet, 2010, oxidized sterling silver, white diamonds, 8 inches long