Wax On, Wax Off

Sorry for the lack of updates! Doesn't mean I haven't been busy being a Homo Faber (well, more like Homo Conservator). Earlier this week we took down the arms and armor hanging up in the Oak Hall of West Dean College for an assessment and cleaning. They hadn't been touched in about twelve years, so there was a lot to do! This is me buffing micro-crystalline wax on a sword with a lovely leather and velvet lined basket hilt.

P.S. In December, I put up a post on the West Dean College student conservation blog about one of my projects. It's about the making of a steel and brass padlock and key (which was subsequently tossed outside by my tutor to get all sad and rusty). Read all about it HERE!

Rite of Spring in Winter

I recently started listening to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and found myself incredibly moved by the Pina Bausch-choreographed version of the ballet.

When Stravinsky's piece was first performed in 1913 with Vaslav Nijinsky's choreography, half of the audience hated it so much that they laughed and jeered and threw rotten vegetables at the dancers and musicians. Forty people had to be removed by police from the concert hall. The piece doesn't sound so strange to modern ears, but I imagine at the time it must have been like dissonant noise to people used to music with a discernible melody.

The piece tells the story of young men and women participating in an ancient pagan ritual, which descends into a bacchanalian frenzy and ultimately ends with one woman being chosen as the sacrifice to Spring. The last seven minutes of the half-hour long piece is called "Sacrificial Dance" and it just shreds me apart!

New Home

I've survived my first week at West Dean College with spirits high and self-esteem intact! Though there have been a few snags (mostly to do with my housing situation, hopefully to be resolved tomorrow- leaky ceiling in first room, persistent and strong odor of cat piss in second and current room), it's hard to feel anything other than grateful and excited when one lives and studies in a place that looks like this:

And of course, the interior is as impressive as the exterior promises:

More soon!

Prince Philippe and Baroque Love Songs

As one often does when one is procrastinating (in my case, from packing to move to England), I found myself in a section of youtube that I little expected to be. Discovered an incredible French countertenor named Philippe Jaroussky.

Here was the first video I stumbled into- a Vivaldi aria called Vedro con mio diletto:

Damn. I like how he sings "l'alma dell'alma mia" (soul of my soul) in the second half, with that little lilt.

And then, I found this video of Prince Philippe singing with French-Canadian contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, whose velvety, dulcet tones meld so perfectly with his. So sensual it's almost obscene. This is Pur ti miro by Monteverdi from a 17th century opera about the pyromaniac tyrant Nero and his ruthless and calculating lover Poppaea. This opera totally goes the opposite route of a morality play, with these illicit lovers triumphing over everyone who tries to stand in their way of being together. And not only that- they get such a sensual, gorgeous love duet at the end. But I guess the dramatic irony of knowing that Nero kicked Poppaea to death after the story ends just makes it more bittersweet?

Material Witness

Two of my pieces from my most recent body of work The Feast and The Fast will be on display at the Dalton Gallery of Agnes Scott College in Georgia for a juried group exhibition called Material Witness. I'm excited to see the work of the others featured in this show, since the theme is one that is close to my heart and mind as an artist- how women creatively carve out meaningful spaces for themselves within the world.

I look forward also to the full-color catalog that will be published!

From the call for entries:
"Material Witness seeks to broadly represent artwork defining our time. Organized by the Georgia chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art in collaboration with Agnes Scott College, the exhibit will present the perspective of women artists from across the United States working in a variety of media. Through their art they process the world around them, their work becoming a document of these times."  

Gorgeous Gorgets

Here are a couple of new pieces inspired by the gorget and pauldron sections on a suit of armor!

Gorgets were metal or leather collars that protected a knight's throat while pauldrons protected the shoulders. In this Rembrandt painting below, the man is wearing only his gorget- perhaps a reference to his military background or maybe just a way to add some texture to his outfit? Either way, I love how the gorget stands so snugly up around the neck, like a piece of protective jewelry.

This illustration of French medieval armor shows some curved pauldrons that stand up vertically at the edges, designed to repel attacks on the neck. Very useful when you're doing some swordplay on the battlefield, but also just an elegant design.

My collar and bracelet inspired by these pieces of armor are available at Velouria right now. They will likely be one of a kind designs, since I probably won't embellish the panels in exactly the same way again.

You won't be protected from swords or axes in my Gorget Collar, but it will show off your neck and shoulders to terrific advantage!

Gorget neckpiece. $220.

Gorget bracelet. $115.

Mighty Metalsmiths at Tieton Mini Maker Faire!

I will be at the Tieton Mini Maker Faire next Saturday with a crew of awesome jewelry artists and metalsmiths: Lori Talcott, Naomi Landig, Jana Brevick, and Julia Heineccius. We'll be demonstrating metalsmithing techniques: drawing wire, soldering, piercing, engraving, and more. Mark your schedules: there will be a different demo every hour! 

Plus, lots of beautiful, handmade jewelry will be for sale. Naomi and I are making dragon-scaled jewelry (like the brooches we made for George R. R. Martin that he wears on his hat) so you can show the world your allegiance to House Targaryen.  

Don't miss this event- It will be so much fun. A road race through the streets with handbuilt cycle carts that look like vintage race cars. A chance to help make the world's largest piece of felt. Fandango music and dance in the evening. Batik and indigo dying and knitting. Chai-making. Mosaics.  

Hope to see you there!

Review

A BIG thank you to Le Dandysme for the thoughtful review of "Catch and Release"!

Being an artist is often such a solitary activity; sometimes I feel like a naked mole rat- all pale and socially awkward from being holed up all the time. It's nice to get feedback from people about the weird things I make.

One of the things I did with this body of work was try to get people to overcome their initial disgust of the hairy material by creating lots of details nestled in the pieces, so that one would have to get in close to see the whole picture. That's why I really liked this part of the review:

"The collar’s clasp is pierced with the image of a flea, the opposing side, a cluster of flea eggs. The hair from which the collar is made feels scratchier, the pedestal is messy with loose bits of hair, and the urge to take a step back becomes stronger... Her craft is immaculate, all of the pieces exquisitely detailed, especially on their reverse sides."

The physical body is such a ghostly presence in these pieces, since they're not fully complete until someone is wearing them, performing in them. The experience of wearing them and other people's reactions to the wearer is an important part of the pieces. I'm planning a photoshoot soon- so watch this space!  

Catch and Release

ARTISTS:
Jana Brevick, Dorothy Cheng, Kimber Leblicq, Tara Brannigan

OPENING RECEPTION:
Saturday 9 March, 6-9 pm

LOCATION:
LxWxH Gallery
6007 12th Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98108

END DATE:
through Saturday 30 March until 3 pm, by appointment only

Catch and Release is a group show about sculpture and the body, featuring pieces that might be extremely uncomfortable, impractical, or impossible to wear. The inspiration behind this collection of work was to play on the idea that jewelry can create a kind of armor, whether actual or psychological, or that it is used as a sort of plumage to display wealth or power. Often the collection will demonstrate the tension between opposites: attraction/repellent, caress/recoil, fragile/indestructible, natural/synthetic, and so on. The title plays on the function of jewelry's hardware, utilizing some sort of hook or clasp; while encapsulating the concept of the show.

Fountain -
by Dorothy Cheng
2013
human hair, wool, glass beads, thread

Theresa ring.

This ring is one of my favorite custom pieces ever. It was commissioned by a client celebrating the recent publication of her latest book- a volume on medieval queenship (a subject I am rather obsessed with). I can't wait to get my hands on that book!

The gemstones are garnet and amethyst cabochons: two stones that featured prominently in medieval jewelry. The reddish-purple color of the garnet made it much sought after by Byzantine royalty and Germanic tribes in the early Middle Ages, for whom the hue signified power and prestige. Amethysts were thought to prevent drunkenness and protect warriors going into battle. Very useful indeed!

I love the idea of marking important life milestones with pieces of jewelry, in addition to the customary engagement/wedding rings. Wearable objects are such potent reminders- to be proud of our own individual life journeys and of our professional and personal accomplishments that don't always get much societal validation.

Loreena McKennitt Christmas.

Always makes me think of icicles sparkling in the moonlight...

Last minute Christmas gifts.

Hope you'll excuse my silence!

I've been a busy beaver in the studio the past two months, playing with gemstones, experimenting with my steel texture stamps, conjuring pieces that are sometimes more complex, sometimes drastically simpler than what I usually make. There's nothing better than zoning out to some good audiobooks* and making jewelry on drizzly winter days.

Here are a sampling of goodies still available for sale at Seattle boutiques, if you're a gift-buying procrastinator living locally. Or maybe you just want to reward yourself for getting through these hectic days with sanity intact?

Thistle Leaf crown ring (size 7 1/2) at Ghost Gallery in Capitol Hill:

Amethyst heart (they were supposed to be bees initially...) earrings at Velouria in Ballard:

Lady of the Manor ring (size 7 1/4) at Ghost Gallery:

Raw fluorite pendant necklace with 24" chain at Ghost Gallery:

And of course, there are still many delightful Dorothy Cheng Jewelry pieces at Tacoma Art Museum Store and Paper Hammer. 

Happy holidays, everyone!

*Speaking of audiobooks- I highly recommend Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Set in an elite and isolated liberal arts college in Vermont, it follows a tight-knit, secretive group of friends who study ancient Greek and end up murdering one of the members in their clique. It's the kind of college experience I used to fantasize about as a kid, because like one of the characters, I also had a "morbid longing for the picturesque". Obviously, murder never featured in my college fantasy, but complete immersion in an esoteric field of study with a group of like-minded peers certainly did!

Dorothy Cheng Jewelry at Velouria!

Since June, I've been selling my jewelry at Velouria, one of my favorite boutiques in Seattle. It's been a bastion of independently-made clothing and accessories since 2004. I used to go as a broke college student and covetously stroke all the lovely clothes and bags and jewelry... The shop was recently revamped by Cat and Chika, the new owners, and I'm so honored to be a part of the fresh lineup of designers they've taken on since they bought the store.

This Saturday (November 10th), I'll be previewing my new collection of jewelry at Velouria.

6-9 pm
2205 NW Market St.
between N Ballard Ave & N 22nd Ave.

Here's a sneak peak:

After seeing the Scottish crown jewels, I started experimenting with colorful gemstones and big, royally bold designs. It's a big change from my usual style. In the past, I was slightly (okay, maybe more than slightly...) disdainful of gemstones, because they're so loud and attention-seeking. Gemstones easily overshadow the metal and, as a hardcore metal girl at heart, I just can't let that happen! In my new collection, I've made sure that the gems and the metal get equal attention and lovingly complement each other in every piece.

Top Five: TV Villains

And now for the second installment of Beautiful & Beloved Bad Seeds - TV Edition! For my Top Five Movie Villains - go here. This list was harder to pare down, since it's difficult to have a good show that runs for several seasons without the writers attempting to create some sympathy or understanding for the villains. This, however, often runs into the problem of the writers prioritizing the likability of the villain over consistent characterization.

This is the difference between good and great writing for me - good writers can humanize a villain but a great one will humanize him without apologizing for him.

Without further ado:

Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Oh, Cersei. I have this theory that almost any smart, proud and ambitious woman could be Cersei if she was thrown into the right circumstances. Or maybe I just feel like I would be Cersei if I was born into her life. Historically, there have been some women who have been able to wield power through the limited channels of traditional feminine roles. The Empress Matilda, for example. Isabella of France. Eleanor of Aquitaine. Agrippina the Younger.

The art of bearing children and realizing you have to weaponize them. Operating under a veneer of delicate diplomacy at all times while holding a knife to your rival's jugular. The necessity of relying on and trusting men to work for you, though society gives even the worst and weakest of them more tangible power. The rage of being forced to do all these things instead of relying on one's own abilities... The rage must be immense. Cersei Lannister, as a character, is a perfectly written Tragedy. It could never end well for her.

Steerpike (BBC's Gormenghast)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers' best role, I think. It kind of went downhill for him after this... Steerpike was my favorite villain of my formative years. He's practically a working class hero, really! How can it be wrong for a poor kitchen wretch born into drudgery and hopelessness to hope for something more? To be worth a damn. To have responsibilities and expectations. Especially since the young Earl was an ungrateful little prat who wanted to run around in the mud outside instead of shouldering his duties.

Livia (I, Claudius)
Another prime iteration of the Cersei type, I think. Though with less rage and disappointment and more tar black humor. Though both of their sons were monstrous, she was luckier than Cersei Lannister- her husband had some decent qualities. Livia also had the ability to believe herself working for a larger picture, for the greater good. Whether or not that's actually true is, of course, debatable.

Alice Morgan (Luther)
Perfectly written red-haired sociopath. Hilarious, straight-talking and scary as hell. Paradoxically, she represents both Detective Chief Inspector John Luther's attraction to the dark side but also the light of truth in his life. His perfect half, you catch yourself thinking at times, but then again... WAIT, she's a coldblooded murderer. Though he's not such a pure snowflake himself...

Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
The Sopranos was a hard show to watch. I expected the show creators to create more sympathy for Tony as the show went on. I thought they might make the Mafia lifestyle a heartwarming male homosocial bonding fest. But they didn't. And that's the beauty of this show - Tony Soprano becomes more and more fully a villain as each episode unfolds. He is fully human and fully villainous at the same time. His self-delusion, his sentimentality, his well intentioned lies are all things we can recognize in ourselves, but the actions resulting from Tony's weaknesses are both encouraged and made justifiable by the system in which he operates. I think it's fascinating that loyalty is supposed to be hallmarks of both Tony's biological family and his criminal family, but for all their hearty demonstrations of love, their relationships are governed above all by fear and self-preservation.

Edinburgh, in a baker's dozen.

Sir Walter Scott Monument

In one of the tiny side-streets off the Royal Mile.

On the Royal Mile

St. Giles Cathedral

16th century wall paintings commemorating the birth of James VI.

Jewelers' bench from John Knox House.

Firefighters' helmets from the 19th century, from the collections of the Edinburgh city museums.

Bakery and deli in the New Town

Detail of a page from a copy of the Mainz Psalter

Raven over  the ruins of Holyrood Abbey

Textures of Iceland.

Gullfoss

Brand-marked door at Skogar Folk Museum

Haybales

Beach at Vik

Dyrholaey