Michi

April Higashi has been working as a contemporary art jeweler, gallerist and curator in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years. She has made her name on her skillful and abstract style of enameling. But of late has become increasingly recognized for her combinations of rose cut stones, natural diamonds and precious metals to create rich color fields, unique textures and unexpected relationships. The aesthetic she has developed is organic yet refined creating contemporary pieces with an aura of antiquity.

In the recent exhibition, Michi, Higashi continues to experiment with materials incorporating white gold, high-karat yellow gold and bronze alongside more surprising materials including wings of butterflies and moths. The work focuses on minimal settings and highly crafted custom closures in order to compliment the striking collection of stones such as Peruvian opal, black tourmaline and quartz. The use of leather is applied to several pieces, giving the otherwise resplendent collection a down to earth sensibility.

Worth noting, this show illustrates a shift happening in Higashi’s work seen first in late 2011, in which her well known enamels of vibrant patterns where left behind for a more sparse imagery with soft white backgrounds.  Of these pieces, “Ma” Brooch (painted enamel, oxidized silver, 18k yellow gold, and diamond slices) stands out, exhibiting a single bare branch, rendered fuzzy as if seen through thick fog. About this shift in process Higashi said, “I wanted to arrive at a subtle beauty that gives the viewer a sense of calm. This quiet place is a space that I crave, even if only enjoyed for the smallest moments.” Moving away from the abstract patterns informed by nature, these new enamels were more direct and functioned as small homages to the awe-inspiring effect of nature. 

Presented alongside these new enamels were works such as Shiro Brooch, which effectively replaced the reference of nature for the real thing. Shiro Brooch (fossilized coral, black diamonds, 24 & 18k gold) offered the viewer a relic from the past. Embellished very sparingly with a faux branch fabricated from gold and set with black diamonds, the piece was simultaneously a feat of elaborate repair and a new creation of beauty.

              Kuro Pendant, black coral, 1.32ct organic crystal diamonds, 18kyg, 19.5", 2013

The work presented in her recent show Michi continues in this vein, moving away from enamels painted with nature as subject in favor of the use of specific elements themselves. Morpho Pendant (sterling silver, 18k yellow gold, quartz, Morpho butterfly wing, palladium chain) consists of an impressive iridescent butterfly wing set in a gold bezel and protected by a crystal clear triangular shaped quartz cabochon. In this piece Higashi offers us the very coveted object of beauty on a platter. The result is  amore direct connection with Higashi's sense of wild and imperfect beauty and less of a dreamy yearning that her past enamels imbued.

                             Morpho Pendant, Morpho wing, 22k gold, palladium, 20", 2013

Other pieces in the show illustrate a degree of removal from the objects Higashi is inspired by, in particular Emerald Sango Pendant (sterling silver, rose cut emerald, diamonds, 22k and 18k yellow gold, leather) where one of the components is a piece of coral that has been cast and made into a silver pendant. Our attention is set on the amazing and delicate patterning of a coral branch, which invited our imagination to drift to the original piece of coral of which the casting was made.

        Sango Pendant, rose cut emerald, diamonds, silver cast coral, 18kyg, leather

In addition to simple, clean presentations of natural materials, Higashi continues with her augmentation of the found objects she uses in her jewelry. These pieces present themselves as a layering of Higashi's own unique sense of beauty. In Kuro Black Coral Pendant (Black coral, organic crystal diamonds, 18kyg) a large piece of coral is set between two gold end caps and strung with a thick gold chain. The coral is sprinkled with raw diamonds, riveted on with high karat gold. Another good example of this aesthetic is So Necklace (black tourmaline, black diamonds, bronze) where a strand of raw black tourmaline beads are interrupted by a hand fabricated bronze bead of similar shape and size, set with small sparkling black diamonds. The bead is an augmented section of the strand and highlights the asymmetrical shapes and deep black dolor found in the tourmaline beads. Of these pieces Higashi explains, "I continue to see things in layers, but instead of painting actual layers of enamels I juxtapose shapes, usually organic, to see a relationship of multiples that becomes more poetic and visually dynamic than one."

                             So Necklace, black tourmaline, black diamonds, bronze, 2013

While much is changing in Higashi's work her own special interest in the beauty of imperfection remains a strong element of her creative process and is a thread that can be seen throughout this current collection. Her ability to recognize and embrace unusual materials and transform them into highly crafted pieces of jewelry allows Higashi to continually present us with work that is fascinatingly beautiful. Of this continual process of creation Higashi says, "I am inspired by my clients, their style and the way they wear my work. I feel that they are drawn to wear the work for the same reason I create it, expression. And by mixing older pieces with new it allows my work to slowly fade into the wearer and leave me."

review by Ahna Adair

Karen Gilbert: Shift

Karen Gilbert is a designer, jeweler, mother, wife, partner in a glass business, and gallery owner. I don’t think she can fit one more thing on her plate. She is having a show with Shibumi Gallery, where owner April Higashi is pretty much in the same boat. How do these women do it…and do it so well? In this show called Shift, Karen has shifted the look of her jewelry to a simpler, more colorful style.

Susan Cummins: What is the story of your journey to becoming a jeweler?

Karen Gilbert: I became a jeweler by accident. I was a student at California College of Arts and Crafts in the painting department when I took an elective in the metals department and became mesmerized by the material of metal. I loved drilling it, sculpting it, torching it—all the tactile qualities appealed to me. I switched my major, and at the same time, became involved in the glass department. The two materials had the immediacy that I needed. I love to work quickly and to respond to my materials as I am working. After school, I worked for numerous jewelers, and that led me into creating wearable pieces. I loved that people actually wanted to buy and wear what I created, and that the relationship of maker and collector really gives meaning to art.

And what is the story of your journey to becoming a gallery owner in the town of Healdsburg, California?

Karen Gilbert: Healdsburg was chosen for the physical beauty of the location for our family and a real sense of possibility, along with its potential built-in clientele for a gallery. With luck, I met Katrina Schjerbeck, who also had passion for art as well as seeing the potential for a Healdsburg gallery, and we really needed each other to make a gallery work. I had the contacts and information on curating for the artists, and Katrina had the ability to manage and oversee the vision.

And what is the story of the collaborative design studio SkLO you started with Pavel Hanousek and Paul Pavlak?

Karen Gilbert: Through the gallery, I met our SkLO business partner Pavel Hanousek, who imports Czech glass from master glass artists in the Czech Republic. The aesthetics of his business were in desperate need of updating. My husband and I joined him, re-branded the business, and now are owners and designers of a glass-based design company. It has been a fascinating challenge to approach work as a designer instead of as the maker. What I love about SkLO is being able to work within one of the world’s great craft traditions—Czech glassblowers—yet having the freedom to make work that does not put technical skill before overall concept and design. Along with my husband Paul Pavlak, I have the opportunity to sculpt the entire vision of the company. It is a huge challenge that involves business savvy as well as creativity. SkLO is successfully growing and is finding a receptive market and critical acclaim.

You are super busy. How do you find time to make jewelry? How do you organize your life?

Karen Gilbert: My time is very tight. I have gone from a relaxed artist lifestyle to being a mother and owner of three businesses. I need a lot more structure in my life. I get up early, and I stick to a routine to get it all done. I think this is changing my work and the visual language that I see in my head, so it is an interesting new path. Jewelry has a much smaller part in my week, but when I am in the studio, it is still a really important time.

Does working with SkLO influence your jewelry designs? How?

Karen Gilbert: I am sure it does. Like I mentioned, it creates more structure, but it also needs to be thought about in terms of being a cohesive body of work. We talk a lot about branding and the language and look of SkLO being something someone knows when they see it. We are aware of this language but also conscious of keeping the audience on their toes. We don’t want to follow the trends, but to pay homage to them and to reflect on our modern society. With my jewelry, it is the same, yet a bit more of a personal commentary. I think of more personal issues with my own work, and with SkLO, I consider more universal issues of design.

This body of work you are showing at Shibumi seems to be a step away from work you have done in the past. There is less glass and more enamel, for example, and the designs are simpler. What is going on here?

Karen Gilbert: I think my influences are shifting. It sort of goes back to the question of time and structure. I personally love very minimalist artwork, but find that my mind does not work in those terms. I am trying to refine and make myself simplify without taking the depth away from the work. Sometimes the pieces want more, sometimes they want less. I am trying to create both dialogues. Also, enamel is just another form of glass that simply alters my technique. I love the endless colors that enamel allows. In the past, I have found it frustrating to use enamel because I don’t have as much control or ability to create my desired effect. I have chosen to really push and experiment with torch enameling, and I enjoy the process, seeing how far I can push it. I feel as though I am just getting started with these new techniques.

What do you think your jewelry does best?

Karen Gilbert: I really like the way my jewelry looks on people. It moves and is wearable in a way that can compliment an individual’s style. I like the tactile quality, that it is very three dimensional, and that almost every piece is different.

April Higashi, who owns Shibumi Gallery, and you are both jewelers who own galleries. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a maker and a dealer?

Karen Gilbert: It is nice having April to talk to about our shared experiences. I think having a gallery is an additional creative outlet that allows me to not feel like I always have to be producing in the studio. I love to see new work come in and fit it into our aesthetic. It is adding another stroke of paint to the painting, moving it around, and tweaking it to tell our story. I also can get excited about selling other people’s work. I enjoy seeing someone fall for another artist’s work as much as my own. It is a business that takes a ton of time and work. It may seem like galleries just get the work and sell it, but every artist, every piece, takes a lot of time and attention to get it ready to sell and to find the right buyer. At Gallery Lulo, I am fortunate to have a great partner in Katrina Schjerbeck.

Thank you.

Special thanks to AJF (Art Jewelry Forum) for writing and publishing this article.  Click here to visit their blog.  

SkLO: Object, Vessel, Light, Intention

Catch, by SkLO

Sklo, the Czech word for glass, is also the name of a collaborative multi-disciplinary design studio headquartered in Healdsburg, CA, specializing in glass objects and lighting. The decision to name the business SkLO may seem clear, especially given that SkLO works directly with Czech Republic-based glassmasters. However, like every other aspect of this design studio, founded by Pavel Hanousek, Karen Gilbert, and Paul Pavlak, an underlying deliberation of intention distinguishes its work — right down to the very name under which it operates. 
 

Hold Sconce, by SkLO

“When were brainstorming about what name to give to our new venture, all three of us were immediately taken by the word [sklo],” explains Paul Pavlak. "It has great visual appeal, too. Karen and I did all the branding and logo design ourselves. Designing the logo, we felt that since we were basically naming our company glass we wanted to find a few subtle moves to make it unique."
 

Float, by SkLO

Paul, an architect, had fun playing around with the graphic look and capitalization possibilities of the name. "The small k worked really well graphically, and then we added the plus-sign as a sort of symbolic reminder, that we are more than just glass, that the concept of SkLO is to go beyond the traditions and techniques of glassblowing and re-present what czech crystal can mean," Paul explains.
 

This re-presentation of work is certainly making others sit up and take notice. In the past few months, SkLO has shown its work at the NY NOW-Accent on Design in August Paris trade show Maison & Objet, one of the biggest trade shows in Europe. In July, in July, SkLO’s Fold Vessel made the long list for the World Interior News Awards. 
 

Fold, by SkLO

SkLO’s growth continues on a steady pace, thanks in part to the company having recently established distribution in the Czech Republic. This means that work can ship from either California or the Czech Republic, extending the company’s ability to serve clients worldwide and to allow SkLO to grow into the global brand it’s clearly destined to become. 
 

Grow, by SkLO

“The critical acclaim SkLO is receiving, as well as the amazing demand for the product, are both very exciting to us,” Paul notes. “Karen and I are very confident as designers and put a great deal of ourselves into SkLO, and to see it succeeding is rewarding.
 

Lasso, by SkLO

SkLO’s objects and lighting, along with Karen Gilbert’s jewelry, can be seen at Shibumi Gallery through October 27, 2013.

Karen Gilbert Jewelry with SkLO Studio Objects and Lighting

Opening Saturday, September 7, 5pm-8pm

Artist Designer Q&A: 5:30pm

Shibumi Gallery presents Shift, a show featuring the work of Karen Gilbert and SkLO Studio. Shift highlights the intimate relationship between material and form viewed from the complimentary perspectives of craft and design. The exhibition runs through October 27, 2013 at Shibumi Gallery, with the opening reception held Saturday September 7th from 5-8pm and Artist/ Designer Q&A beginning at 5:30pm.

Karen Gilbert’s jewelry explores ideas of beauty and comfort by merging materials of contrasting nature and challenging conceptions of form and function. Working with various materials such as oxidized sterling silver, stainless steel, glass, precious stones, and textiles, the sculptural nature of her jewelry finds inspiration in the microcosm of our everyday world, exposing "the smallest as a visual representation of the larger complexity".

SkLO Studio is a collaborative multi-disciplinary design studio founded by Pavel Hanousek, Karen Gilbert, and Paul Pavlak. Working directly with glass masters in the Czech Republic, SkLO brings a new modern sensibility to the hand blown Czech glass tradition. While remaining rooted in the unique synergy found between design and craft, SkLO is going beyond glass and glassblowing to create a vibrant modern design brand.

Artist and Studio Jeweler Niki Ulehla at Shibumi Gallery

Opening Satuday, June 8 5pm-8pm

Shibumi Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by San Francisco artist Niki Ulehla entitled One. Two. featuring jewelry made using hand-painted silk, gilded plastics and pearls. The opening will be held Saturday June 8th with a reception from 5-8pm and artist talk beginning at 5:30pm. The exhibition runs through July 28, 2013 at Shibumi Gallery. 

In this work Ulehla explores copies and multiples while embracing subtle differences that occur during the production process. Working in several series, Ulehla creates jewelry that explores concepts rooted in natural science. Species classification, reproduction, and hybridization, while not over-obvious, inform her pieces. The jewelry is composed of autonomous visual units of varying sizes such as hand painted silk framed in darkened silver or plastic tubing lined with gold. These units are either used to make a piece of pure repetition or are merged to make a variety of hybrid compositions. The effect is a logical yet unusually beautiful body of jewelry.

Since earning her BA in drawing and painting from Stanford University, Ulehla has mastered the arts of marionette making, puppeteering and fine art jewelry. Her focus on studio jewelry in recent years has earned her an invitation to the prestigious Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in, Philadelphia, PA and The Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington D.C.

                                                  *opening is sponsored by Trumer Beer