TABOO STUDIO PRESENTS

THE ESSENCE OF NATURE

New Jewelry
by

Ramon Puig Cuyàs • Sandra Enterline • Christina Goodman • Andrew Goss • Barbara Heinrich • Marcia Macdonald • Junghwa Kim Paik • Helen Shirk • Jan Smith

Taboo Studio is pleased to announce the February Show, “The Essence of Nature.” We have invited a diverse group of artists linked by the common theme of nature in design and the vital role it plays in our daily lives. These jewelers have created pieces that explore the natural world, which has had a long history of inspiring artists. Internationally known San Diego jeweler and metalsmith, Helen Shirk, includes ten new brooches which she says, “…are commemorative, celebrating the resilience, and infinite variation of the natural world…”.

Barcelona born jeweler, Ramon Puig Cuyás speaks about harmony between the cosmos and nature. His series of brooches are intriguing collages of plastic, silver, paper, acrylic, and enamel as fragments of the unknown. He constructs images of metaphors for the natural world, but with more attention and accent on the importance of the memory.

Jewelers Christina Goodman, Andrew Goss, Jan Smith, and Junghwa Kim Paik, are new to Taboo, and their designs include hand painted miniatures in metal, enameled botanical illustrations, and mixed media representations of nature.

Artists who have previously exhibited at Taboo, Marcia Macdonald, Barbara Heinrich, and Sandra Enterline, are also contributing new work for this exhibition using precious metals, as well as carved wood assemblages in the form of nature inspired jewelry.

OPENING RECEPTION – Friday, February 12, 2010 6-8 pm
The show runs through March 26, 2010

SEE THE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT

Helen Shirk, Professor of Art Emerita, and head of the Jewelry and Metalwork Program will be retiring at the end of Spring Semester 2010 after 35 years of teaching at San Diego State University.

Shirk has been both professionally and academically an unfailingly engaged and productive faculty member. The international renown of her artwork has helped sustain the prestige of the Jewelry and Metalwork program bringing students and colleagues from across the US and abroad to study or visit SDSU.

She received her MFA degree from Indiana University and is a Fellow of the American Crafts Council. A recipient of Fulbright and NEA grants, her pieces have been exhibited internationally and are in many public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Museum of Art and Design in New York City, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts and San Diego's Mingei International Museum.

Large sculptural copper Prismacolored vessels inspired by the botanical world, have been the primary focus of her body of work. Her newest pieces, brooches, also inspired by plant forms, are on exhibit at Taboo Studio through March 26, 2010.

To honor Professor Shirk, the Jewelry and Metalwork department at SDSU will be hosting an exhibition of her work, as well as the work of other Jewelry and Metalwork alumni on campus in the Jackson Gallery, April 17th-23, 2010.

There will be an opening reception and retirement celebration on April 17th 6-9PM in the foyer of the Jackson Gallery at SDSU

The university is soliciting donations in order to publish a catalog to document and celebrate her immense contribution to SDSU and to the field of Jewelry and Metalwork.

If you can offer a donation before the catalog deadline of March 16th, please send a check made out and mailed to: Jewelry Students Coop - Art Department, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4805

The November 2009 issue of San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles includes a Q&A with Helen Shirk by Mark Hiss, that includes pictures of her studio and recent work. The magazine has given us permission to reprint the article.

Helen will be participating in our winter show opening on February 12. Take a look at the article for a preview of Helen's work.

Click on the image or the link above
to view the article.

The brooch on the left and those on our entry page were made by:

Ramon Puig Cuyàs

He will be participating in our winter show
opening on February 12.

Click on the image or the link above
to view additional images of his work.

On January 28th, Jay Whaley of Whaley Studios hosted a live talk with Diane Falkenhagen and Sandie Zilker. Diane Falkenhagen is a jewelry artist with a private studio on Galveston Island, that was recently resurrected after Hurricane Ike’s destruction in 2008.

Diane will be participating in our May show.

You can listen to the recorded talk by clicking the play button below.

FISCH OUT OF WATER
SEA CREATURES OF ARLINE FISCH

Currently on display at the Mingei Museum
Through May 16, 2010

The installation of Arline Fisch's copper wire sea creatures was recently reviewed by Robert Pincus. The review was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune which has allowed us to reprint the review.

READ THE REVIEW

Last year, Ornament (Vol.32 No.3) printed a great article by Pat Worrell on the work of Davide Bigazzi. Davide is one of the artists who participated in our 2009 holiday show and Ornament has allowed us to reprint the article here.

VIEW THE ARTICLE

Taboo Studio is pleased to carry the Mokume Gane and Damascus Stainless Steel rings of Andrew Nyce. These photographs are examples of some of the many designs in Andrew's portfolio. Stop by to see some of his work when you are in the neighborhood.

Hours

Tuesday through Friday 11 am - 6 pm
Saturday 10 am - 5 pm

Closed Sundays, Mondays and Major Holidays