TABLE OF CONTENTS
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
WELCOME – 4 ENJI STUDIO JEWELRY – 6 VOSTENAK STUDIOS – 12 KRISTEN BAIRD – 14 NIKKI NATION JEWELRY – 18 OLIVIA SHIH – 22 STUDIOSOPHIASOPHIA – 26 LETTERSTOSARAH METALSMITHING – 30 BOHEMI – 32 ALEXANDRA SCARLETT – 34 TARA HUTCH FINE JEWELRY – 36 STACY RODGERS JEWELRY – 38 EC DESIGN – 40 ANNA BALKAN JEWELRY – 42 SETH PAPAC JEWELRY – 44 AN INSIDE LOOK – 46 GRANT TIMELINE – 50
2
Jewelry by StudioSophiaSophia 3
WELCOME Show me your jewelry and tell me a story.
When you ask the average person about something they are wearing, they may throw out a brand name, but more likely they will tell you a tale: A love story, the impact of a family member who passed the item on, the origin of a gift, or the recollection of a great vacation. However, if you ask someone from the jewelry field about a piece they are wearing, the response is entirely different. They will tell you about who made it and the technical brilliance that makes it so special. These responses are quite different from one another but they are both stories that are sentimental to the storyteller. I started to realize this after giving my own jewelry geek answers to this perennial question from my friends. “Great earrings, Hil! Where did you get them?” My long-winded odes to the artist’s greatness caused them to glaze over a little bit before blinking and saying something like “cool, they’re really cute.” That still makes me feel good, but it is no comparison to the gushing responses I get from my jewelry friends who are on the same page. They are more likely to say, “oh my gosh, her work is amazing. Did you see her latest collection that she launched last fall? I can’t believe she can set fluorites like that without busting them.” Jewelry nerds of the world unite. This publication is for those aficionados. Jewelry lovers who comb galleries and websites for sparks of genius from the bench. We present to you here some of the emerging artists you will want to watch. They all have great things ahead of them, though their paths may be quite different. Jewelry is a passion that unites makers and enthusiasts around the world. It’s the common thread that drives each of us turn pieces over in our hands to check for craftsmanship and completion. It piques our interest when someone talks about new work. It warms our hearts when we hear admiration for one of the masters we too adore. Passions create conversations. More importantly, passions create communities. Objects of personal adornment are a unique phenomenon in the human experience. They are both publicly displayed and privately cherished. These items say something to the world about who we are while affirming the intimate beliefs we hold about ourselves. I believe every piece of jewelry I own is imbued with value, memory and beauty. Material, design and skill blend with the spirit of the maker to forge totems rather than mere things. The Halstead Grant began eleven years ago as a philanthropic endeavor with the mission of incentivizing strategic thinking among nascent jewelry businesses. The primary motivation of the award is to increase the level of business skills among makers in the trade and therefore help them to attain longer, more profitable careers in the industry. Each year, we impact more jewelers with this message and with the experience of preparing for the Halstead Grant. It is not easy. Candidates must answer 14 business related questions outlining goals and strategy. The topics range from financial planning to capacity and branding. We make them stretch. We make them think. We make them seek out resources that can help them on their small business journey. Ultimately, the application is designed to teach the candidates how much they can do outside of their comfort zone with the right amount of time and determination. Artists who complete the process come out the other side as stronger studio managers. They have clear goals and are ready to enter the marketplace. I urge you to consider Halstead Grant finalists as potential business partners and collaborators. They truly are a cut above.
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
In our second decade, we are expanding the grant program. We have increased the winner’s prize package to $7,500 in start-up capital plus supplies and a trip to our headquarters in Arizona. All finalists will now receive cash awards, a feature spot in this annual publication and a signature trophy. We are also inviting guest jurors to participate in the finalist selection process. This year our guest juror was Cathleen McCarthy. We are thrilled to feature her article on the grant program here on page 46. The Halstead Grant is not a one-way street. We leave the experience each year slightly changed as well. With every round of the competition we learn more about our community, both the worries and the dreams that unite the next generation of makers. We are blown away by the level of creativity we see in emerging artists who still manage to create new and exciting work in a medium that has existed for thousands of years. These makers inspire us. They remind us why we work in this field. The work of our 2016 winner, ENJI Studio Jewelry, is both bold and minimal. She is creating a new signature aesthetic that is entirely her own. Her look is recognizable and can translate across materials and trends. Fresh work like hers is exhilarating. So is the heart tugging story of Tara Hutchinson or the bold use of color by StudioSophiaSophia. In these pages you will also be impressed by the technical mastery of Stacy Rodgers and Kristen Baird, the cohesive yet unique designs of Olivia Shih and Nikki Nation, the youthful vitality of Alexandra Scarlett and LettersToSarah Metalsmithing as well as the earthy vibrato of Bohemi. Jewelry is a world of passions. It is easy to forget that sometimes after a long work day; but, it is the reason I love my job. I am surrounded by passionate small businesses doing what they love to support families they love. That is a beautiful thing. Their price points, business models and strategies vary widely but there is something special about each of these artists. There is a place for all these kinds of work. It is exciting for me to imagine their pieces scattering across time and space to become beloved treasures in women’s jewelry boxes around the world and stories that they tell their friends. Creations to be worn with pride and perhaps passed on to daughters and friends with the added weight of the wearers’ own history. With time, we now also appreciate the retrospective value of following early career artists as they blossom into mature studio practitioners. Our grant winners and finalists become part of the Halstead family. We follow their pursuits and accomplishments and cheer them on at every opportunity. The grant program has turned into more than recognition. It is advocacy for some of the most talented and prepared studios in the nation. To that end, we are proud to present this first catalog edition for our 11th annual 2016 Halstead Grant competition. In these pages you will find the work of this year’s winner and finalists described above as well as a cross-section of past honorees. Special thanks to Valerie Ostenak, Seth Papac, Emily Johnson and Anna Balkan for their contributions this year. Congratulations to each and every one of these amazing jewelers. We expect to see great things from all of you. For those of you fellow jewelry lovers who are receiving this book, we hope these stories remind you why you love our field and the rich menagerie of people who make it so unique. This is a snapshot of our community. Welcome and enjoy. Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
Jewelry by ENJI Studio Jewelry 55
ENJI STUDIO JEWELRY
Niki Grandics
2016 Halstead Grant Winner, 2015 Top 5 Finalist www.ENJIStudioJewelry.com EnjiStudioJewelry Enji_Studio_Jewelry
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
EnjiJewelry
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ENJI was founded in 2014 by Niki Grandics in San Diego. Niki is a GIA Graduate Jeweler and received her BA in Applied Design and BS in Marketing from San Diego State University in 2014. She was awarded the 2014 Windgate Fellowship Award by the Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design which recognizes innovative upcoming talent in the fields of jewelry, glass, furniture, and textile arts. Niki also designs and creates her jewelry with the goal of giving back to the community in ways that help women and families rebuild their lives. She believes part of her responsibility as a designer and business owner is not only to look to the short term and generating profit, but how she can create a positive impact moving forward. Niki also works with organizations like Ethical Metalsmiths to help promote greater transparency in the jewelry industry and works with ethically sourced materials and processes. She has exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and Europe and her work has appeared publications such as Marzee magazine and Corning’s New Glass Review and Lapidary Journal.
Facets Earrings Smokey Ring Sterling silversterling & rutilated Recycled silver,quartz smoky quartz
77
ENJI STUDIO JEWELRY
Point Ring Recycled sterling silver, smoky quartz
8
Connected Points Necklace Sterling silver, smoky quartz
9
ENJI STUDIO JEWELRY
Facets Earrings Sterling silver, rutilated quartz
10
Points Stacking Bracelets Sterling silver, smoky quartz
11
VOSTENAK STUDIOS REWIND – 2009 WINNER
Valerie Ostenak
2009 Halstead Grant Winner www.ValerieOstenak.com Valerie Ostenak : VOSTENAKstudios vostenak valerieostenak
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
valerieostenak
12
Valerie Ostenak creates her sculptural art jewelry in mild steel and sterling silver. Though metal, particularly steel, seems to be an industrial and inert material, Valerie finds the flow within it. The mild steel she works must be yellow hot to be shaped and formed. In that moment of perfect yellow, the steel becomes soft and sensuous, as though it wants to be worn on the gentle curves of a woman’s body. To wear steel is to take on these qualities of the material . . . its strength and its tenderness. The sterling silver jewelry is worked cold. Valerie leaves her hammer marks, showing the force that it took to create the jewelry. Each hammer blow creates the texture and flowing movement in the piece. The hammer marks are a confirmation of the infusion of energy and intention in each piece of jewelry. That energy becomes part of the woman who wears the piece . . . transforming and inspiring her. “In wearing my jewelry, women are declaring that they have empowered themselves to follow their own passions. And in doing so, they become an inspiration for others to live their lives with passion—taking the chance to present their hearts to the world, standing as individuals in the graceful self-confidence that they are infinitely remarkable and valuable. A beautiful cycle is created. . . I’ve helped to make the world a better place.”
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
13
KRISTEN BAIRD
Kristen Baird 2016 Top 5 Finalist
KristenBaird.com KristenBairdJewelry KristenBairdJewelry KBairdJewelry
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
KBairdJewelry
14
V
2
A single piece of jewelry can possess great sentimental value. Being a jewelry designer, Kristen Baird has the eye for weaving elements of what her clients find most important into her custom jewelry. With her driven passion, Kristen Baird received her bachelor’s degree in Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012. A stellar student, she was honored as a Valedictorian nominee, a Presidential Scholarship Recipient, and received the Outstanding Achievement award in Jewelry. To hone in on her craft, Kristen received her Rhino/CAD certification and attended the renowned New Approach School for Jewelers, completing the Graduate Bench Jeweler program under the direction of world-class instructor, Blaine Lewis. Intricate, textural, and harmonious are but a few words that best describe Kristen Baird’s fine jewelry. Her aesthetic pays homage to motifs found in nature – waterfalls, honeycomb, rain, flora – while also gracefully nodding to her interest in architecture. Kristen’s work displays a unique ability to meld disparate influences into jewelry that is structural, but also seems as though it might have sprung organically from the natural world. Her work treats nature as a dance, never still and always changing, often capturing a transitory moment, such as a splash of water or the slow ooze of honeycomb. Underlying her inspirations is a design aesthetic that embraces minimalism and smooth clean lines, which allows her to seamlessly meld the natural with the manmade. The values of quality and craftsmanship are integral to Kristen’s work. She works with materials of the highest quality and crafts each piece by hand. She uses gold, platinum, and sterling silver with gemstones and pearls to create an interplay of texture and color that brings her beautiful and timeless creations to life. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Kristen decided to plant her roots in Savannah and founded Kristen Baird in 2015. Her pieces are displayed and sold at the Kessler Collection Grand Bohemian Galleries and have been featured in high-end publications, such as Charleston Magazine, Charleston Style & Design, Paprika Southern, and Lark Books, among others.
Valerie Ostenak
2009 Halstead Grant Winner Flow Sterling silver, london blue topaz, swiss blue topaz, sky blue topaz
15
KRISTEN BAIRD
Cascade Sterling silver, london blue topaz, swiss blue topaz, sky blue topaz, white topaz
16
Shimmer Sterling silver, rhodalite garnet, rubleite, pink tourmaline
NIKKI NATION JEWELRY
Nikki Nation 2016 Top 5 Finalist
www.NikkiNationJewelry.com NikkiNationJewelry Nikki.Nation.Jewelry NikkiNation1 Nikki_Nation_
18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I enjoy mixing geometric and organic forms alongside industrial elements to create unique and wearable jewelry. I use wire to create patterns and add depth, and forging and texturing techniques to move the metal into these forms. Design elements, patterns, systems, numbers, and repetition, are what inspire my jewelry designs. My goal is to create jewelry pieces that make the wearer feel funky and unique, yet have the craftsmanship and timelessness that will allow every piece to be worn for many years.
Facets XL Arc Earrings Necklace Sterling Sterling silver silver & rutilated quartz
1919
NIKKI NATION JEWELRY
Radial Arc Earrings Sterling silver
20
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Double Circle Necklace Facets Earrings Sterling silver Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
2121
OLIVIA SHIH
Olivia Shih
2016 Top 5 Finalist, 2015 Top 10 Finalist www.OliviaShih.com OliviaShihDesigns OliviaShihDesigns OliviaShihPins
22
Olivia Shih is an artist and jewelry designer based in Oakland, California. She holds a BFA in Jewelry and Metal Arts from the California College of the Arts and a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Her artwork often investigates gender issues through wearable sculptures and use of alternative materials. Olivia is also a freelance writer for Art Jewelry Forum. Olivia Shih offers jewelry for the bold and the inquisitive. Celebrate your inner iconoclast with ultralight acrylic jewelry that evokes the edgy look of stone but defies gravity and expectations or take it up a notch with metal “stones�. Olivia Shih is a woman-run business inspired by women who speak their own minds. Her jewelry helps these women look as confident as they feel, as they navigate the challenges of modern society. Made to last, each piece of jewelry draws out the texture of urban life.
Raw Crystal Dangle Earrings Sterling silver, gold-filled
23
OLIVIA SHIH
Black Gold Double Finger Ring Gold-filled, vermeil ring band, acrylic
24
Raw Horizontal Crystal Pendant Bronze, sterling silver
25
STUDIOSOPHIASOPHIA
Sophia Readling 2016 Top 5 Finalist
www.StudioSophiaSophia.com StudioSophiaSophia StudioSophiaSophia StudioSophiaSophia 26
Sophia Readling is the sole designer and creator of StudioSophiaSophia, a color enthusiastic jewelry brand that caters to the lovers of bold adornment. Sophia draws inspiration from her impressive collection of patterned garments, freshly cut citrus fruit, mismatched socks, flea markets, shapes, shadows, summer memories, day dreams, rainbow makers, Cirque Du Soleil, trolls, homemade haircuts, anything fluorescent, Mara Hoffman, nail polish, paintings, self-portraits, textiles, Zumba, Marjorie Schick, Art Smith, 60’s modernist jewelry, The Memphis Group and most importantly, COLOR! With these inspirations in mind, Sophia hand-fabricates and casts metal into simple shapes that are thoughtfully placed and dangled off each other, then filled with resin. Using a high quality clear resin, she handmixes powder pigment and acrylic paint to get the color, giving her the ability to choose from endless combinations, as well as work with clients for their dream palettes. After receiving a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, she went on to work for a fastpaced fashion jewelry company in Midtown Manhattan. Her unhappiness in the world of mass produced beads led her to the decision to return to graduate school. She received her MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2012. Her work is known for its unapologetic use of loud color and bold shape. She travels primarily around the East Coast selling and showing at artist markets, tradeshows and sells her jewelry in a handful of retail stores across the USA. Sophia lives and works in Binghamton, NY. Sophia’s handcrafted statement pieces can be viewed as wearable small paintings meant for starting conversations... not for wallflowers. Her work has a unique voice that empowers the wearer with shape, confidence and color. It embodies everything about her spirit and vision, something she trusts is important as an artist.
High Society Sterling silver, colored resin
27
STUDIOSOPHIASOPHIA
Frida Brass, colored resin
28
Tarita Dangles 14kt gold plated brass, colored resin
29
LETTERSTOSARAH METALSMITHING
Sarah & Brandon Lyons 2016 Top 10 Finalist, 2015 Top 5 Finalist
www.LetterstoSarahMetalsmithing.com LetterstoSarah LetterstoSarahMetalsmithing Letters2Sarah Letters_2_Sarah
30
LettersToSarah Metalsmithing is internationally known for unique and original designs, nothing like the ready-made jewelry you’d find in a traditional jewelry store. Our designs are inspired by passion, nature, and place. They play off ideas of belonging, growth and identity that takes back contemporary high fashion with sleek and tasteful metalwork infused with our values. We use traditional metalsmithing techniques: designing, refining, sawing, filing, soldering, sanding, shaping, and polishing, giving each of our creations a distinct personality in a world saturated with ready-made jewelry. We hand fabricate, never casting or mass producing our work, and we work in all metals, primarily sterling silver, copper, and gold. Because each piece is individually made by hand, each one is a bit different from the rest, united by design, but still as special and unique as its wearer. We believe that objects made by hand have an inherent value, embedded in the process of their making. We love the maker’s mark, the tiny flaws, signatures that reveal the personality of the maker. We believe that objects have memories of their own, and take a part of us with them, that once they leave our hands they begin their own journeys. We love the expansive reach of our jewelry, connecting people through a common idea over a vast landscape.
Arizona State Twist Ring Sterling silver, copper Amethyst Branch Ring Sterling silver, amethyst
31
BOHEMI
Heather Ng 2016 Top 10 Finalist
www.Bohemi.com BohemiJewelry BohemiJewelry BohemiJewelry
32
I grew up on the outskirts of Baltimore, the daughter of a mixed-race couple. My father is Chinese and my mother American, and ever since I was little I have always had a hard time expressing my vulnerabilities through words. Perhaps it was the melding of cultures or the harsh East Coast facade, but I found it easiest to express my emotions through my hands. I graduated from a performing arts high school, received my BA in photography and studied apparel design before finding metalsmithing. But what I discovered is that designing jewelry, from inspiration through creation, is my poetry. It is the tangible expression of my soul’s deepest feelings. When I was twenty, I moved westward in search of big skies and unfettered freedom. Armed with only my intuition and an adventurous spirit, I set out to find a connection to the wild parts of my heart. It is here, in Colorado, that I developed a profound reverence for Mother Earth. I see the Earth’s creations as a way to celebrate the beauty and the wonder of where we live. I’m continually inspired by her symbolism, essence, and rugged elegance. Thomas Leonard said, “Integrity reveals beauty.” Bohemi is founded on the tenet that without truth you cannot have beauty. I believe that creating jewelry cannot come at the expense of the environment or before the health of people.Therefore, every piece is handcrafted in my studio at the foot of the Rocky Mountains using only natural stones and recycled metals. For thousands of years we have adorned ourselves in symbols of power, status and protection. Why? Because jewelry makes us feel. Jewelry is a connection. Jewelry is a memory, an inspiration, a reminder, a token and a talisman. My goal in creating sophisticated, soulful jewelry is to help you connect with your inherent beauty. My desire is that my jewelry becomes an adornment that helps you reflect that tender beauty on the inside. A manifestation of what already lives within you.
Ala Earrings Sterling silver, pink opal Sagitta Bracelet Sterling silver, brass, turquoise, white buffalo calcite
33
ALEXANDRA SCARLETT
Alexandra Scarlett Perez Demma 2016 Top 10 Finalist
www.ShopAlexandraScarlett.com AlexandraScarlettJewelry ByAlexandraScarlett AScarlettJewels
34
In 2013, Alexandra acquired her Bachelors of Arts in Applied Design with an emphasis in jewelry and metalwork at San Diego State University. During her studies, she was awarded scholarships to craft schools and exhibited her work both locally and across the United States. At the same time, she worked as a production jeweler and assisted local established art jewelers during the summer. Upon graduation, Alexandra was a recipient of the Windgate Fellowship which allowed her to travel through Europe and study with renowned European contemporary jewelers. Here, she focused on exploring non-traditional materials in jewelry as a means to create ambiguous metaphors for social standards and ideals. In 2014, Alexandra established her studio in San Diego, California and worked as a production assistant to successful jewelry companies. Alexandra made the leap of committing full time to running her own jewelry company in early 2016. Today, she continues to work on establishing her business to include wholesale, retail, and custom jewelry. “I am engaged by the transformation that occurs when I allow the materials to direct the process and influence the outcome. Every piece I create is a ‘sibling’ of the previous, creating a cohesive line through the resulting enlightenment within every process. As a contemporary jeweler, I am interested in exploring non-traditional materials in jewelry as a means to create ambiguous metaphors for social standard and ideals. By creating minimal and edgy jewelry with clean lines and a pinch of humor and playfulness, I encourage individuality through style and empower women.”
Wrist Pop I 18kt gold plated brass, cast resin Mykonos Ring 18kt gold plated brass, marbleized resin
35
TARA HUTCH FINE JEWELRY
Tara Hutchinson 2016 Top 10 Finalist
www.TaraHutchJewelry.com TaraHutchJewelry TaraHutchJewelry TaraHutchJewels TaraHutchJewels
36
My jewelry is very different from “the mainstream fine jewelry pedigree.” I was never meant to live the rest of my life as an artist. I was born to be a soldier - a leader of soldiers. But fate had other plans for me. On Valentine’s Day 2006, I was serving my first tour in Iraq when I was seriously wounded in an enemy attack and instantly my life’s blueprint changed. My right leg was severed above the knee, I suffered a movement disorder due to severe traumatic brain injuries, plus, a third degree burn requiring a skin graft, multiple back injuries, and long-lasting PTSD. An occupational therapist suggested I try a hobby that used my fine motor skills. I started making jewelry in the summer of 2006 and became incredibly curious about the world of jewelry arts. It helped my body heal. Amazingly, within one year, my movement disorder was almost invisible. I spent the next two years unearthing every bit of information available on jewelry creation and design, and studying like my life depended on it. Over the years, I tried many different techniques, but finally settled on solder assemblage, gemstone setting, keum boo, roller printing, lapidary, and precious metal application. I use only pure and precious metals, such as mild steel, 14K & 18K gold, and fine and Argentium silver. I run an eco-conscious shop and recycle my scrap for future use. I meticulously source and use only natural gemstones, which I’ve just started cutting myself. Even though I have better control over my movement disorder today, I continue to exercise my passion for jewelry creation because it is cathartic to fabricate beautiful works of fine art that are an expression of my soul. It brings me comfort knowing that I can help women feel good. Jasmine Sterling silver, orange chalcedony, peruvian opal, sun stone, yellow sapphire, chrysoprase, yellow opal, green amethyst, pink amethyst Bryn Sterling silver, fordite, turquoise, lapis lazuli
37
STACY RODGERS JEWELRY
Stacy Rodgers 2016 Top 10 Finalist
www.StacyRodgers.squarespace.com StacyRodgersJewelry StacyRodgersJewelry SRodgersJewelry
38
Stacy Rodgers creates intricate hand pierced jewelry in sterling silver, brass and copper. Stacy was born in Lawrence, KS in 1981. She completed a BFA in Jewelry Design/ Metalsmithing at the University of Kansas in 2007. Her work has been published in 500 Pendants and Lockets by Lark Books. In 2016 she won 2nd place in the Halstead Design Challenge: Kinetic and has a piece in the Halstead permanent collection. Stacy currently lives and works in Pittsburgh,Pa. “My vision lies within the beauty and flow of lines across the organic world. I’m fascinated by how lines and forms can be so similar within all varieties of organisms. Lines that form the veins within the leaf of a tree mimic lines that form the veins within the human eye. I pore over images of anatomy, specimens of plant life and sea life to create designs of new forms with undulating lines and exploding edges. I draw on vellum so that when I’m creating a piece of multiple layers I can see how the lines and edges of each form interact. My goal is to create unity between the stream of lines, edges and negative spaces.”
Brass Necklace Oxidized copper, brass, sterling silver Oxidized Copper Brooch Sterling silver, oxidized copper, brass
39
EC DESIGN REWIND – 2008 & 2009 FINALIST
Emily Johnson
2008 Top 5 Finalist, 2009 Top 10 Finalist www.ECDesignStudios.com ECDesignJewelry ECDesignStudio ECDesignStudio
40
Modern, minimal, mixed metal; EC Design jewelry has been handforged and fabricated by artist Emily C. Johnson since 2008. Often described as subtle but edgy, EC Design jewelry is a playful mix of raw hammered metal work, simple geometric shapes, and unexpected details. Emily received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in sculpture from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2002. She continually draws from her fine art background to create sculptural pieces with clean lines, contrast and simplicity. EC Design uses 100% recycled metals and specializes in mixed metal designs. Her designs feature conflict-free diamonds and gemstones, with options to choose Canadian diamonds, fair- trade sapphires or lab-grown Moissanites. EC Design’s original lines, Cells & Windows and Rivets & Strips, are hand-fabricated in sterling silver with accents in 14k red gold or 18k yellow gold and flush-set diamonds. In addition to collections presented in galleries throughout the nation, Emily creates unique custom wedding and commitment rings in a range of metals such as platinum, 950 palladium, 500 palladium, 14k red gold, 14k green gold, 14k palladium-white gold and 18k yellow gold. In addition to modern solitaire designs, Emily regularly customizes bands from her original lines in a variety of precious metals and hammered textures to create wedding rings for both men and women. Her work fills a gap and provides modern options for those looking for alternatives to traditional wedding ring sets. With its clean design and mixed metal color palettes and gems, Emily’s work appeals to both first-time ring owners and jewelry aficionados alike.
41
ANNA BALKAN JEWELRY REWIND – 2009 FINALIST
Anna Balkan 2009 Top 10 Finalist
www.AnnaBalkan.com Anna Balkan Designer Jewelry AnnaBalkanJewelry Anna_Balkan ABalkan
42
Anna Balkan’s uninhibited use of color and bold innovation comes from a lifetime of seeing beyond limits and following the signs of her own journey.
“Creativity is all around us. Sometimes we just don’t recognize it for what it is. Every moment of life is unique and creative.”
Anna grew up in the Chernobyl area of the Ukraine, when the culture was grey and resourcefulness was a necessity. “I’ve never had any preconceived notions of which colors did or did not go together. Because I lived in a world that was so drab, I thought all color was beautiful.”
Delivering the unexpected is still part of Anna’s journey. She returned to her true passion and started Anna Balkan Jewelry. In 2010, she opened Anna Balkan Designer Jewelry Gallery. Anna is personally committed to hiring locally, making all jewelry locally, and giving back to her local community.
At the age of 20, Anna immigrated to the U.S. as a political refugee— alone, unable to speak the language, and with $100 in her hands. “It was an unexpected opportunity, but I knew from within that it was the right thing to do. I had to let myself be vulnerable and trust and then keep trusting, no matter how difficult things were at times.” Over time, Anna learned English and soon earned a degree in Economics. Trust, tenacity, and constant renewal enabled Anna to transition from the streets of New York to the halls of a top five consulting firm in just four years.
43
Anna’s jewelry captures all the colors of her history and the natural beauty of a life well lived. Anna Balkan is a woman of renewal, and her journey has just begun. Her mission is empowerment, hope and creativity.
SETH PAPAC JEWELRY REWIND – 2014 & 2015 FINALIST
Seth Papac
2014 Top 5 Finalist, 2015 Top 5 Finalist www.SethPapacJewelry.com SethPapacJewelry SethPapacJewelry Seth Papac Jewelry @Fetch_Jewelry
44
TABLE OF CONTENTS Seth Papac Jewelry is inspired and interested in duality and contrast — feminine vs. masculine, soft vs. hard, geometric vs. organic — and metal´s ability to take on all of these characteristics. Jewelry, in its concentrated and intimate scale, has the unique capability to retain history, hold a memory, convey a message and transform a wearer. Seth Papac Jewelry provides strength and confidence to the wearer while simultaneously illustrating vulnerability. The hardness of metal is one of its greatest strengths but also a source of weakness — pushed too far it begins to crack, tare and break. The Torn collection is made from ingots of metal which have been artisan worked to a beautiful fractured and imperfect form. This textural quality is contrasted with simple, regular geometric forms which act as frames that the torn metal extends within and beyond from. Women and men who covet style and individuality will be impressed by the quality and ingenuity of this made-in-California artist jewelry.
Facets Earrings Sterling silver & rutilated quartz
4545
AN INSIDE LOOK
by Cathleen McCarthy thejewelryloupe.com
We have a winner! Niki Grandics of ENJI Studio Jewelry won the Halstead Grant this year, after hours of debate. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say we have winners. The top five receive $500, the next five $250, and all get trophies. Winner and finalists managed to stand out from an impressive group of emerging designers and artists, and we will be watching and championing them in the year — and years — ahead. Halstead Inc. has been awarding this grant to emerging jewelry designer/makers since 2006 and the prize and prestige of winning continues to grow. This year, the grant increased 50 percent, from last year’s $5,000 to the $7,500 Niki will receive, plus $1,000 worth of jewelry supplies from Halstead Inc. - enough to make a serious dent in her ambitious plans to take the ENJI brand to the next level. I have been a fan of the Halstead Grant for a while. I love that it’s not simply a design contest, although design is a crucial part. The grant is designed to help promising new designers establish and grow their businesses — in several crucial ways, including (but not limited to) the all-important cash prize. Applicants have to make a strong case for why their work and business is worth the investment. So I was delighted when the Halsteads invited me to be the grant’s first guest judge. Now that I’ve experienced the judging process firsthand, I can tell you it is not easy to win this one, but well worth the effort. Yes, there are things you can do to stand out. But whether or not you win, the process of filling out the application will not only put you on the Halstead radar for next year, but force you to step back from your workbench, take a serious look at your goals and accomplishments, and compile what amounts to a business plan. As an emerging designer, this may be the first time you do this. The questions have been carefully honed by the Halsteads, who run a business that has managed to survive and thrive for 43 years in the competitive jewelry industry. Just taking the time to answer those questions thoughtfully will help you focus and strategize. Winner and finalists get direct feedback compiled from the group discussions that took place during the judging process. I have seen some of this feedback and it is invaluable. There were strong cases made in this year’s applications. Company president Hilary Halstead tells me the bar rises every year, but this year drew an exceptionally impressive group. To everyone who applies for this grant, you should know the jurors read every word and look carefully at your online shops and social media. That includes Hilary, founders Tom and Suzie Halstead, their marketing specialist Mercedes Berg, and (from now on) a guest judge from outside the company. This year, that was me.
Jewelry by Alexandra Scarlett
Now that I’ve been part of the behind-the-scenes selection process, let me tell you how it works. First, the three company leaders and their marketing specialist review all entries and cull them from about 50 to the top 14. These were the ones I found when I arrived at company headquarters in the last week of
46
August. Halstead Inc. is located in a beautiful part of central Arizona, outside the historic town of Prescott, high above the desert with rock formations reminiscent of Utah, the big blue skies of Montana, and the sunny days and cool nights of Colorado. You can feel the love at Halstead the moment you walk in the door. A flock of paper butterflies follows you up the stairwell and into a lobby, where the first living creature I saw was a dog. Yes, Halstead Inc. is dogfriendly and that includes the president’s own rescue pooch, Daisy. Judging at Halstead is a finely tuned process. When I arrived, the Halsteads had it down to 14 very qualified finalists. In past years, Hilary said, any of them might have taken home the prize. Most had sent in separate pages for short questions and sometimes multiple pages for long ones, often including graphs to show projected earnings and expenses. They had also included promotional materials — cards, brochures — sometimes copies of media coverage, color images of various collections, linesheets, samples of packaging and general presentation. I was extremely impressed. Final judging is done in rounds. In the first round, jurors fill out a score sheet for each applicant, rating various aspects of their presentation, business plan, jewelry design and overall potential. I began round 1 on my first day, and found it took nearly an hour, on average, to review and rate each applicant. That meant close to 14 hours, if you’re doing the math. Needless to say, I put in a long first day and then asked for a few more hours the next. A few suggestions on this part of the process — and you can apply most of this to any competition you enter. Remember dozens of other applicants are also being considered. Jurors are going through a daunting amount of input on a short timeline and these packages are passed from one person to the next, and back again. Make their job as easy as possible by incorporating your identifying information and printing the question above your answer so they don’t have to keep checking to see what you’re responding to. (There are a couple dozen questions.) Mounting each page on a hand-cut cardboard frame or tea-staining and burning the edges — yes, we saw both — is not going to win you the grant, but as long as it fits your brand, putting effort into presentation will make you stand out and show you’re serious. We appreciated those who inserted their sheets in a binder, sometimes in plastic page-holders. A stack of loose sheets is difficult to keep in order. In the end, it was the content — especially the writing and the thought behind it — we were focusing on. But remember that you are being rated as a designer and business owner, so put some effort into organization and presentation. What you do for this contest reflects your brand and your professionalism.
Jewelry by ENJI Studio Jewelry 47
AN INSIDE LOOK By Round 2, we were asked to set aside our scores and simply sort the applicants into piles, including possible winners and top 10. Hilary gathered and compiled our scores, and handed out the list with applicants listed in order, starting with the highest total score. Then we all met for our first group discussion, with a projector ready. Discussions around this table were fascinating. As I mentioned, the Halsteads have been doing this for a decade so are used to analyzing applications. Each offered refreshing insight I hadn’t considered. Many of us had noted the same things, both strengths and weaknesses. I was impressed by the give-andtake. This family hasn’t survived 43 years in the jewelry supply business without having strong opinions about what it takes to launch a successful jewelry business. But this is a highfunctioning team: smart, affectionate, with a great sense of humor. My experience reviewing jewelry artists is a little different but it goes back about 25 years, dating to when I took over editing a fashion jewelry magazine — which, it turns out, Halstead advertised in. Since then I have interviewed and written about hundreds of designers and makers, written a column offering tips for sales and marketing for jewelry artists, and done some marketing and content strategy for jewelryrelated websites.
48
We each had our own points of view but were all willing to listen and learn. We also represented a broad range of ages. It was helpful to have the input of their marketing specialist, a millennial like many of the designers we were reviewing. More than once, while debating the merits of an applicant, we projected their websites or social media on the wall to illustrate a point or look deeper at brand presentation. Scrolling Instagram’s collage format came in handy here. The idea was to try to see not only what the designer meant to do (as indicated in their application) but also what they were actually putting out there — including things they hadn’t mentioned — and just how well that branding message was coming across. What we all had in common — and what brought Hilary and I together in the first place — is that we have made it part of our mission to nurture jewelry artists, in particular, young and emerging talent. So it was a little heartbreaking for everyone to pull that bottom few off the table. By the end of my second day, we had narrowed it to ten finalists with three potential winners. Each of us spent a part of that evening reviewing those top candidates. When we came in on the final day to decide on winner and finalists, everyone had fresh insights to share. The top finalists had outstanding designs, impressive presentations, big ambitions for growth, and impressive track records for such young designers. But one had limited her brand a little too much and we questioned the commercial viability of her core collection. Another had done the opposite: started too many unrelated collections. Her work showed skill and creativity but lacked a cohesive brand and strong signature look. In the end, we went with Niki Grandics of ENJI Studio Jewelry because she had exactly that: a strong signature look, one she had honed, edited and expanded on in the past year. She also has an impressive track record and seemed to be making the move from still-experimenting artist to serious designer with ambitions to establish a thriving business. In the end, the Halstead Grant is not just about funding a successful jewelry business. It’s also about promoting the career of a designer. Niki was winning national design awards before she even graduated college — most notably, the coveted Windgate Fellowship in 2014. That was also the year she founded ENJI Studio Jewelry and received degrees in Applied Design and Marketing from San Diego State University. She had already managed something it takes many designers years to do: establish a recognizable style, simple and wearable, yet unique and versatile enough to expand on. She is also highly skilled. A GIA Graduate Jeweler, Niki is a glass artist as well as metalsmith. She was included in the Corning Museum’s New Glass Review last year, and spent much of that year experimenting with cast glass in her studio, incorporating it into her jewelry and exploring the artsier end of her repertoire. Now she has returned to the core collection she established as a student, carefully expanding and adding related collections, all hand-finished in sterling silver. Hers is a funky but sophisticated, fashion-forward look. We think you’ll be seeing more of her jewelry in the years to come. Watch those finalists as well! We certainly will.
Jewelry by Olivia Shih 49
GRANT TIMELINE ENJI Studio Jewelry
Samantha Skelton Jewelry Design
Erica Bello Jewelry
Sculpturings
Susan Elnora
Layne Designs
Top 5 Kristen Baird Nikki Nation Jewelry Olivia Shih StudioSophiaSophia
Top 5 Amy Brandenburg Studio Duchess Leigh JPHii Design Seth Papac Jewelry
Top 5 Jenny Reeves Sorensen Silver Fine Art Caitie Sellers Metalsmith Jamison Rae Jewelry
Top 10 Alexandra Scarlett Bohemi LettersToSarah Metalsmithing Stacy Rodgers Jewelry Tara Hutch Fine Jewelry
Top 5 Bonde ENJI Studio Jewelry LettersToSarah Metalsmithing Seth Papac Jewelry Tenzabelle
Top 10 5 Oaks Studio JW Metal Arts kFroet Designs Sara Gallo Jewelry VAH Jewelry
Top 5 Jewelry by Brett Nicolette Absil Jewelry JPHii Design Naomi McNeill Jewelry Duchess Leigh
Top 10 Rosemary Mifsud Jewelry JW Metal Arts JPHii Design Catherine Grisez Jewelry Zoa Chimerum Jewelry
Top 5 Ellen Himic Filomena Demarco Jewelry Gogh Jewelry Design Kendra Renee Jewelry Design Lisa Robin Jewelry 50
Top 10 Alexandra Lozier Lucia Pearl Jewelry Nicolette Absil Olivia Shih VIELA, Ltd
Top 10 Sara Gallo Jewelry Little Miss Pepper Designs Amber D Harrison Studio Symbology by Alice Scott
Top 10 Feherenbach Jewelry Julie Mauerer Sterling Echoes Wraptillion
Cowboy’s Sweetheart
VOSTENAKstudios
Bridgland Studios
Belle Brooke Designs
Top 5 DMH Design Joana Miranda Studio Lisa Robin Jewelry Tiffany Kunz Design
Top 5 Black Mountain EC Design Fuzzishu
Top 10 Carrier Pigeon Jewelry Enchainements Layne Designs LESS Wear Ever Custom Jewelry
Top 5 Danielle Meshorer Erica Stankwytch Bailey Heather Guidero Jewelry Rock Love
Top 5 Alyssa Norton Jewelry AranMade Elle LeSavette LMG & Co. Yen Jewelry
Top 10 Jules Kincaidesigns Magboo Val Damon
Ananda Khalsa Jewelry Top 5 Agrigento Just So! Only Lauren Zina Kao Exclusives
Top 10 Carmen Rose Jil Joy O Designs Karen Peled Yen Jewelry 51
Top 10 Anna Balkan Jewelry EC Design Elixir9 Lisa Robin Jewelry Sophia Sun Jewelry
Top 10 Erin Gallagher Inc Molly Shattuck Thomas Terra Tesoro The Irish Jewelry Company
WHOLESALE JEWELRY SUPPLIES SINCE 1973.
wholesale $100 min. | halsteadbead.com | #halsteadmakers