Discover Benelux | Dutch Industry and Innovation | Made in the Netherlands
Orléans.
As a matter of (he)art TEXT: GEORGE OCEAN | PHOTOS: STUDIO TROMP
Situated in the rural outback of the province of South Holland, right on the bank of an idyllic river called “de Giessen”, we find Chris Sommer’s atelier. It is, safe to say, a surprise to find a goldsmith located amidst the meadows and mills of the lowlands, but it is in no sense an unpleasant one. Our eyes are welcomed by the delightful view of flowers and trees, and the air carries a sweet whiff of lavender. From inside, a couple of blows of a hammer give away the presence of a craftsman. In his beautiful and luminous showroom, Chris displays some of his latest creations. On the side – and delicately hanging around the neck of a mannequin - we find Orleans: a necklace of bobbin-lace gold, diamonds and South Sea keshi, all revolving around a splendid stone of crimson coral. We turn around and away 16 | Issue 53 | May 2018
from the mannequin, until our eye is caught by a blue spark, drawing us close from aside. In the display, we find Santa Maria: earrings of 18 carat red and white gold on which a beautiful, pear-shaped aquamarine sways lazily under a nimble connection of diamond. “Everything can move in respect to everything else. Everything can breathe and light can spill through. That’s what’s making it look so elegant, while still being significant. How do I make it like this? That I cannot tell you. What I can tell you is that it’s precisely these kind of subtle things that make the job so awesome. People who wear and see it are amazed, intrigued and – above all - happy.” To accompany us along our exploration of the artist’s diverse array of jewellery, Chris presents us with an espresso that
reveals his love for coffee – and for good things in general. On the background we hear jazz, Chris’s favourite music genre, playing softly over the sound system. “Art is about more than items. It’s an experience. A thing of beauty is a joy forever, but only if it can be shared and seen. And more often than you think, beauty hides in the simple and the subtle. With my designs I try to create more than jewellery; more than just beautiful objects and ornaments. I aim for personality, for imagination and inspiration. This, however, always involves people. Matters of art are matters of the heart. A ring can be marvellous – if its beauty doesn’t truly reach people’s hearts, it’s not a true success. Only when a creation serves the person wearing it, only then the creation reaches its full potential. Only then my job is done.”