Making art is a cathartic expression of control in a chaotic world.
Decoration and ornamentation improve our lives, infusing personality and humanity into all things. We can express our values, opinions and identities by adorning ourselves with jewellery, pattern and design we’ve made ourselves or selected from fellow artisans.
Adornment doesn’t have to be an afterthought, nor is it superficial. It can be a purpose unto itself—a practice to encourage others to appreciate beauty and perhaps explore the neglected parts of themselves that need nurturing and expression.
It is in our nature to make things better.
Through observation, focus and attention to detail, we refine our ideas. Ideally, our creativity is manifested with thoughtfulness, generosity and care for both ourselves and others.
This is how we do good work.
And it is how we can make the world a better place.
Janine Vangool PUBLISHER, EDITOR, DESIGNER
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Patience & Anticipation
I planted these bulbs last fall; and just like bulbs, ideas need time to overwinter. While these particular tulip blooms will have faded by the time you’re holding this latest edition, ideas (and UPPERCASE magazine!) are always in abundance.
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SUBMISSIONS
UPPERCASE welcomes everyone and all identities, ages, talents and abilities. We share an inclusive, positive and community-minded point of view. Everyone is welcome to explore our creative challenges and submit to the magazine. Pitch your own work, propose an article or suggest a topic through the Open Pitch submission form. Be familiar with the magazine and its writing and visual style.
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Deeper Reflection
Rainbow Wang
CALIFORNIA, USA
This is from a series of paintings inspired by my daily walks when I need to take a break and to refresh my mind and body. As I walk and explore in the familiar path, I like to discover changes around me: sometimes a fresh budding plant, a new shade of leaves or the colour of the sky at this particular time of the day. Each new discovery delights me.
In the process of discovery, my thoughts are in motion and are constantly changing in an unpredictable way. My thinking process is abstract, yet it grows, evolves, expands, elevates and transcends into pleasant tranquility. These watercolour paintings are the visual translation of this dreamy abstraction of thoughts and delightful exploration— a celebration of discovering small and fine details within and around me.
artbyrainbowwang.com @momentsinrainbow
Stories from the Earth: Wild to Ware Jewellery
HAWSON
Making Real Things: The Innovative Pens of Tom’s Studio
BY JOY VANIDES DENEEN
By the Letter: Initials, Names and Words in Jewellery
BY KERRIE MORE
Betty the Yarnslayer: A Conversation Between Rug Makers
BETTY WOOD & DEANNE FITZPATRICK
FIELD TRIP
Adorning Public STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREA JENKINS
GALLERY
Jewellery & Adornments
ART BY UPPERCASE READERS 116 PROFILE
Objects of the Outdoors: Jamie Kroeger
STORY AND STUDIO PHOTOS BY CLAIRE DIBBLE
BY LYDIE RASCHKA
Detail
Pushing Artistic “Limits”: Embracing Creative Freedom Beyond a Single Medium
JOYCE
HOBBY
The Gable Stones of Amsterdam STORY BY BRENDAN HARRISON
PHOTOS BY TARA MACKINNON
STUDIOS
Allison Dawrant Alison Dawson
Make something with UPPERCASE
CIRCLE Your UPPERCASE Community
Perfect Circles
STORY AND PHOTO BY ANDREA JENKINS
SNIPPETS
LASER FOCUS
STRING STUDIES
by Julie Reed KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, USA
The artist books and objects of thread and laser-cut wood are personal work that gives a glimpse of a detail-oriented creative artist who uses what is at hand, makes the mundane meaningful and beautiful, and incorporates nuances while exploring materials and combining traditional techniques with new technologies.
This work begins my development as an independent artist, after a career as a corporate artist/ designer, following my personal interests, innate curiosity and attention to detail. As an avid collector, the objects I admire and acquire inspire my work: Victorian hair wreaths and needlecraft, antique sewing samplers, old fabric, chippy paint, vintage buttons, obsolete swatch books and catalogues, and labelled scientific specimens. Generating ideas, and gathering and experimenting with materials, then hand-stitching and assembling, helps me focus and escape the chaos of the surrounding world and create a sense of serenity, balance and satisfaction.
juliereed.com
@juliereed
A NOTION FOR NOTIONS
Quilter Julie Lucht was inspired by UPPERCASE’s Notions book. “This is a bookcase-challenge project for the Rheinland Pfalz Quilt Guild. The guild is made up of active-duty military members, spouses, teachers in the military schools and civilians supporting the military in the Kaiserslautern/ Ramstein, Germany, area.” In addition to hosting creative challenges, the busy guild sews quilts for babies born in the military hospital, offers classes for beginning quilters, holds themed retreats (costumes encouraged) and hosts quilting-related field trips. “More stuff than I can remember,” says Julie. uppercasemagazine.com/notions
Repurposed into Posies
Joni Ulman Lewis
FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, USA
Gold, silver, pearls and precious gems are so 20 minutes ago! I’m proud of my repurposed posies, made from the scraps of retired, donated woollen and cashmere sweaters. Like snowflakes, each one is slightly unique.
joniulmanlewis.com @visualtreatsjoni
Adorn Your Lawn? Yes!
Amy Sue Axen
STONY CREEK, NEW YORK, USA
One can adorn anything, I suppose. No object’s or area’s surface is spared from becoming filled with beauty. Is it horror vacui or a love of that which is decorative? It doesn’t really matter why, so much as that it’s fun. In a world of pain and sorrow, adornment has the power to make both the maker and the observer smile. I’m all for that kind of connection.
ART QUILT
daily journalling
A Practice That Forever Altered My Work (and My Life)
For many years, I didn’t have a regular journalling practice. I wrote here and there, often for weeks or months at a time, before dropping off due to changes in my daily routine or general disinterest. Often, writing in my journal felt selfish, an exercise in which I paid attention to myself instead of somebody else and gave importance to my own thoughts and feelings. This feeling of indulgence picked at me: if journal writing wasn’t in service of somebody else, was it still valuable? After becoming a mother, the philosophy of living a life of service compounded, slowly alchemizing into stone inside me. Instead of exploring why I felt weighted by my own values, I shelved my journal and folded the laundry or cooked my family a meal: practical tasks with definitive results—and benefits to people other than myself.
Over the past eight months, I have changed how I approach journalling. This desire sprang from a cycle of emptiness: my attention was compromised, and I was tired of being pelted by constant news, memes and even the latest popular works in art and literature. Perhaps most alarming, I felt an uncomfortable urge to adopt whichever creative trend was the current flavour of the week. To challenge myself, I began writing daily in one of the many blank notebooks I had acquired over the past decade. I kept my expectations low to guarantee success: write about anything I wanted to, for any amount of time, every day. There was no minimum page or word count, and no restrictions on content or format (I could vent, make lists or write poetry), and I had little expectation of where this practice would lead me. The satisfaction was meant to be found in the act of writing itself—and it was.
Befriending Myself
Ever since I learned to read, I have turned to my favourite writers to provide me with the wisdom, challenge or comfort that I have needed at any moment. After I began journalling, I realized that many of the questions that perplexed me had very clear answers, and that now, I knew exactly where to find them: here, in the pages of my journal.
It takes courage to fill the pages of your journal. It takes courage to be honest with yourself and to confront the difficult parts of who you are—and it takes a great deal of humility, vulnerability and strength to be willing to change them. My journal has become a place I turn to as I would a friend: somewhere safe for me to reflect on my life and relationships, and a place where I challenge myself and how I choose to live. It is a place where I can work through puzzling dynamics, cultivate new ideas and celebrate achievements. Most gratifying, each page is a timestamp of who I was at that very moment in my life, providing insights into my thought patterns, and allowing myself to visibly track my personal growth.
Reclaiming My Attention
We live in a time when there is always a camera pointed at someone else. It is impossible to live your life without seeing, quite up close, how someone else is living theirs. The exposure we have to other people’s lives, and the rate at which we compare our lives to theirs, is dangerous. It eats away at our sense of self, our gratitude for what we have, and discourages us from pursuing our own goals.
Journalling helped me quiet the noise. It made me more clearly understand that the more time I spend looking at (or longing for) someone else’s creative work, the less time I spend on developing my own. It forced me to reflect and confront various fears that prevented me from creating new work by helping me understand my artistic preferences. In my journal, I spend time writing about what I do and don’t enjoy in art making. I consider what lights me up and inspires me to create, and I reflect on which artists I admire, and what their work contributes to my life and practice.
As I befriended myself through my daily journalling practice, I found that my attention sharpened. Because I was spending so much intentional time writing about the topics that interested me, I found myself naturally filtering what I ingested on the Internet and through social media. I also found myself less interested in what other artists and writers were doing, and more invested in contributing to my own growth.
Catching the Sparks
A few months into my new daily practice, I noticed that my art was changing. I was spending more time on long-term projects and practices that had no immediate payoff. I was less interested in chasing trends and more interested in the slow but deliberate development of my craft. Realizing that my daily journalling practice would nourish and help me sustain a larger art practice was motivating—it made my journalling practice more valuable, and therefore something I protected time and space for.
The more I intentionally journalled, the more I unpacked about my personal values and how I wanted to integrate them into my creative work. For example, writing about parenting used to feel self-indulgent and disappointing—a topic I wrote about because it was so front and centre in my current life with young children. I used to lament that my thoughts were so preoccupied
FINE PRINT aesthetic arrangements
PHOTO BY FRANCES PALMER
BEAUTY, ABUNDANCE & JOY:
THESE AUTHORS HAVE ARRANGED THEIR LIVES AROUND FLOWERS
Flower arranging, making wreaths, tending a garden and even understanding the history and hybridization of floral varieties—humankind’s interest in the world of flowers is driven by appreciation of and wonderment at the beauty of flowers. Flowers adorn our lives; the fleeting beauty of blooms in a vase gives us moments of reflection; perennial plants in our yards pop up each spring, like an old friend paying a visit. Wreaths and bouquets accentuate celebratory moments and offer comfort in hard times.
Life with Flowers is a new book by potter Frances Palmer. While her first tome explored her pottery practice, in this volume she shares decades of knowledge about growing flowers particularly suited to cutting. Paired with her beautiful vases, art references and personal recipes, this makes for an engrossing visit to a prolific artist and her garden.
Wreaths by Katie Smyth and Terri Chandler, flower designers from East London, is a pretty, practical and unpretentious guide to creating wreaths from fresh, foraged and dried flowers.
For a deep appreciation of a specific species, Pansies by Brenna Estrada and Sweet Pea School by Marryn Mathis offer gorgeous, in-depth information on the cultivation requirements of these beloved plants.
@francespalmer
@wormlondon
@threebrothersblooms
@thefarmhouseflowerfarm
RECOMMENDED READING BY JANINE VANGOOL
Adeline Cook
We Are Not Garbage
Hello, I’m Adeline. I’m a contemporary Saultaux artist and writer from Sandy Bay First Nation, living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I started beading during the early pandemic, a small bit of reclaiming a cultural identity that can feel intangible.
I use beadwork and writing to explore intersectional social justice issues. Often the issues Indigenous folks face are so woven into society, they can feel invisible. When I write I gain a greater understanding about my place in the struggle and the struggle’s place in society. I think this can help others put words to what they feel, not just empowering but emboldening people to express their experiences.
Using our creativity for good is one of the best ways we can make a difference. Through design, art and craft—and with our hands and hearts— we can effect change. However small it may seem at first, each incremental effort is still significant.
I am speaking from my place as an Indigenous person but I know that for many people, having a safe space to learn in can allow them to examine something that might make them feel vulnerable—especially something that they have participated in either unknowingly or intentionally without fully understanding the impact.
This is a beadwork of trash overflowing with flowers that I would find in my grandmother’s garden (or on my reserve).
I live in Winnipeg, where a serial killer murdered Indigenous women, discarding their bodies to the landfill. The fight to search the landfill consumed my news feed and my social media accounts for months.
My dad taught me that we call all of the women aunty, so much so that I don’t know which aunties are his sisters and which are just women older than me. In this way, every missing person in our community is our relative and it is sacred work to bring them home.
And we did—we searched the landfill and we found them.
A few days later, I saw more women hoisting the signs, and a photo of aunties wearing shirts that said “we are not garbage.” They had trash bags on their feet and their heads and their bodies, a reference to another stolen sister, Emily Pike, whose body was found in trash bags.
When I made this piece of beadwork I wrote many bits of poetry to accompany it, all with the goal that, I want this person, engaged in my work right now, to be thinking of what is creating vulnerability in Indigenous people. I want this person to know the result of ignoring what creates vulnerability, results in loss.
With this small piece of work, I want people to see more than another red dress—I want them to see hope.
I feel seen in this piece. I feel the goodness and the worthiness of this cause. Love has poured out from people, many of them, people I don’t know. Even this opportunity to have you read what I have written is surely a sign that things are changing for the good.
Miigweetch
@the_spirit_beads
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ephemeral fibre art
Judith Content
Describe your creative endeavour, project or career.
My art practice, over the last 40-plus years, has focused on contemporary explorations of the traditional Japanese dye technique arashi shibori. Over the years I have incorporated my hand-dyed silks in art to wear; multi-storey, site-specific installations; three-dimensional sculptures; and abstract, landscape-inspired art quilts.
What was the original spark of inspiration, circumstance or other impetus that led you to start this project?
In 2020, like so many artists, I was forced to rethink every possible aspect of my art practice. Then, without really thinking about it, I found myself adapting and began excavating my enormous stash of silk scraps to make sculptural work to install in the wild and wonderful out of doors.
Where are you at with this creative project, and how far into it are you?
Five years of creating ephemeral land art installations has only whet my appetite for more. I am still actively searching out new locations, eager to explore new sculptural designs as well as new surface techniques, substrates and solutions.
What advice do you have for other beginners?
When trying something new, listen closely to your intuition and try to follow it. I like to think of intuition as just another tool in my toolbox.
judithcontent.com @judith_content
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, USA
Discover what you’ve missed with digital back issues.
Access long out-of-print back issues and get (re)acquainted with beloved content from the past 16 years.
The Archive is a growing resource of out-of-print UPPERCASE magazine back issues presented as digital flip-through editions. With over 50 out-of-print issues, there is an incredible abundance of inspiration awaiting in this digital UPPERCASE library.
Re:issue curates content from past issues, bringing a fresh eye to inspiring UPPERCASE content. Stories and topics are presented in a new way, based on themes— and a bit of serendipity—with each month bringing a new Re:issue.
ornament & decoration
COLLECTION OF MARK E. SACKETT
ARTICLE BY MELANIE ROLLER
Ornament and decoration refers to the designs or patterns that enhance a printed page or piece of art, making it more aesthetically pleasing or interesting but adding no functional value to the work. Even in our modern world, there are examples of ornament and decoration in the buildings we enter, the clothing and accessories we purchase and the advertisements we see on a day-to-day basis. Although there is a strong case to be made for living in a functional, utilitarian society, our lives are made richer and more stimulating by the visually appealing trimmings and aesthetic additions to the objects and spaces around us.
Ornament and decoration have been a part of printing from its inception, and the blank pages around the printed text were quickly adorned with additional images and intricate detail work to fill their borders and backgrounds. This was not a novel or new idea, as illuminated manuscripts decorated with elaborate, coloured illustrations and borderwork had been produced for centuries, primarily for the clergy and the educated upper classes. The invention of the printing press around the 1440s allowed these details to be added mechanically rather than painstakingly by hand. As printing moved into the 19th century, technological advancements, including the production of automatic type-casting machines during the mid-century, allowed molten lead alloy to be manipulated into more diverse designs, leading to an increase in both the popularity and use of ornamental type and decorations for
the printed page. Simultaneously, a movement across Europe and America to advance the role of and artistry in printing and design gave way to the commercial distribution of specimen books and printing journals. Most notably, the Printers’ International Specimen Exchange books began in England but showcased work from around the world.
This dissemination of work to a broader, more diverse audience allowed printing to become “artistic,” an idea that drew heavily from the aesthetic movement of the 1870s, with its core tenet being the production of “art for art’s sake.” This movement, which idealized natural images, Japanese influences and medieval revivalism in art, literature and decorative design, with a heavy focus on craftsmanship, gave rise to artistic printing. Artistic printing of the late 19th century is characterized by an almost devout zeal for ornament and decoration. Printed borders, bands, ribbons, frames, scrollwork and natural elements intermingle playfully with a mix of asymmetrical design, Asian influences and historical motifs to create brand-new compositions. This style characterized the times, often revelling in embellishments and excess to the point where, according to some critics, it bordered on a lack of taste.
After the turn of the 20th century, a rejection of heavy decoration and a public shift in tastes favouring simplicity in design and advertising led to a more subdued period for ornament, which was mainly featured on formal or business documents, such as stock certificates and invitations. However, it was not long before ornament became repurposed in a simpler, more dynamic application, focusing on modern imagery and geometric designs in the 1920s and 1930s. This fundamental shift away from the purely confectionary and overly ornate work of the 19th century set the course for several decades to come, with a readoption and reinterpretation of the style only in the latter half of the 20th century.
Regardless of the ebb and flow of public sentiment, the use of ornament and decoration has never ceased in the world of printing and design; it has only adapted and evolved over time. This is mainly due to the human need for the purely decorative, as it adds the essential spice and interest to our lives and the world at large.
theboxsf.com
@theboxsfmercantile
Lending Grace & Beauty
THE ETYMOLOGY OF “ADORN”
STORY BY CORREY BALDWIN
dding ornamentation is a common enough act; we adorn and ornament all the time, whether we are creating a piece of art, celebrating a birthday or just getting dressed in the morning. It may seem obvious to us what we are doing: to adorn means to add embellishment or decoration, to beautify, to add a little something extra, a little something special.
And yet, there are a myriad of words to describe our attempts to add some sparkle in this way—a myriad ways to ornament, and a myriad reasons for doing so. Each word has travelled a different path through language and meaning—from Latin, from French, from English spoken in the Middle Ages, when the world functioned in entirely different ways. Some of these meanings have been lost, while others linger, giving each word its own texture and subtle connotations.
Perhaps tracing these various roots and meanings can help remind us, today, of what we are doing when we adorn something, and what such an act can mean.
Here is a simple one: to embellish. “Embellish” comes from the Latin word bellus, which means “beautiful, pretty, handsome, fair” (or, more figuratively, “pleasant, agreeable, charming, polite”). Consider the French word for beautiful, belle, which shares the same Latin root. “Embellish” means, quite simply, to make (em-) beautiful (belle).
Or is it that straightforward? One can be accused of having “embellished” a story; that is, of adding fictitious elements or exaggerations to make it sound better—a phrase used since the mid-1400s. When we embellish something, then, are we making it more beautiful, or trying to trick others into thinking that it is beautiful?
How many meanings exist in another word, “decoration”? “Decoration” comes to us by way of the Latin
decus: “an ornament,” or “to bestow grace, dignity or honour.” Both meanings continued as the language evolved: by the 1520s we had the modern word “decorate,” meaning “to deck with something ornamental; to adorn, beautify.” Later, the same word was being used to mean “a badge or medal worn as a mark of honour” (military officers, for example, are “decorated” for their service). Other uses cropped up as well: in Middle English, decorāciǒun meant “to cover blemishes with cosmetics.” By the late 1800s, “decoration” was the name for the scenery and furnishings on a theatre stage (from the French décor)—as well as the name for the explosives placed in the head of rocket fireworks. What about “deck,” as in “deck the halls,” or to “deck yourself out” in fancy clothing? “Deck” comes from the Old German decken, a nautical word meaning “to cover, to put under a roof.” This has everything to do with protection and safe keeping, and nothing at all to do with decorating—and the juxtaposition of these two meanings is delightfully disorienting.
I like to think that these meanings can inform the way we use and think about decorations today: Do they beautify, or even protect that beauty? Do they cover blemishes? Help set the stage or create a scene? Do they bestow dignity onto that which they adorn? Do they set things alight in a celebratory explosion of light and colour? All, it seems, are legitimate.
Here’s another conundrum: originally, neither “adorn” nor “ornament” had anything to do with decorating or making something more beautiful. Both words share a root in the Latin ōrnāre , which means “to equip, furnish or provide with supplies” or “to prepare, get ready.”
What is so unfamiliar and surprising here is the practicality that this expresses. These ōrnāre were functional and utilitarian, whether as physical objects or as something being done for a functional purpose.
It is rare to have complete sets of these varied systems. Often, printers on the lookout for new type will happen upon a random, nonsensical sort that doesn’t seem to function outside of its border family, which may be lost. It is very easy to overlook how important this tiny orphan may be, and it can easily be ignored or discarded. This is where type specimen books, produced by the type foundries, are absolutely crucial for understanding and identification. Specimens produced in the late 1800s can be quite expensive and hard to find. My shop only has a few. The Newberry Library, here in Chicago where I reside, has a substantial collection of these incredible tomes. I have spent days upon days studying specimens in this beautiful institution, unlocking the knowledge of how these disparate, typographic elements function together.
Nineteenth-century ornaments are difficult to work with, and I am saying this as someone who sets metal type for a living. Most of them, at least those in my
collection, were designed prior to the introduction of the American point system of measurement in 1879 (and which was fully adapted by all foundries by the turn of the following century). You may be familiar with the point system, as this carries through to digital typesetting today. Having a standard system for measuring meant being able to more efficiently build type formes (a block of type, ornament and spacing that is set and ready for printing) and to have them be interchangeable. Going back to the Lego analogy, imagine you had one Lego set and three or four others produced by different manufacturers, with their own standards of sizing. Now, try building something combining them all. It can be done, but it might be time consuming, and trickier than with just one set.
There are a few ways in which I work to combat the difficulties of setting 19th-century type. The first is to print proofs. This is the process of pulling one of each existing ornament and printing it in black ink on
crisp, white cardstock. It is so much easier to see the intended detail and effect of each sort in black-andwhite. These proofs also reveal any damage, or whether pieces of a set are missing, and they can easily be held up to a specimen book for comparison. The type itself often has a pinmark on the side, which is the foundry’s branding, thereby speeding up your sleuthing time.
After proofing the type, I sketch out a project on gridded pica paper. This is a six-to-an-inch unit graph paper (twelve points are one pica; six picas are an inch) that I designed and produced, as I wasn’t able to find graph paper to this exact measurement. I can then block out where the ornaments will go to create the images I want, and take into account the spacing material (non-printing) that I will need to fill around the sorts. Having a plan like this makes for tidier formes and faster typesetting.
Heading into the 20th century, many type foundries across America consolidated, simplifying their offerings and responding to changes in both technology and fashion. As with all trends and styles in taste and culture, the appetite for elaborate, heavily detailed ornament disappeared. New ideas were coming to the forefront of typography and pushing towards the streamlined sensibilities of the new century. Metal type was not designed to last forever; it was routinely melted down to be cast anew. As a result, the remaining collections of 19th-century type exist primarily in private collections like mine and a few institutions committed to the preservation of these artifacts. The popularity of metal ornament use in letterpress printing would continue to ebb and flow over the following decades, largely due to printers who were passionate about the craft.
There are so many things I love about working with these tiny metal studio mates. Their uniqueness means that aesthetically they often only “say” one thing. This presents the opportunity to either design with 19th-century ideals or see them in new ways, bringing modern relevance to old type. There is no copy/paste option with a physical set of type. If there is not enough of one sort, I have to get visually creative to solve the issue, which challenges me to improve my skills. I experience the joy of discovery in other collections, both private and public, and appreciate the significance of being just one person in the long line of typographic preservation. A small but dedicated international
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group of printers and historians are always happy to share resources to help identify and care for type. The detail in these pieces is unmatched by the type that followed and is still cast today. Val Lucas of Bowerbox Press has been learning the craft of creating metal type, from design to the final casting. She speculates that 19th-century type and ornament represents the amalgamation of precision equipment and tools, along with dedicated craftsmen who specialized in creating the brass matrices used for casting. Very few of these matrices, let alone the equipment and the knowledge to use them, exist today. Val is committed to preserving the craft of typecasting through production and education. She shares her learning experiences, from sketching successful ornamental designs to failures that result from the delicate dance of melting metal into detailed new type. Purchasing her ornament collections for my studio is the closest I can get to what printers must have felt 150 years ago, selecting shiny, new type to enhance my printing capabilities.
I am most passionate about using my 19th-century ornament on projects for clients. They were designed and cast to work, and work they do, on everything from social stationery to packaging and posters. I have developed methods for visually sharing what projects can look like by building a digital archive from scans of the proofs I make of my type collection. This makes the design process accessible, collaborative and organic, as we find the perfect fit for existing sorts and creatively work around anything that is missing. The more clients learn about what goes into the process of setting old type, the more they are excited to work in this manner, stepping away from the instant gratification we are used to today. They become enthusiastic participants in the next historic chapter of metal type preservation.
Val Lucas Val Lucas runs Bowerbox Press in Monkton, Maryland. The barn/studio houses seven restored letterpresses, plus metal and wood type; the rural surroundings inspire landscape prints and intricate woodcuts. Val also teaches letterpress and bookbinding at Towson University. Since 2021, Val has been learning how to cast type and engrave new matrices for new type designs with Jim Walczak of Sycamore Press and Typefoundry. Her new type designs are available for current printers, and she is working to keep the traditions of typefounding alive for future printers through the American Typecasting Fellowship and the Printing Stewards. bowerbox.com @bowerbox
BOWERBOX PRESS
Jennifer Farrell
I’ve been at the press since 1996, cutting my teeth at the venerable Fireproof Press right here in the Windy City. I struck out on my own in 1999, armed with the ideals of a Luddite and ridiculous notions of keeping letterpress as old school as possible. Educated at the school of hard knocks (otherwise known as running a small business), I’m proud that Starshaped has stayed true to the mission of preserving the tools of letterpress printing while pushing the craft forward and contributing to the vibrant print community. My work has appeared in many books, magazines and blogs, is in many private and library collections and has been exhibited all over the world.
starshaped.com @starshapedpress
Design Your Own Dingbats
Typographic ornaments (dingbats, fleurons, initial letters, borders and glyphs) provide decorative options to typographers and designers.
Why not design your own? Here are some designs by UPPERCASE readers.
Lazy Daisy Fleuron
Kelsey Borden
In researching typographic ornaments, so many reminded me of blackwork embroidery. I played around with ideas, but I wasn’t feeling confident with any. After more research, I discovered images of embroidery, typography and ornamental design. With all the design overlap, it clicked into place to make a simple embroidery motif that could be used alone as a fleuron or in multiples for a border. I made a small embroidery of my design, stitching with French knots, lazy daisy and stem stitches, to test my idea before I made a digital graphic of the motif.
@kelseys_workbasket
An Aura Letter
Kim Mastromartino
I have been playing with Zentangleinspired art for some time. This letter A has been surrounded by an aura with pieces of patterns and mini ornaments of hearts and diamonds.
@kimmastromartino.linedesign
1. Diane Pearse @rainfishstudio
2. Asta Barrington @astabarrington
3. Becca Gerity @willowgrovedesigns
4. Pat Scheurich @patscheurichdesigns
5. Maria Smith Bohannon mariasmithbohannon.com
6. Kia Marie Hunt @kia.creates
7. Tali Levine @talilevine.art
8. Janet Guertin @janetguertin
9. Jen Pepper @thechattypress
10. Esther Nariyoshi @esther.nariyoshi
11. Jeni Paltiel @lellobird
12. Lori O’Leary
13. Betsy Pierce Dallape @betsypiercedesigns
14. Laura Oldham @turningtruestudios
Printers’ Ornaments
Judith Mayer
Having a love for letterpress printing, I have a fondness for the tools of the trade, and have always wanted to make tiny ornaments for them. For good measure I added some traditional ornaments like manicules and arrows—and even a little printer’s devil! judithmayer.com
about the cover
234-YEAR-OLD ARTWORK MEETS MY 10-YEAR-OLD SELF
STORY BY JANINE VANGOOL
This is the first time I have featured such an old image on the cover of the magazine! It’s a hand-coloured etching by English botanist John Edwards (1742–1815) dating to June 24, 1791. Our cover version was digitally enhanced by rawpixel. com, accentuating the vibrant, floral colours, and enhancing and freshening the background to a graphic white. The composition is dynamic and fresh, even centuries later.
But why tulips?
Their appeal for the cover was intuitive at first. Upon reflection, their complement of the themes—attention to detail, adornment, ornamentation and jewellery— became apparent.
These expressive flowers were expertly observed and rendered by the artist. Their petals are adorned with striations, an ornamentation that would have made them more valuable. Predating this particular artwork, the “tulip mania” of the 1630s saw a craze for trading bulbs at high value. Tulips were more expensive than jewels. On the cover, they’re a stand-in for jewellery and our human desire to decorate our environment with pretty, and sometimes flamboyant, things.
The era of this illustration is also the time period of the fleurons and typographic ornaments that we discuss in this issue. The elegant curves reminded me of the motif known as the Aldus leaf (a common glyph on our computers), inspired by the Hedera vine and named for the Italian printer Aldus Manutius (1449–1515):
These are all good justifications, but intuition was still the biggest reason I love these tulips for the cover.
When I was a girl, I imagined being a botanist or geologist when I grew up. But I also loved making little books for my “library,” a series of little books and magazines for which I made a carrying case, covered in tulip wrapping paper. Most of these booklets were from the early 1980s. I was 10 when I drew that Garfield, and probably a few years older when my interest in science influenced what I made, such as Seeds and Plants By, Janine V., which I wrote and illustrated with ballpoint pen on newsprint.
Most jewellery is labelled ‘ethical’ with little to back it up. Wild to Ware starts at the source— often with our own hands in the dirt.
— MICHAEL TINK
Their broader TINK collections feature recycled metals and responsibly sourced Australian gemstones—like sapphires from family-run mines in central Queensland, cut locally and set by hand inhouse. Around 90% of the gold they use is recycled (any leftover scrap from the studio goes straight back into the melt pot), and the rest is sourced through supply chains that meet the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines and international conflict-free protocols. These standards help ensure that the gold is traceable, responsibly refined and not linked to human rights abuses or environmental harm. No murky origins, no corners cut—just gold you can feel good about wearing.
But Wild to Ware is not just about sourcing—it’s about story. Each piece comes with a detailed account of where the materials came from, who worked with them and how they reached the wearer. This is jewellery that is rooted in landscape, community and connection. It is less about surface sparkle and more about depth.
“We didn’t want to just design jewellery,” Erin says. “We wanted to rethink the whole system it comes from.”
THE INNOVATIVE PENS OF TOM’S STUDIO
making real things
STORY BY JOY VANIDES DENEEN
When designing a new product, Tom likes to go on long walks that begin with a question in his head. He tries to visualize how he might fix a problem. “I do quite a lot of the groundwork in my head,” he explains. He then moves on to sketching and using CAD software to design a prototype that can be 3D printed, to see the size and test how it feels in his hand. He then moves on to the next round of prototypes, working on finer details related to weight, balance and ink flow. Over the years, Tom and his team have honed their skills and developed a deep understanding of the limitations and compromises involved when designing a vessel that holds liquid. Tom also likes to include an element of fun and surprise, such as his pen that untwists to reveal a storage space for nibs. “But it all rides on being functional and practical,” he says. “It’s about creating that nice balance, which you only really learn through trial and error.”
Tom’s two most popular pens are the result of his desire to create an “infinitely refillable” pen. He was always “just loath to dispose of an otherwise fully functional pen that had run out of ink” and wanted to create pens that would last for generations. With a sleek design, the Lumos has 11 changeable artist tips: fineliners ranging from 0.1 to 1.0, as well as chisel, bullet and brush felt tips, and two writing tips. Following feedback from users and retail buyers at trade shows, Tom went on to design the Wren, an everyday pen with a single (but also replaceable) Japanese-made writing tip. Both the Lumos and the Wren can be refilled “through the wonders of capillary action” and are used by artists and creative folks around the world.
Most recently, Tom’s Studio collaborated with Brothers Make to launch the Wren Write Off pens, an ambitious project they describe as a “small act of rebellion against waste, and a celebration of creativity.” They gathered dried-up and discarded disposable pens from local schools and organizations, removed the parts that could not be recycled (such as the tips
and reservoirs) and separated the plastics by colour. The plastics were run through a chipper, mixed according to careful colour “recipes” and injected into a hand-powered heated hopper. “Essentially, you force the molten plastic into a mould,” Tom explains. Every pen is refillable, with a replaceable fibre tip and oneof-a-kind lid. The Write Offs mark a new chapter in Tom’s Studio’s journey, as Tom and his team continue to further their mission “to inspire creativity and reimagine stationery.”
Tom is also passionate about working with local artisans, who make accessories for Tom’s Studio, such as delicate porcelain inkwells, artist palettes and buttery-soft leather pen grips. One of the company’s now 25 employees is a young painter named Alice, who is their “in-house mixologist,” as she can match colour by eye. “Colour is what we’re all about,” Tom says. His customers are not restricted to just black and blue ink. “You can put a marmalade-coloured ink through your fountain pen and explore the spectrum of colour to find one that suits and matches your personality.” Tom looks forward to his studio’s upcoming move to a larger space, which will allow them to offer even more ink colours. “We’ll be able to do all sorts of different styles of ink, which will be really good fun. It’s going to be a kind of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory of Creative Tools and Inky Goodness.”
With all of the company’s growth over the past decade, a warm human touch remains with every order, which includes a bag of Tom’s Tea. Tom hopes that when people receive their parcel, they will “put the kettle on and have a nice cup of tea” while trying out their new pen. “I have a huge appreciation for artists, Gemma being one of them,” Tom says. “Making tools for them just feels like a proper privilege.”
@tomsstudio tomsstudio.com
by the letter
INITIALS, NAMES AND WORDS IN JEWELLERY
Bobbin Lace Monograms
Miroslava Lackova
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
My monograms and lettering crafted from bobbin lace serve as a subtle expression of personal identity. Each letter, every curve and twist, is carefully designed before the actual lace work begins. Precision in the preparatory phase is crucial. A well-drawn pattern is essential—faulty or inaccurate designs make it impossible to produce quality lace. It is also necessary that all special points are carefully marked in advance. While bobbin lace allows for a wide range of styles and techniques to achieve endless variety, I tend towards minimalist lace, weaving with eyelets arranged in versatile, ribbon-like shapes. Both design and execution require exceptional attention to detail. Even the smallest mistake can disrupt the delicate structure. In the end, what emerges is a lacework signature— elegant, personal and timeless.
behance.net/mlackova
Matching Misfits Lyddie Shaneberger
FOREST CITY, NORTH CAROLINA, USA
Putting old textiles together is like meeting an old friend. They weren’t the same as they were then and they’ve become stubborn after years of surviving their first purpose. But somehow they still like each other and want to know how to continue to be friends, even after all these years. I use old textiles, from quilt squares to feed sacks to grain sacks and even petticoat ends. They become useful again in a new way as a pickin’ tote, to be worn on adventures in flea markets, picks, sales and barns, for their owner to gather old finds, tried and true, inside them. I also hunt for other old textiles for pillows and table runners. No textile is wasted in our business, which allows me to have ample attention for detail and to remember what was used and what it can be used for again.
lsmercantileco.com
@lsmercantileco
Winter Birds
Amy Casazza
WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, USA
Over the fall and winter of this past year
I decided I wanted to create a series of bird illustrations capturing the beauty of birds’ endurance during the winter season. For me it was a challenge to capture the details, not only of the birds themselves, but of the mood and feeling of the moment—the details that exist in the dry, dormant textures of winter and the moments of beauty when you spot a bird alighting on a branch or puffing up its down for warmth.
amycasazza.com @amycasazza.art
Infinite Beauty
Tali Levine
MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA
I’m a graphic designer and artist inspired by the jewels of nature. Insects amaze me. They are so symmetrical and unique, and have such spectacular colours and patterns full of magic. Creating these sculptures involves a detailed process in which even the tiniest elements matter. It requires attention, time and presence to bring them to life. I choose each colour and bead carefully, cut them from the canvas and transform them into tiny sculptures. I cut and paint the legs, make the antennae and assemble each part. My intention is that when you look at them, you slow down and notice the little things, allowing you to be in the present moment. talilevine.com
@talilevine.art
Catching Whispers Gai Saunders
CROOKED BROOK, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA
As our world expands, our ability to zoom in on what is most important can be lost. Detail is where subtle differences and nuance give more meaning to everything we see and do. This is the key that is essential to my art practice. Creating something beautiful can be achieved by looking past the essential whole to the bits that make it more interesting and intricate. These minute details take time to create. The small sparkling beads require a steady hand to secure in place, as do the textured three-dimensional elements of working with steel or clay. As with anything, the time taken to include details that lift a piece of art to another level is always worth it. gai-saunders.com @gaisaundersartist
Still Blue Sparkle
Sonia C. C. Colón
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, USA
In my realistic acrylic paintings, objects stand in as symbolic fragments of my personality, intimate timeline and navigation through life while grappling with long-term depression. Each keepsake acts as a palpable existence of my past, helping me create a mental timeline of where and who I’ve been, what I’ve done and how far I’ve come while enduring significant chapters of hardship. The meticulous details demonstrate the way I regularly observe my environment. I enjoy analyzing the easily overlooked, seemingly frivolous characteristics of things, contemplating the possible stories connected to these facets. I take great pleasure in painstakingly rendering them because I believe that they enrich the narratives and sentimental value in my artwork. No matter how needless or superfluous the rendered minutiae may appear to be, they are a genuine reflection of the world through my eyes.
soniachasc.art @soniachasc.art
Betty Wood was in Canada when the pandemic began, far from her home in the northeast of England.
Feeling disconnected, she was looking for something tactile to occupy her time and thoughts.
The simplicity of rug hooking—just some burlap and a hook—caught her imagination.
The rhythm and mechanics appealed to her, and she enjoyed the contrast from her regular work of writing and producing an online magazine.
Betty felt limited by her speed with the hook, and found it stressful on her wrists.
Switching to punch needle opened up new opportunities.
“It just kind of blew my mind,” she recalls.
“It really was just this remarkable thing. Suddenly I was able to replicate the stuff that I was doing in my hand embroidery, like the very loose stitches. It was very non-technical. It was all very intuitive.” At a larger scale, Betty was able to explore vivid colours and textures, an experience she calls a “revelation.”
She likens her preferred Oxford punch needle number 13 to a pen nib: “I feel like I’m drawing with it.” Her “yarn paintings,” as she calls them, depict detailed domestic scenes: interiors punctuated by memory and light.
bettytheyarnslayer.com
@bettytheyarnslayer thespaces.com
Art and rug hooking, of course, is more than just a detail of my life. It in itself is filled with details. I have a creative business, and that in itself is an art project. I have to change things, nurture things, grow things and find the best ways to make them beautiful. That is not always easy. In fact, sometimes change is just plain hard. I need to come up with new ideas for it in the same way I do for my rugs. It involves a lot of people whom I care for. It is a big part of my life, and it is filled with details that have to be looked after. It has hundreds, if not a thousand or more moving parts that need to be attended to. I am the attendant.
The details are important. Sometimes it is the single strand that landed on the frame, unaware that it makes the rug transcend any other that I have made. Sometimes it is the person who comes across your path and tells you a story that changes the way you see things. I want to be open to the day as well as to the details because together they make a life.
deanne fitzpatrick
The starting point
DEANNE What does this letter make you think about in terms of your own life and your own work?
BETTY Well, it’s interesting! Yes, details—but also how you talk about motherhood and the connection to that. How you’ve kind of had this whole life, and then you’ve created space for creativity later on. Because I guess I’m at that point now—we’re expecting a baby in August, our first child—and I am navigating all of these questions and considerations as I’m working through my practice this year. It’s been very different for me. One of the things that I’m thinking about now is moving forward, how I’m going to balance motherhood and creativity. I really found that part of your letter intriguing and I connected to that.
Needle punch and rug hooking offer me the opportunity to really indulge in the details in a way that painting and drawing don’t—in that I can really hyperfocus on a very, very small area of an artwork and the very specific detail of an illustration that I’m creating—and it’s freed from time, in a way, because I can spend as much of it as I want, just really lavishing attention on it without the restriction of having to complete it in that single sitting. I can come back to it. And pick up threads.
The creativity almost comes from the accidental, the happenstance—if you are trying out different threads, different textures, different materials— and the magic kind of happens almost accidentally when you are lavishing all that time and attention on it.
I also think that it encourages patience in a way that I really don’t have in any other facet of my life. I am always thinking about five things at once—rushing to do everything—and you really can’t do that with fibres and textiles. You’ve really got to let them find their way.
Plant-Dyed Wool Felt Flower Pins
Alison Kaplan
PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON, USA
I have been making these plant-dyed wool felt flower pins as a part of the 100-Day Project. There is something special in knowing that others are also committing to this daily practice. It makes me feel like I am a part of something much bigger, and I love to imagine other people’s rituals. I relish all aspects of this project: planning and sketching, prepping my materials, and then knowing that there is a likeminded community devoting a little time each day to being creative. This is the perfect way to use my cherished plant-dyed wool felt scraps. I dye all the felt in my home dye studio with flowers from my dye garden. Each flower pin is an everlasting reminder of the magic of plants: from seed to soil to dye pot. I attach the pins to tote bags, zipper pouches and coats. katagolda.com @katagolda
Paper Beads & Necklaces
Claudia K. Lee
LIBERTY, TENNESSEE, USA
As a hand papermaker and a designer of decorative papers, I always have an interesting assortment of papers just waiting for a project. I don’t remember what started me making beads that then became earrings and necklaces, but once I began, I couldn’t stop. Designing new beads is a big part of the fun for me. Also, since I have a metal allergy, I now have jewellery that is lightweight, a conversation starter and comfortable for me to wear. These pieces are also a quick way to dress up any outfit.
claudialeepaper.com @libertypapermaking
The Ever-Changing Beauty of Glass
Judy Leshner
MEDFORD, NEW JERSEY, USA
My jewellery explores the shifting beauty of glass. The pendant plays with light and colour, sparkling as it moves: an oval form I wove to hold each colourful bead in place. The lapel cover is wearable art, where colour, texture and light are always changing—making every moment it’s worn a new experience.
judyleshner.com
@judyleshner
Long Game
Jewellery Design
Liz Long
PORTLAND, MAINE, USA
As an illustrator and design educator in Maine, I came into jewellery design through my own curiosity, and now I have a full-on passion for incorporating lasercutting technology into my work.
I use a Glowforge Pro in my studio practice to help run Long Game to create playfully bold wearable art.
lizlongart.com
@longgame_studio
Shrinkable Plastic Fun
Lisa Wetegrove
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, USA
Remember Shrinky Dinks? The flexible material shrinks to about one-third its original size when heated, becoming thicker and more rigid. An incredibly fun craft material, Shrinky Dinks have allegedly also been used in different medical and scientific applications. Having used markers and coloured pencils to decorate the plastic surface before heating, I can attest to how entertaining this craft can be. The “I love you” earrings for my 90-year-old mother are my favourite of the many pairs I have made for family and friends.
@lisawetegrove
Upcycled Leather Earrings
Lara Johnson
FERNDALE, WASHINGTON, USA
I create lightweight and durable leather earrings using scraps and offcuts from other leather makers. Each piece is hand cut, painted and sealed, making every pair one of a kind. Using scraps from other makers ensures that my jewellery is environmentally friendly, and I am keeping leather scraps out of the landfill and giving them a long, new life as comfortable earrings! I truly enjoy creating these pieces. I have been making them for over 10 years and selling them in my community at craft markets. I enjoy connecting with people and talking with them about my commitment to making earth-friendly jewellery that lasts a long time out of salvaged and upcycled materials. I hope I inspire others to make use of things they see around them rather than falling for fast fashion and disposable products.
lollygoatdesign.com
@lollygoatdesign
Transformed Materials
Patrizia Cianci
ITALY
TORINO,
I like to travel, and over many years I have searched around the world for objects that tell the story of handwriting. On these occasions, small, mismatched objects of various shapes, metalworking waste, pieces of fabric and mismatched buckles also attracted my attention— objects made with skilled hands and ancient techniques that often lose value because they are no longer fashionable. I draw, write and practice calligraphy and engraving, on ancient papers or papers handmade in the East and the West. I design, design, assemble and transform these materials into wearable jewels—small talismans that still have something new to tell. These objects can also become furnishing elements to hang in order to embellish a corner of our home.
calligrature.it
Snappy Accessory Rebecca Kemp Brent
OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE, USA
Jewellery is a way that I have fun with my clothing. This necklace never fails to amuse anyone who takes a close look, although from afar it appears to be an ordinary chain with charms. The chain is constructed by linking snaps (the top and bottom halves) with spring rings. The charms are bits and bobs from my notions stash: hooks and eyes, buttons, bobbins, zipper pulls, etc. Anything you can attach with a head pin is fair game!
The Junk Lady
Shari Keith
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, USA
I call myself the Junk Lady because I use found and discarded objects to create art. I love to discover and rescue overlooked items and transform them into something new. I am particularly intrigued by texture, colour and the patina of age. What I create depends on what I find and how it inspires me, so my work can vary greatly from one piece to another. I am a professional teaching artist, and what I enjoy most is providing my students with the opportunity to discover their own artistic voices as they engage in the act of creating.
Honouring My Parents and Heritage
Muriel Aitken
KINGSTON, ONTARIO, CANADA
This is a new chapter in my life. I took “the road less travelled” after years of caregiving for my wonderful folks. Starting over has been difficult, and pouring all my love into this dream is helping me heal. Soaring Celt Designs is my tribute. I am the seventh generation on our family farm and was steeped in all things Highland. I Highland danced, and had the privilege of learning to speak and sing Gaelic with the Glengarry Gaelic Choir. Learning the language of my people changed my life and showed me a portal to a time beyond. I am a trained silversmith, specializing in sterling Celtic knot jewellery using the lost-wax casting method.
@murielglengarry
SC Studio Paper Jewellery
Stephanie James
STOW, MASSACHUSETTS, USA
I am an artist and pattern designer from Stow, Massachusetts, a small town in Middlesex County. I am obsessed with pattern and colour. My lightweight jewellery features my original pattern designs. In the spring and fall you can find me at craft shows and markets around Massachusetts.
@scstudiodesign
Handmade Jewellery
Molly Ocean Patterson
LANG, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
I am a Métis artisan from Saskatchewan who enjoys creating perceptual effects through colour combination/ harmony and texture, with light being the final component to achieve this. I use glass and gold to craft my jewellery, and each detail in the pattern contributes symbolically to my storytelling. The pieces become miniature wearable art that is lightweight and elegant to style with.
the gable stones of amsterdam
FROM DIRECTIONS TO DECORATIONS
Imoved to Amsterdam in the dead of winter without ever having set foot in the city. Its maze-like streets and seemingly unending stream of cyclists made getting around challenging. My early explorations were pragmatic missions to the daily destinations that dominate domestic lives: office, school, dog park and grocery store. These trips radiated in straight lines from my canalside apartment, rigidly following my phone’s instructions. Discovering the city this way was very different from exploring it as a tourist.
It wasn’t until winter yielded to spring that we started to explore the city in earnest. Our family had achieved our initial goal of establishing routines and getting comfortable with the town’s unique rhythm. Our straight-line routes slowly transformed into spiderwebs as we explored the spaces in between our usual haunts. When my parents announced a visit in April, we gave ourselves permission to experience the city like the tourists we had never been, booking that quintessential Amsterdam experience: the canal cruise.
I’ll admit that I was initially skeptical of the ride, tainted by bad memories of a booze cruise off the shore of Mazatlán. But once we boarded the glass-roofed ship, I was instantly captivated as the boat began gliding beneath bridges and alongside elegant canal houses.
Early in the tour, the guide called our attention to what appeared to be a painting on the side of one of the homes. “Look up at that building on your right,” he announced, pointing to a relief carving of what appeared to be an ostrich embedded into a building. “That’s a gevelsteen, or a gable stone, from the 1600s. It’s one of Amsterdam’s hidden treasures.” The flightless bird was immortalized in simple black-and-white, popping off of the building’s bricks in a way that mesmerized me.
STORY BY BRENDAN HARRISON
BY TARA MACKINNON
At that moment, something clicked. I realized I had been walking past these historical markers for months without ever noticing them.
As soon as that first gable stone was pointed out to me, I started to see them everywhere—these centuries-old markers had been hiding in plain sight as I’d traversed the city, transfixed by the glowing blue arrow on my phone. That evening, as I walked home with my parents, I kept my phone in my pocket and looked up to see the stone vignettes above on buildings I’d passed dozens of times before.
My newfound fascination inspired me to research these plaques once we returned home. At first glance, they had seemed purely decorative, just another flourish on the richly ornamented houses that lined the canals. But in fact, gable stones had originally served a very practical purpose.
Before Amsterdam had house numbers, buildings were identified by signs. And from at least the 1540s, in Amsterdam this included gable stones. During the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, wayfinding became even more critical as the city expanded from a small port town of 30,000 in 1580 to a city of over 200,000 by 1700. A large part of this growth came from the newly created canal belt that became home to the city’s elite. Before long, gable stones had become more than just
PHOTOS
subscriber studios
Painting
Studio
Allison Dawrant
CALGARY, ALBERTA , CANADA
I am Allison Dawrant, a Canadian artist who began painting and selling her work around 2020. I worked as a registered nurse for most of my career before discovering my love of the process of painting. I paint as a visual reminder to stay present in the moment and appreciate the beauty that holds the power of connection and evoking change. I paint to find calm and quiet, and to tune out noise. I have a home studio in Calgary, and share the space with my rescue dog, Oakley. He holds me accountable to go out for walks and take snack and cuddle breaks. He is my studio buddy and best friend.
allisondawrant.com
@allisondawrant
Textile
Artist
Alison Dawson
PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO, CANADA
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Welcome to my studio space on the third floor of our home in Peterborough, Ontario. We upsized later in life to a larger home and I finally have my own studio to work in and store my bounty of supplies. I have been combining my love of jewellery and textiles for a number of years. On my desk is my mom’s Husqvarna from the 1970s that I’m using of late to make bauble bead necklaces. I once worked in a fabulous Japanese ribbon store called Mokuba and continue to be inspired by their beautiful ribbons and trims. Textile jewellery can be bold and colourful, with the bonus of being very lightweight. I enjoy exploring unusual materials for statement styles and am especially happy in my new studio.
alisondawsonjewelry.com
@alisondawsonjewelry
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FRESH INK
perfect circles
STORY AND
BY ANDREA JENKINS
In her later years, my grandmother wore every single ring she owned. Gold ones alongside silver, diamonds and rubies stacked on top of turquoise, she wore them all—clustered all the way up to her knuckles, as if she had been forced to evacuate her house in a hurry and could only bring with her what she could wear. As a teenager, this made me crazy, but as a grown woman, I think I understand it. I can’t explain it, but I understand it. And when I think about it now, I wonder why I never asked her about them. Because this is what I know: rings hold stories. And the people who wear them almost always love to tell the stories. It seems absurd to me now that I didn’t think to ask.
A few years ago, I approached a skater to ask if I could make a portrait of him. Intricate tattoo work blanketed both of his arms, but it was his rings I was most drawn to. When I want to make a picture of someone, I have a conversation with them first, whether I know them or not. The process itself requires a sort of vulnerability (from both subject and photographer), and conversation, even when brief, seems to crack things open. I asked him about his rings and instantly his face changed. Caution gave way to ease, and the story behind each one took us a little deeper, as if we were examining the rings of an old tree, noting years lived, miles travelled. Now when I look back at our exchange, I feel something that transcends the images.
While all types of jewellery hold meaning, rings seem particularly weighted with special significance. They are an enduring part of our cultural history,
with stories that span the centuries—from the Greek mythological ring of Prometheus to the signet rings of the ancient Egyptians to the iconic engagement and wedding rings worn by princesses and movie stars of more modern times. The power and magic they hold is real, but, perhaps most importantly, not limited to the mythological characters or royalty of the world. The symbolism we find in that perfect and infinite circle appeals to all, no matter where we come from. The rings we wear often mark deeply significant milestones, and in turn are passed down through generations to serve as cherished heirlooms. If we are lucky, the stories accompany them, too.
These days, if I’m not the one doing the asking, I’m the one doing the telling. I wear one of my grandmother’s many rings now—a sizeable oblong silver thing, bright with turquoise and coral stones. My mom wore it, too, before she passed it on to me. It fits perfectly on my left pinkie finger and I am asked about it so frequently that I sometimes forget I am talking to strangers. When it slipped off and down the drain of a bathroom sink in a tiny taco spot in Tennessee, I found myself revealing all manner of details and stories with the kind dishwasher who tirelessly worked to retrieve it. I blabbered on and on, as if somehow the more I revealed, the greater the chance my ring might be recovered. When he did finally fish it out, his face was as wide and warm with relief as my own and I was so grateful that I threw my arms around him. As I slipped the ring back on, I realized he now knew things about me that, under normal circumstances, I would never tell a stranger. In some small way, he had been folded into the history of the ring, too—indelibly inscribed, a story I will circle back to again and again.
