No! not Gainsborough’s.

Gucci’s.

Times have changed, as amply pointed out by the front page article in this morning’s New York Times Style section, “The Ornamental Male” (by Guy Trebay).   Ornamental indeed!

However, before I saw the boy I saw the blue item at his neck and wondered if it were a beadcrocheted necklace – it looked almost like one of mine at first  http://www.msturman.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=147&zenid=2e2b2e89c8235a88763c0082269de071 . Then I took in the whole image! Wow! this beautiful creature was a guy with a blue bandana knotted at his neck! The whole outfit is blue and the guy is too gorgeous.

I turned pages to peruse the remainder of the article, looking to see if there were other neck ornamentation on these very ornamental boys. Maybe a chain or two. Hmmm. These fellas are so gorgeous they put many of us women to shame — the sculpted cheeks, the defined bone structure!

So, what about beaded jewelry for guys? Why not — especially when they’re so gorgeous?

An item, torn out of the May 12, 2010, New York Times asks the above question about a new line of jewelry and concludes that the jewelry is “maybe all three”.

Well, why not? And how is it that this confluence of three vital definitions do not occur more frequently in jewelry today?

This news item has sat on my work table for nearly a month now. I confess I did not want to further explore what the competition was doing! I have just now picked it up and investigated the web site of Ashley Hanosh’s trendy clothing store, Honey in the Rough (www.honeyintherough.com) that displays the work, a collection of new jewelry from Florian, called Zulu Soiree.

I was prepared to snigger, but came away with full respect and admiration for the collection, produced in Austria, home to Swarovski and cradle of Czech beads. The bib neckpiece pictured in Mary Billard’s article is, simply put, a series of circles hanging from a circlet. All of it is done in Czech seed beads, one of the least expensive materials available to bead artists.

So: so what? Why does it cost so much and why had it commanded the attention of a New York Times writer, let alone garnering a home in a Manhattan boutique? Yup: Bah! Humbug!

Thus emotionally armed, I visited the website to explore the collection, including close-up details of the pieces as well. Yes, there were those silly large seed beads I hadn’t deigned to use in years.

But there is no “simply put” about this work: there is a great deal of art present in it. Let me tell you, having put together similar pieces, that managing colors, shapes and negative space is not as easy or infantile as it appears to be. Therein is the art that so many bead artists struggle with on a daily basis:  this is what the public pays for.

I am especially intrigued with the configuration of many of the necklaces that affords the wearer different ways to wear each necklace — so interesting. I plan to schedule a trip down to the shop, between heat, humidity, snow and rain, to see this collection in person and experience up close the careful planning involved in making this art. I hope there will be some left for me to see.

Care to join me?

I’ve been away but not gone — swamped with getting ready for Gossip Girl and graduations and art fairs. But I’ve been checking out my daily Google Alerts and reading the papers: continually amazed by what passes for jewelry – soul-inspired, nose rings, “steam punk”, “cheap” advertised everywhere. I don’t get it — maybe I’m just an old fuddy-duddy.

I waited a long time to find out if any of my four pieces of jewelry that were taken — and are still held — by the stylists of Sex and the City 2 would appear in the film, which I saw a few nights ago. They were not in it (and I really want them back). The movie was all about the clothes, which you either like or not (I, and many others as I hear it, did not), and any jewelry shown was rather incidental as often happens, depending on what is being sold. So you don’t think I’m all sour grapes, I’d like to go on record that the nicest item worn by any of them, clothing or jewelry, was a pair of Wendy Brandes’ earrings — elegant and classy, a real stand out in this movie that was neither, IMHO.

I have a Master’s degree in Art History, so long ago I learned about the progression of civilization and its representations in art from all cultures and throughout time. I may not like all of it, but I understand why it mattered, what its place in history indicates.

Likewise I have studied jewelry in the Metropolitan Museum and in books, but I simply do not understand much of what passes for pretty in much of jewelry these days.

So can someone please explain to me why much of today’s jewelry matters? what will it’s place in history indicate of our civilization? what passes for “pretty” today?

On May 3 2010, one of TV’s sexiest mothers, Gossip Girl’s Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford), was dripping in drama. The stylists for Gossip Girl selected our Diorissimo necklace to offset Lily’s man troubles with Serena’s (Blake Lively) father. The 24K gold necklace is stunning on brunettes, and amplified even more on blonds like Kelly Rutherford.

As a special tribute to Gossip Girl and the fashions the show promotes, we will be running a 25% fashion discount from May 3rd to May 5th. Enter LILY at checkout for 25% off your entire purchase of M. Sturman Jewellery and treat yourself to some Gossip Girl fashion. And treat your mom to some jewelry for Mothers Day. She will love anything you pick. Shop for the Diorssimo necklace at M. Sturman Jewellery (it’s a limited edition piece) >

We can also act as personal shopper help you pick something special, so contact us for personal attention.

This necklace is made of vintage yellow stones ordered by Dior from Swarovski after WWII.  The stones are bezeled with 14k gold-plated seed beads and suspended from a chain woven of the same beads.  All of it handwoven, totally one-of-a-kind fashion and totally Lily van der Woodsen, played by Kelly Rutherford.

Shop for the Diorssimo necklace at M. Sturman Jewellery >

I’m so excited about the new work I’ve just put up on the website, particularly about the “Aquarium” necklaces.  They feature “Lodenite” stones — rocks really!

Each Lodenite stone tells a story, visually speaking, with a different shape/size and with a different colorway.   Each stone is clear and domed and so refracts its bottom rock layer into a scene.   Peering into each stone is similar to the experience of being drawn into the exploration of an aquarium.  Here’s a close-up of one such stone, but unfortunately none of these pix does justice to the mystery in each of them.  (You may view this close-up by clicking on either or both of the links listed below.)

So, I grouped five stones in each necklace, using stones to offset their colorways.

One necklace pairs dark amethyst crazy-cut amethyst beads with hammered light amethyst beads, alternating with small purple-dyed pearls and finished with a new find in closures:  agate closures in different hues, this one with some amethyst shading.  http://www.msturman.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=152&zenid=99cbfa9678d6b8557cdfcc24e7ce8548

In another necklace, responding to the coppery sort of colorways of the lodenite, I used rough-hewn red quartz stones and light peach natural tailed and circled pearls, alternating with tiny Akoya pearls and the agate closure in orangey hues.  http://www.msturman.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=151&zenid=99cbfa9678d6b8557cdfcc24e7ce8548

I have another lodenite necklace in the works set off with natural pearls and a pearl closure.  My favorite, I think!

Do they look as exotic to you as they do to me?  By the way, they’re not heavy pieces!

Seems impossible to avoid the Oscar drama, it’s everywhere! Over my morning coffee, I scanned the usual yearly projections of winners and long shots in the New York Times.

Back at my laptop, I saw a blog post entitled “How David Rockwell’s Oscar Set Makes Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin Funnier” by Alissa Walker, that discusses the role of the set and focuses on the Swarovski curtain, appropriately named Crystal.  ” . . . the star of the show is still the 100,000-Swarovski crystal curtain, but 16 additional inches of topaz crystals were added to add a level of smokiness that matched this year’s color scheme.”

Then I read the SheFinds blog,”Oscar Nominees, Take Note: Our No-Fail Guide To Black Tie Dresses” that reviewed some of the past mistaken choices, contrasting them with the hit choices.  Seemed to me that few of the stars wearing the dresses wore much jewelry.

So with all this in mind, I entertained the fantasy of each of the stars wearing Swarovski jewelry — mine of course! — in what would become a blinding television extravaganza.

Earrings seemed to be the thing during the award season Oscar run-ups, so my fantasy features the long-shot, long-necked Emily Blunt, perhaps wearing my Peacock Earrings, woven with vintage Swarovski Atlas stones, contemporary CRYSTALLIZED — Swarovski Elements beads and gold-plated seed beads.

I can easily picture the always-tasteful and regal Helen Mirren in my elegant Queen’s Collar, trimmed with vintage Swarovski beads.

And if filling a neckline is out this year, a large, sparkly bracelet, such as my Double-Sided Cuff, replete with CRYSTALLIZED – Swarovski Elements, would not be amiss, gleaming on the wrist of Sandra Bullock, touted as winner in the best actress category, as she accepts the Oscar.

Not Harry Winston diamonds, but I think these Swarovski pieces are a lot more captivating — don’t you?

I saw a sneak preview of Roman Polanski’s “The Ghost Writer” and was delighted to see Kim Cattrall in it, looking lovely as usual.  This got me to thinking again about whether or not some of my jewelry would be worn in the movie, and if so which pieces (these are being held at the studios as we speak) and on whom?

Would it be the Green Tea neckpiece or the Be Mine neckpiece, each of which was widely blogged about by Luxist.com, USA Today, CoutureSnob.com, and Jason of Hollywood.com?

I tried to find an official SATC2 movie site, but came up with the HBO home page featuring it http://www.hbo.com/sex-and-the-city/index.html#, with the four stars on it.  How surprised I was to see Kim Cattrall with short hair as opposed to her shoulder-length hair in “The Ghost Writer”.  I immediately thought that with that short hair, she would look great wearing a pair of my Vintage Atlas Earrings!

In my dreams, Sarah Jessica Parker/Carrie Bradshaw wears the Green Tea neckpiece, with something flowing; Cynthia Nixon/Miranda Hobbes would wear the Diorissimo with a low cut gown; and Kristin Davis/Charlotte York would wrap herself in my 96” necklace of natural pearls!

But who would wear Be Mine?

These are my dreams and I am waiting, impatiently!  What about you?

This morning over coffee I lingered over the Fashion page in the New York Times, “The Big New Idea Is Modesty” by Cathy Horyn.  I don’t know about “modesty” – the root that word is “mode”  and I was taken by the gorgeous Marchesa dress, a “column of bugle beads” and especially the Anna Sui “wool shift with an embroidered bib neckline”.  Those trends right up my bead alley!

I researched Anna Sui and learned that her collection was inspired by the American Arts and Crafts Movement!  Wow!  I’m all for that.  The accessories shown with her collection were large and chunky, “amazing handcrafted necklaces and brooches incorporating actual tiles from Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery, founded in 1903” (http://www.stylelist.com/2010/02/17/anna-sui-fall-2010-fashion-week-runway-review/).

I fixated on the bib neckline of the wool shift pictured in the Times and thought that the bib piece ought to be separate, so it might be worn again.  I make several bib necklaces and woven collars, any of which might compliment a simple dress and be right in style with the upcoming fall trends.

Which bib necklace would you choose to embellish your simple wool dresses?

As a jewelry artist, I am frequently asked what inspires me.  This question to date has always given me trouble, whether it’s from an interviewer or for an application for a competition.  The short answer is that I am very impacted by visual “events” such that inspiration is in everything I see all around me.

I go to Tucson each February to teach and to shop and am always captivated by the forms, light and colors of the mountains and deserts.  I don’t watch television very much, but my business partner, who travelled there with me, does enjoy television; I watched with her a few times and was always wowed by a number of the commercials – it’s just the way I see.

While we were weather-delayed in Arizona last week, we went to the Phoenix Art Museum to see the exhibition “Ansel Adams:  Discoveries”.  I had never seen his work before and frankly wasn’t much interested in seeing photography.  I entered the exhibit space, began looking at the photographs, and it wasn’t long before my jaw dropped in awe.  I became exhausted from the awe, from seeing what he saw:  these black and white photos showed you the colors of the subjects, whether architectural or the environment of the southwest; these black and white photos were full of texture that made you want to reach forward and touch; these black and white photos were full of line, movement and the creative expression of juxtapositions of form.  I was dizzy by the time I finished seeing this.

Ansel Adams stated that the unique character of his work was motivated by the practice of “careful seeing”.  I was so happy to know this, since it validated my own visual proclivities, although I am more profligate in my seeing, rather than careful.

Inspiration also comes to me from my visual response to the materials I choose to work with, the colors, form, and shape of pearls and stones – the more unusual the better.  I am also enamoured of vintage stones and beads – their age, uniqueness and difference from jewelry components today.  Using these materials makes my work unlike anything else on the market, such as the necklace “Tails” crocheted of tailed, circled natural lustrous top-drilled pearls and freshwater pearls; the woven necklace “Diorissimo” in which I bezeled vintage Swarovski stones; and the Conchita necklaces that focus on the most unusually formed stones.

Does seeing inspire you?

It’s all around us, this major trend – the green movements that affect the lives of all of us — but jewelry?

I was recently asked if the jewelry I produced was “green”.  I do know a bit about pearls, since I took and passed the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) course on Pearls, so I gave it some thought and answered that pearls certainly are green, being that they’re natural and must be grown in an environmentally clean atmosphere.  While semi-precious colored stones are natural and organic, there is nothing green about the mining, cutting and faceting practices used to obtain them.

In Tucson the first week of February, I made a bee-line to my pearl supplier of choice, Betty Sue King, official Pearl Goddess, and owner of King’s Ransom.  Not only is she a lovely, patient person to her customers, she is an expert in this field, and an officer of the GIA.

So, I asked her if pearls were “green.”  She smiled her sweet smile and said she had written an article on the subject, “How Green Are Your Pearls?” that had been published in Modern Jeweler, in the January 2009 issue.

In the article, Betty Sue notes that the sound environmental conditions are required for saltwater pearls grown in Australia, Tahiti, Philippines, Japan and New Zealand.  This is because the saltwater oysters there will only tolerate clean environments.  So these oysters are grown in sheltered bays and lagoons rich with nutrients to keep them healthy.  The governments of these countries all monitor conditions because they and the pearl farmers know that “. . . the health of the pearl is an indicator of the environment.”

Did you know that pearls are also grown in the U.S.?  Well, freshwater pearls are grown in rivers in Mississippi and Tennessee and growers there consider “monitoring the environment as an essential part of their responsibilities.”

The mussels used to produce freshwater pearls from China, the most common and accessible of all pearls on the market, are more tolerant of conditions they need in order to produce pearls.  So these mussels, while fed with organic mixtures, have been over-farmed in inland lakes in China, a government with a more laissez-faire attitude toward freshwater pearl cultivation.  The recession has curtailed pearl cultivation so that now overused waterways have time to regenerate.

So, yes, pearls are green and my jewelry incorporating them likewise is “green.”  As Betty Sue points out, there are no “blood pearls”!

Here are some of my designs in which I used pearls bought from Betty Sue King – big or small, can you see how lustrous they are?