Lark Crafts

Listening to artists speak about their work is a wholly unique experience and one I value greatly. This week, jeweler Amy Tavern gave a lovely talk as part of the “Meet the Makers” series sponsored by the Craft Studies Program at the University of North Carolina, Asheville.

In describing her process, Amy showed an image of small paper models neatly arranged (above, left) and the silver components that were the next step in this project (above, center). These images brought to mind my fondness for two things: objects en mass and visual organization.

Do jewelers enjoy and excel at the process of visual organization of multiple objects more than other types of artists? Is the process of making jewelry the most component-driven art form? Do jewelers have an affinity for solving the practical and aesthetic “puzzles” that come from working with multiple pieces and parts?

For me, the following pictures of works in progress are very beautiful. They capture a moment in the creative process, and perhaps more importantly, they show order made out of potential chaos. Do you think images of multiple objects are beautiful? What makes them special for you? What are some steps in your process? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below.

Many of these photos came from Bench Mess, an image-sharing group on Flickr.

I am delighted to feature the following artists in this post. Now that you’ve seen some of their work in progress, please visit their websites and have a look at the finished jewelry.

2 Roses, Allison Fomich, Amy Tavern, Ann van Poperingen/Chichandmades, Arthur Hash, Ashley Akers, Athena’s Armoury, Bek Caruso, Emi Savacool, Emma Day, Francesca Vitali, Hilary Pfeifer, Jennifer Trask, Jennifer Kistler, Jenny Windler, Karola Torkos, Kirsten Skiles, Lauren Schlossberg , Margaux Lange, Marion Pannekoek, Marta Sanchez Oms, Michael Dale Bernard, Nancy Schindler, Second String Swap, Shannon Conrad, Simone Walsh