Art Jewelry magazine Editors' Blog : Racine Art Museum

Enamel jewelry by Jamie Bennett at the Racine Art Museum

Jill Erickson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:31:00 GMT

Has the sgraffito bracelet project in the July issue of Art Jewelry magazine piqued your interest in enamel? It's got some of AJ's forum participants talking about this colorful medium.

Currently, the Racine Art Museum in Wisconsin is featuring a retrospective exhibit of enamel jewelry by artist Jamie Bennett. Bennett is an internationally acclaimed artist and innovator in the world of contemporary jewelry and enamel. The exhibit, which runs until September 6, 2009, has an accompanying show catalog. So, even if you can't make it to the museum, you can check out Bennett's explorations with paint, pencil, and enamel by ordering a catalog from the museum gift shop.

Let us know what other types of enamel techniques you'd like to learn. Cheers ~ Jill

2009 March Madness of a different sort

Jill Erickson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:25:00 GMT

Every year, my husband and a bunch of his buddies go a little nuts over the college basketball tournaments, known as "March Madness." Well, I don't share in that excitement, but I will enjoy a bit of my own brand of March madness at the 2009 Bead Retreat presented by the Loose Bead Society of Greater Milwaukee.

This is a wonderful annual get-away for bead and jewelry-making enthusiasts. I'm actually teaching a polymer clay technique at the Retreat this year, which runs from March 13th through the 15th in Racine, Wisconsin.

One of our Art Jewelry magazine contributors, Kelly Russell, will be teaching a workshop on how to make a mixed media focal bead. Kelly's 3-day workshop includes techniques in polymer clay, BRONZ clay, and silver metal clay. I'm sure it will be fun and inspiring.

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy a change of scenery now and then, and workshops are great for that. Always a good thing to visit a different town, check out its museums, and refresh your perspective. In fact, I'll be sure to check out the Arline Fisch Exhibit at the Racine Art Museum (right)! And of course, there's the upcoming Bead&Button Show--registration opens January 13; preregistration is open now; and the class catalog's available online.

Cheers, Jill

Ornament as Expression: The Jewelry of Arline Fisch is on exhibit now at the Racine Art Museum

Katie Streeter — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:07:00 GMT

There are only a handful of museums in the United States with big, beautiful, permanent jewelry collections, and one of them is located in the Midwest, not too far from Milwaukee. The Racine Art Museum, located in Racine, Wis., has a metals collection that focuses on American studio jewelry, rather than sculptures and holloware. Special exhibitions frequently feature traveling exhibits by well-known artists, and the current jewelry exhibition is on the work of Arline Fisch.

Arline Fisch is known for creating jewelry by using fiber techniques in metal. Ornament as Expression: The Jewelry of Arline Fisch features approximately 40 pieces from the artist's collections, as well as works from RAM's collection. The exhibit runs now through December 7, 2008.

On Saturday, October 2, at 2:30, stop by RAM to meet Arline Fisch. There will also be a behind-the-scenes tour and book signing.

And mark your calendars for Arline's workshop at RAM, which will take place March 27–29, 2009.

—Katie

Zigzag with Gold Center Collar by Arline Fisch.
Photo by William Gullette.