Artistic Statement Final

I am a jewelry designer born in Seoul, Korea. I majored in international business administration in college, but in my senior year of college my mother brought home materials on appraising gemstones. I was fascinated. I decided to change my career and become a gemologist, and so I went to Gemological Institute of America in USA. As I studied more about gemstones, I was captivated by the inexplicable colors of gems. I went to art school to learn jewelry design, because I really wanted to create something with gemstones. I worked hard as an apprentice under strict German professors at Rhode Island School of Design for three years. After I attained my B.F.A. degree in Jewelry and Light metal, I finally became a jewelry designer.

Rhode Island is famous for the graceful natural environment of evergreen and pine tree forests by the beach. I used to collect colorful pebbles and sea glass worn down by waves on the beach. The subtle color changes brought on by the stunning sunset light reflecting off my collection astonished me all the time. In my jewelry, the color of the stone is the most important element I bring into play, as I set the stone alongside other materials. I love mixing the vivid colors of the stones with unusual materials such as felted wool fabrics, interesting pieces of lace from an old cloth, and black and white pictures, which are not conventionally used for jewelry. The combinations play on the colors in unexpected ways. People who buy my jewelry always point out the lovely mixture of colors and warmness of the jewelry.

The purpose of art has been debated throughout history. As a lover of art, I always claim that art has a broad influence on life and important practical functions, as well. I see the role of art as a communicational apparatus with society. Jewelry is a very personal object used to express oneself to the public by wearing a small piece of art work. From this perspective, by wearing distinctive art jewelry, one can express one’s personal characteristics. Many influential women wear jewelry not only to decorate their bodies, but also as performances to express their emotions to the public. In addition to being expressive, I believe that good jewelry must be comfortable to wear, go well with any kind of occasion, and look distinctive. Most of my customers are wearing my jewelry as casual wear; some are joggers with strollers.

Creating jewelry has similar artistic processes with other area of arts. I always enjoy looking at paintings with this reason, especially the paintings by Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) in his “Golden Phase”. His works are distinguished by the use of decorative colors with elegant solid gold as the background. Those paintings remind me of medieval mosaic wall paintings and Japanese style lacquer painting on the wood. He is also famous for the bold expression of erotic female bodies in his painting. To me, a gemstone is like a female body, which is really attractive and seductive, and always makes me eager to design.

Making jewelry is an architectural experience in a micro-universe. When the architect builds a house, he or she considers many aspects through the process, such as function, feasibility, durability, structure and materials. The jeweler reflects on the same ideas like an architect and fabricates all of the components one by one, following a logical order.

The whole process is difficult, and working with expensive materials can be taxing, because some gemstones are really vulnerable and easy to break with low heat and pressure. Nevertheless, the most nerve-racking obligation of my job is making the piece with ideal proportions. The slightest mistake—even being off by a small fraction—can ruin the entire look. Consequently, I have to continuously train my unaided eyes to observe the tiny world correctly and my hands to work gently with the sophisticated materials.

My job is my hobby, and I love it. I always enjoy working in my one-woman studio at my home in Connecticut. I hope to keep making jewelry with a fresh look and cheerful color combinations which people can enjoy. I also would like to meet others who would appreciate the work we have in common as well as those who will enjoy wearing my small works of art forever.