A Thousand Facets

A thousand facets sits with Nia Tahani from Gem Corps. They talk about her beginnings in the jewelry industry, how she fell in love with state jewelry and how events in history have created the path she has taken! We talked about the inception of the  Sweet CHAIRiot and the history of Blackamoor jewelry! Sweet CHAIRiotSince the Montgomery Melee, the folding chair has expanded even further into the realm of social justice memorabilia. Sweet CHAIRiot is an antique-inspired and culturally informed pendant designed by The Gem Corps, fine estate jewelry curators. It's a symbol of resistance and remembrance for the freedom fighters, justice reformers, and those who claim... About: Since 2015 The Gem Corps has been a pursuit of a passion for fine jewelry and storytelling. The allure of estate jewelry-antique, vintage, & modern-is inherent in its qualities of fine craftspersonship, its one-of-a-kind nature, the history, and sustainability. There’s a certain magic to these pieces that transcends time and yet so powerfully reconnects us to our history and each other. You can follow Nia Tahan on Instagram @gemcorps , visit her website www.gemcorps.com Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Jared Amadeo Holstein from D'amadeo and they talk about his beginnings as a journalist, when he caught the jewelry bug and how he ended up in the world of diamonds and gemstones. We discuss different aspects of the gemstone industry and what makes a natural gemstone so special! D’Amadeo is a San Francisco-based loose colored stone, natural diamond and estate jewelry wholesaler. With a focus on known-source gemstones, primarily mined in the United States and East Africa, D’Amadeo enables jewelers and designers to share each stone’s journey from mine to finger with their customers. Antique, historical-cut and post-consumer gemstones from the Georgian period onward elicit wonder. D’Amadeo founder Jared Amadeo Holstein serves on the advisory board for Ethical Metalsmiths and as co-chair of its Responsible Sourcing Committee, as a member of the Jewelry Glossary Project, and was a longtime board member of the Jewelry Industry Summit. Jared enjoys collaborating to create a more transparent, sustainable and equitable future for the jewelry industry and those people, communities and places it impacts. You can follow Jared Amadeo Holstein on Instagram @damadeo_ , visit his website www.damadeo.com Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Rebecca Overmann and Lauren Wolf of Melee the show about how they met, the inception to Melee the show and the community of independent artists they've created! Hope you enjoy this great conversation. About: Founded in 2017 by jewelry designers and friends Rebecca Overmann and Lauren Wolf, MELEE THE SHOW was born out of the need to connect designers and buyers in an environment as beautiful as the pieces on display. Fine jewelry was long overdue for its own place in the tradeshow world; one that could cater to the level of attention that both designers and buyers desired. MELEE is a highly curated, personal trade show experience with yearly events in Tucson, NYC, and Paris. Inside is an intimate setting showcasing a carefully selected roster of fine jewelry designers with a focus on aesthetic and skill. The show is committed to staying small and selective to the industry’s top talent and leading brands. We believe this environment encourages designers and buyers to engage with each other over new collections in a meaningful way. If you want to visit the show (trade only, or would like to showcase, please visit their website at www.meleetheshow.com You can follow them on Instagram @meleetheshow Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets seats with Judi Powers and they discuss her beginnings in the publishing world and how jewelry became her second act and inspiring her to continue discovering herself as a creative individual! Hope you enjoy this great conversation. About: My inspiration is all around us. The graceful undulation of a ripple in a pond. The curve of a leaf as it reaches for the sun. The branching silhouette of a dendritic agate. The delicate colors of the first blooms of Spring. To take the hardness of gems and metal and make them soft, I’ve spent hours at the workbench, carving, filing, buffing and refining the surface until I’ve achieved my signature Cashmere Finish.® I want everything I create to have the timeless elegance of a cashmere sweater, which inspires the soft texture of my metals. The matte gold gathers and disperses light until it seems like you can feel it glowing through your fingertips. In a world where we interact through images and screens, I want my jewelry to make you want to reach out to hold it. Sense the gold warming in your hands. Run your fingers over the soft finish. Marvel at the beautiful forms and subtle shading of the gems and minerals. Experience the intimate luxury of a beautiful object, crafted by hand, designed to last. That’s why after a career in publishing I fell in love with the joy, meaning and purpose of the art of jewelry. Enjoying the quiet concentration of working with my hands, carving wax and shaping metal. Contemplating the beauty of gems and finding inspiration. Embodying the joy and meaning of the special moments of your life in every design. Finding purpose in creating work that instantly becomes part of you, carrying with it the pleasure of its making, from my hands to yours. You can follow Judi Powers on Instagram @judipowers, visit her website www.judipowersjewelry.com Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets seats with Liz Kantner and Robin Kramer to talk about the Curated at Luxury lifestyle at NY Now. We talked what it is to do a trade show and what are the things artists should look when deciding to do a show, We invited three artists that are doing the show, returning artists Hilary Finck and Tamsin Rasor and newcomer Laurie Reed. I hope you enjoy our conversation. For more information about Curated at Luxury lifestyle at NY Now Please email Liz: liz@staygoldjewelry.com Robin: robin@redbootconsulting.com If you want to see the work of the artists featured please visit: https://hilaryfinck.com/ https://tamsinrasor.com/ https://www.francesreidstudios.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Hayden Peters from Art of mourning and we get an education on different aspects of mourning jewelry, how it became popular, which queen made it a thing and how it brought so many trends during that time period! Don't miss this educational and highly entertaining conversation!   About: Hayden Peters is a Jewellery Historian, Scholar and Designer. An authority on the topic of mourning and sentimental jewellery, Hayden founded the Art of Mourning (www.artofmourning.com) in 2005 as his teaching platform to share knowledge and educate about this important part of history between the years 1517-1920. The website reaches thousands of international students and collectors daily, with over 800 articles detailing the history of early-modern society, politics, design and fashion. Hayden has appeared on television, appeared in international publications, museum installations and written for academic publications.    You can follow Art of Mourning on Instagram @artofmourning, visit his website https://artofmourning.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Camilla Bronzini and Francesca Neri Serneri from Le Sibille, we speak about their inspiration, their passion and about the importance of keeping the tradition of micro mosaic alive. As you may listen in this conversation, I was really excited to talk to them! ABOUT: Le Sibille’s journey to revive the ancient Small Roman Mosaic goldsmith technique by crafting one-of-a-kind handmade jewels. Those magical, microscopic tiles created with a spinning technique are now found in the one-of-a-kind jewels made by Le Sibille. Both artisans and artists, Le Sibille dedicates a considerable amount of time to each jewel – much like they did in times past. And each tile is placed on an 18K gold base by hand. The mosaics are reproductions of Greek, Roman, early Christian, Byzantine, Renaissance, Baroque, Islamic and Asian art. Along with their micro-mosaic collection, Le Sibille boasts two other collections. The more recent, I Giganti, wich features colored stones, and Lilliput, an original interpretation of modern jewelry. You can follow Le Sibille on Instagram @lesibille, visit their website www.lesibille.it/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with award winning artist Karin Jacobson and they talk about her education, her beginnings as an apprentice of a jeweler in Minnesota and how she develop her brand! Hope you enjoy this fun conversation! About: I began my jewelry journey in 2000 with the launch of my flagship collection at the world-renowned Walker Art Center. Within two years, I was selected as the Grand Winner of the prestigious AJDC New Talent Competition, which helped establish my jewelry as a national brand. Today, I run my business from my sunny studio in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District – the epicenter of a vibrant community of makers.   In partnership with my retailers, I am committed to meticulously crafted, beautiful art jewelry. Each piece is made personally by me in my Minneapolis studio, using ethically sourced materials, such as recycled metals and gemstones that are fair trade, recycled, domestically sourced, or purchased from gem buyers who have direct relationships with miners from small, artisanal mines. I have also recently become Fairmined™ licensed and have a new collection in Fairmined™ 18K yellow gold! My current collection is inspired by Origami. These designs push the boundaries of traditional jewelry to become small-scale wearable sculpture. I developed my folding technique to create pieces that have a graceful fluidity and big visual impact, but which are also lightweight and comfortable to wear. You can follow Karin on Instagram @karinjacobsonjewelry, visit her website www.karinjacobson.com Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Baiyang Qiu and they talk about her education as an industrial designer before she was accepted to SCAD. How a dandelion was a catalyst to her voice and her journey to be the incredible artist she is now! This conversation is truly delightful! About: “Inspired by nature and its beautiful forms, I use extremely fine gauge wire of high karat gold and platinum to bring my designs to life. Whether it be a tiny raindrop gliding down a leaf or a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, vine-like wire work becomes a three-dimensional line drawing that captures transitory moments to preserve them in timeless jewelry pieces.  The subjective relationship between my work and the body is part of this dichotomy, and jewelry is the medium to present my perspective to the wearer.” You can follow Baiyang on Instagram @baiyangjewelry, visit her website https://baiyangjewelry.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Emily Thatcher and they spoke about her love for making things, her fascination with microbiology and of course, this turned into a history podcast because why not?! Hope you enjoyed this conversation! Artists Statement My voluminous settings, in which I seat the stone, give space to admire their many aspects. The placement of the stone in the setting parallels the microscopic structures that are so fascinating to me. The interplay of light & shadow is another important aspect of my metal work; using gentle curves, intersected by flat plains, creating a simultaneously visually stimulating & tactile finish. Every component in my jewellery is either forged or sand cast as a one-off in my Sheffield studio. The creating of a new piece often begins with me alloying the gold in the studio to my own rich hue which has become the signature of my work. My most recent necklace style, The Camur, is comprised of a handmade chain that I developed with an undulating pattern, using the rich gold contrasting with palladium or oxidised silver to accentuate this aspect. Believing that no part of the piece should be hidden and that every part should be made to be admired, this has led me to incorporate the clasp as the main visual element in the piece. You can follow Emily on Instagram @emilythatcherjeweller, visit her website https://www.emilythatcher.co.uk/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Chris Boland and they talked about his love for minerals, geology and the true meaning of his inspirations. We question what it is to be responsible in the jewelry business and what is the right music to listen while you work! Spoiler alert, we disagree! About Chris Boland My fascination of inorganic structure is used to inform my bespoke jewellery pieces. Strong, bold shapes stress the unique qualities of the inclusions of the gemstones. I draw inspiration from surface treatment of architectural metalwork and sculpture, where marks made during the construction of the work are allowed to remain, often emphasized. For Me, the authorship lies very much in the making on the object. I work in metal, directly exploring the physical properties of the material. What is presented is not a facsimile of works in wax or additive manufacture but a primary reaction of tools on metal. I use traditional manufacturing technique (score-folding, soldering, filing and hand-finishing). From conception, the jewellery is minimal and fundamental. However, through the construction process; complexity is built in to the piece by serendipitous mark making and a real time reaction to a developing form . Always by design, the stone is offered up to the viewer, in a pleasing and unorthodox way. The story of the gemstone is of fundamental importance in my work and so all the stones used are natural and not overly treated. My belief is that it is important to tell the story of the stones using unique designs in metal. You can follow Chris on Instagram @chrisbolanddesigns, visit his website https://www.chrisbolanddesigns.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with the charismatic Allana Lalot and they talk about how she started in the world of sales in the jewelry industry! She had a passion for music and without knowing, she'll be wrapped in the jewelry world! Hope you can join us for this funny, insightful and educational conversation. About Allana: Allana left Australia at 21 in pursuit of a career in the music industry, which landed her in Vancouver, Canada which has been home for the past 17 years. She has worked in the jewelry industry now for 13 years doing everything from PR to marketing and sales - traveling the globe. She started LALOT 5 years ago with a focus on representing jewelry brands/designers that are handmade, responsible and ethical. You can follow Allana on Instagram @allanalalot and @lalotcollective, visit her website https://lalotcollective.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Rachel Jones, they talk about her beginnings in the jewelry world, her inspirations and how she found her voice! We discuss her research on creating the ombre alloys that she is getting known for! Hope you enjoy this wonderful conversation! ABOUT RACHEL Rachel’s handcrafted jewellery brings together colourful gemstones and gold that shifts in light that mesmerize.  Brimming with colour, each piece is a one of a kind treasure, that’s brings the joy of colour through artistry and craftsmanship. Inspired by precious jewellery materials, Rachel works with the foundations of jewellery; gold and gemstones. Through hand selecting multi-coloured or colour changing gems to alloying her own gold in-house, Rachel creates future heirlooms with a contemporary twist.  Bespoke jewellery allows the wearer to combine their unique gemstone and coloured gold combination, the defines their style and personality.  Each piece starts its journey with a gemstone, hand selected by Rachel from trusted suppliers around the world, from Australian opals and sapphires to Brazilian tourmalines and Bolivian Ametrine.  Each gemstone is paired with the perfect colour and tone of gold, from buttery 18ct yellow to cool 18ct white or romantic 18ct pink gold. The alchemy of gold is used to craft a spectrum of tones and hues but alloying fine gold, fine silver, copper and sometimes palladium. This means each piece is individual to the wearer and will become a future heirloom to last for generations to come.  You can follow Rachel on Instagram @racheljonesjewellery, visit her website https://www.racheljonesjewellery.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets sits with Cristina Villegas from Moyo Gems and we talk about the importance of artisanal miner or small-scale miner (ASM). How she help created an environment of education and empowerment of women miners in Kenya and Tanzania to thrive and the importance of educating oneself in the gemstones and gold we use for our jewelry. This is a truly important conversation. About Cristina Maria Villegas is the Director of Sustainable Jewelry & Strategic Initiatives at Pact, a global nonprofit organization at work in 40 countries worldwide. She is a leading expert on responsible mineral sourcing and on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). With deep experience across Africa, Asia and Latin America, she is best known for her specialty in colored gemstones, diamonds, and gold. Cristina is the co-founder of Moyo Gems, a direct sourcing initiative focused on the women gemstone miners and entrepreneurs of East Africa. She is a member of the Gemstone Knowledge Hub, is on the Board of Directors of Ethical Metalsmiths, is an ASM advisor to the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, and is a technical advisor to the Conservation X Prize’s Amazon Grand Challenge. She’s been quoted in Vogue, The Financial Times, The Guardian, Reuters, Wired, JCK, among others. She lectures for Columbia University’s Executive Course on Extractives and for Columbia University’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), where she leads the coursework on ASM. In 2021, she won the top prize in jewelry reform: The IAC Award for Leadership in Responsible Practice in Jewelry. You can follow Cristina on Instagram @cristina.rocks and @moyogems, visit her website www.moyogems.com , www.natureswealth.org Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A thousand facets talk to Romilly Saumarez Smith and they talk about her beginnings as a book binder, her romance with jewelry and her wonderful translators! About: In Robert McFarlane's The Wild Places he says that “true wildness is hard to find any more but it is still there in the tiny plants, mosses and lichens that live between rocks and tussocks. They are complete worlds in themselves.” I hope that my jewellery might be like that. I use diamond beads and small silver and gold pieces secured either side of a drilled out plate to build up these landscapes. The underside, where the wires are balled with the torch, becomes the roots as if a section of earth has been pulled from the ground. Much of my deep imagination lies under the sea. I like the way that barnacles encrust the surface of things. It's a long process of buildup, a random design that looks completely meant. The making of a piece of jewellery takes time, the placement of small elements doesn't need to be planned too much but builds slowly to a whole. You can follow Romilly on Instagram @romillysaumarezsmith2, visit her website https://www.romillysaumarezsmith.com/ Please visit @athousandfacets on Instagram to see some of the work discussed in this episode. Music by @chris_keys__ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices