January Jewelry Challenge

            January 2012 Challenge

Let me start of by saying thank you all for the win in the Color on Metal Challenge.  My flame painted work is always a crowd favorite and fun to do as well!!!

Now, here is my idea for this month’s challenge.

Men’s Jewelry.

Sounds simple right….. Wrong. 

Here’s the catch…………..

I have always been a good husband and like to buy very nice jewelry for my wife. (Pat, pat on the back)  I have spent a great deal of money and she has a very nice collection including a blue sapphire set I have been putting together for several years. My daughter and her also have a few matching pieces I have bought the two of them.  I consider all this heirloom’s that will one day be hers and then her daughters. 

don't do this

With that said let me tell you how disheartening it is for a guy who does like jewelry, is friends with a ton of remarkably talented jewelers, and all I see to buy in the catalogs, and online for men looks the same!!!

When I get a catalog, I open it up to see boring black, Stainless steel, a few Dog Tags and then a few crosses thrown into the mix.  Look, I get it that that stuff is popular. We as a society are geared towards what is trending.  Screw that. 

don't do this

 I want to see something besides a bracelet with a piece of cable running through it or a leather cuff.  A charm for a necklace that is not religious or a dog tag. A men’s ring that is not gold, black or silver.


If woman’s jewelry can be beautiful and artistic why then can men’s jewelry not be just as ornate and beautiful.




So there it is:
I want to see you all make a piece of men’s jewelry that is something you would make for your husband, boyfriend, Dad or for the guys yourselves.

I want to see color.
I want to see something that while it looks delicate it is sturdy enough to take a beating.
I want to see pieces that I could give to my grandson one day.

Some of you may be all over this idea. Some of you may be kind of hesitant to take on something that takes you this far out of your comfort zone.  But that is both the nature of this monthly challenge and the whole point of growing as artists. 

Expand your product lines into a new direction. Look, when we all go to our shows there are always a ton of jewelers there right…. How many of them have pieces for men? Next time hopefully you will. 
Good Luck. Have fun. Do your homework on this folks. You have two months to do this. Yes, two months.

 I want to see pieces that are well researched designed to last and are not thrown together.  Take your time. Enjoy pushing yourselves into this unfamiliar territory. 

Well, I do hope you all will enjoy this. It is something as you can see I have a deep interest in seeing done and I hope you all will take part. 

More examples of what NOT TO DO:

 

Entries are Due on March 11 by midnight in the Flickr pool.

Remember to TAG (not just title)  your photos, January ASM Challenge, in our flickr site.

Thank you all for this opportunity to present a challenge!

Here's a link to our team flickr stream!!! just upload your entries there and make sure to TAG them with December Challenge!!

TEAM FLICKR POOL