Mostly Metal Category

Aria

Artist: Naomi Eade (Cloverdale, Australia)
Honorable Mention, Mostly Metal

"Opera ... that’s what I was thinking when I was designing this piece. The extravagance and luxury of the 1875 Paris Opera, by Charles Garnier, was exactly what I had in mind, images of grand jewelry worn by even grander women as the ascended the amazing central staircase in Garnier's design. It was the jumbo [teardrop] pendant that was the seed of the design; the stunning swirls of the ocean jasper and the sheer size of the pendant lend themselves perfectly to the extravagant design. The focus of the piece was to be the wire and crystal ‘collar’ supporting the jumbo gemstone pendant. The piece was built from the centre out, starting with the wire work above the pendant, and then the fill-in of crystal [beads]. In the interest of finding the most durable build for the piece, yet still maintaining the aesthetic, I re-strung the 'wings' on either side of the wire centerpiece several times, trying wire, tigertail, and ultimately settling for a combination of the two. Using the sterling silver coil for protection of the tigertail, as well as to add to the look of the piece and tie back in to the wire wrapping on the central wire section. The Swarovski® crystal colours were selected to pick up the colours in the ocean jasper, but also because the warm, subtle tones of the light Colorado topaz and golden shadow combined to add to the elegance of the piece. This added a hint of history, which was the idea behind the design. The piece is finished with a handmade 14-gauge sterling wire hook-and-eye clasp, with wire wrapped crystal detail to tie back into the centerpiece. The overall finish of the piece is just what I was aiming for, and captures the grandeur of the 1870’s opera house while maintaining a modern feel." — Naomi Eade

View more 2005 Honorable Mention winners, see our very first contest winners (2004), or check for details about our most recent contest!

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