Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration

[Patsy Kay Kolesar]

A clearly stated and consciously shared purpose is the foundation of great collaborations."   -Twyla Tharp

For the past year I have been working with two other metal artists on creative collaborations.  We came together because we all had the same purpose.  We wanted to work on interesting projects that brought attention to art jewellery in Canada. Our goal was to create a new way for the public to interact with us, with an approach that would be exciting and engaging for everyone.  

Simone Richmond, Su Foster, Patsy Kay Kolesar.  Photo by Feeling Photography. 

The other two metal artists in my group are, Simone Richmond, who's an etching expert and has spent hours meticulously hand stitching some of our pieces together and Su Foster who's a filigree expert and soon to be engraving master. My specialty is enamelling and specifically using silkscreening to add patterns with enamelling. The three of us share a common love for intricate patterns, bold colours, and teeny tiny details.

Our group, "Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration", has the mandate to collaborate with artists working in different genres to create one of a kind wearable art pieces. For 2013, we focused on working with musicians and performance artists.

Finnish Music Ensemble White Sparrow members, Debi Wong and Solmund Nystabakk. photo by Feeling Photography.

We created the Melancholy Necklace in collaboration with mezzo-soprano Debi Wong for her to wear in her music ensemble White Sparrow's performance of Mr. Dowlands Midnight, at Visual Space Gallery, in Vancouver, BC. Canada.  We used the music of John Dowland to inspire the creation of a necklace that embodied the spirit of Elizabethan design and melancholy.

The Melancholy Necklace, copper, sterling silver, enamels, freshwater pearls.  © Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration

We created The Medea Necklace series in collaboration with mime artist Yayoi Hirano to wear during a performance of Medea at the Orpheum Theatre Annex, in Vancouver BC. Canada.

Yayoi Hirano, Medea Performance.  photo by Yukiko Onley

Our inspiration for these pieces came from our meeting with Yayoi, she showed us her exquisite hand carved masks and beautifully detailed handmade costumes.  Yayoi put on a costume and a mask and gave us a sampling of what her performance is like.  She chanted in the Noh style, which is a traditional Japanese chanting that is somewhat eerie and incredibly beautiful.  As we sat in this small, open gallery space listening and watching, we were mesmerized.  We felt so honoured to be invited into this creative project and we left that meeting vibrating with creative ideas.  We used the swirly shape from the fabric of the Medea kimono to spark our design.  We created three one of kind necklaces for the performers to wear.  

The Medea Necklace, copper, sterling silver, enamels, satin ribbon.  © Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration

The Princess Necklace, copper, enamels, sterling silver, satin ribbon. © Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration

The Step Sister Necklace, copper, enamels, sterling silver, satin ribbon. © Jewellery + Artists + Collaboration

I am so grateful to have been a part of these amazing collaborations with other talented inspiring artists.  By working in collaboration we have been able to achieve things that we wouldn't necessarily have achieved on our own and honestly sharing these successes with each other is so much more fun than any individual success.  

As my trip to Touchstone Center for Craft is getting closer and I am getting more excited, I remind myself daily my intention for doing this.....

I want to continue to seek ways to experience creative communion in my life.