Calder-Inspired Jewelry Introduction

Create a wearable metal sculpture that closely relates to the body. This should interact intimately with a particular body part such as the face, hand, shoulder, knee, torso, etc., in an unexpected way. The forms should be comfortable to wear, and avoid traditional jewelry shapes typical of necklaces, rings, or earrings.

Our inspiration is Alexander Calder, who made his work for loved ones and on commission. For conceptal reasons, he rejected nearly all automated or powered machinery in the creation of his work. Instead, he did almost everything by hand with simple hand tools. This was not for financial reasons, or lack of skill or interest in power equipment. Rather, he did not want those machines and processes to adversely dictate or influence what he could make. He felt that certain machinery would limit his forms. For example, a table saw is explicitly designed to cut straight lines. Calder never learned to weld, and as he put it, he always intended to, but never got around to it. As it turned out, he did not need welding personally for the creation of his work, otherwise he would have learned how. His very large works that did require welding or powered machinery were made for him by metal fabricators who studied and measured his maquettes. They sometimes made certain changes to the work based upon structural needs, which Calder accepted.

Details

• Err on the side of larger and bolder. Avoid delicate or tiny pieces. These are statement pieces.
• The general shapes of raw materials for this project are wire, rod, and sheet. The gauges of these materials are determined by the amount of manipulation needed to make your forms, along with durability and weight.
• The types of metals most appropriate for the project are aluminum, copper, and brass due to cost. The exception: any part of your jewelry that pierces a body part such as the nose, earlobes, or navel requires hypoallergenic metals. These elements can be purchased pre-made and integrated into your piece.
• No stones or jewels are to be used in this project.
• The work can be made from a single piece of metal or a collection of assembled parts.
• All connection methods must be cold formed, such as tabs, rivets, loops, ect. No soldering, brazing, or welding is allowed. No glues or adhesives are allowed.
• All parts of your work that do not penetrate the body must be hand formed and fully manipulated. No part can be left in its raw sheet, rod, or wire form.
• The entirety of manipulated elements must be hammered, even if its texture is ultimately smooth.
• Other than parts that penetrate the body, all clips, hangers, pins, clasps, and connection methods must be hand made and fully manipulated as is the case with other parts of the piece.
• No straight lines or regular geometric shapes can be used. In other words, the objects must be organic in nature.
• Your pieces are wearable sculptures, and your body is the canvas. In presenting your work, dress as though you are the art gallery, and make your piece as powerful as possible. Alternately, employ another person as your model, and prepare them as the canvas. Clean lines and solid-colored clothing are better than patterned or visually complex clothing. Bare skin is also appropriate.