Throughout the 20th century, there were increasing numbers of artists who chose to work within a fine art aesthetic (i.e., expressive, communicative, innovative, unique) while simultaneously embracing qualities associated with craft production (i.e., intimacy, materiality, labor, ritual). At the periphery of their world loomed issues of status, gender, community, and economics. This fluid situation made for an exciting mix of ideas that helped perpetuate an ongoing debate within an art world no longer as monothematic as it appeared in print. Objects and Meaning expands upon a national conversation questioning how various academic disciplines and cultural institutions approach and assign meaning to artist-made objects in postmodern North America. Although most of the discourse since the mid 20th century revolved around the split between art and craft, the contributors to this collection of essays take a broader view, examining the historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives that defined the parameters of that conversation. Their focus is on issues concerning works that appeared to 'cross over' from mainstream art to an amorphous and pluralistic aesthetic milieu that has yet to be defined. The essays collected for this volume, loosely organized into three groupings_Historical Contexts, Cultural Systems, and Theoretical Frames_contribute to a deeper understanding of the meaning of objects and how that meaning comes to be defined. Although the style of writing in this collection ranges from passionate conviction to cool observation with points of view from different professional backgrounds, each essay reflects original ideas introduced into the cultural dialogue during this period.

The first major scholarly investigation into the rich history of the marked body in the early modern period, this interdisciplinary study examines multiple forms, uses, and meanings of corporeal inscription and impression in France and the French Atlantic from the late sixteenth through early eighteenth centuries. Placing into dialogue a broad range of textual and visual sources drawn from areas as diverse as demonology, jurisprudence, mysticism, medicine, pilgrimage, commerce, travel, and colonial conquest that have formerly been examined largely in isolation, Katherine Dauge-Roth demonstrates that emerging theories and practices of signing the body must be understood in relationship to each other and to the development of other material marking practices that rose to prominence in the early modern period. While each chapter brings to light the particular histories and meanings of a distinct set of cutaneous marks-devil's marks on witches, demon's marks upon the possessed, devotional wounds, Amerindian and Holy Land pilgrim tattoos, and criminal brands-each also reveals connections between these various types of stigmata, links that were obvious to the early modern thinkers who theorized and deployed them. Moreover, the five chapters bring to the fore ways in which corporeal marking of all kinds interacted dynamically with practices of writing on, imprinting, and engraving paper, parchment, fabric, and metal that flourished in the period, together signaling important changes taking place in early modern society. Examining the marked body as a material object replete with varied meanings and uses, Signing the Body: Marks on Skin in Early Modern France shows how the skin itself became the register of the profound cultural and social transformations that characterized this era.

Not only do scripts and alphabets form bridges between cultures, but their history and the stories they tell are the perfect springboard for calligraphic experimentation. From India to Ethiopia, Tibet and beyond, Denise Lach has travelled widely in the world of script. Here, she documents complex and simple characters, playful shapes and vibrant colours, which she then translates into her own visual art. She demonstrates the exciting design possibilities offered by script: you can repeat, turn, mirror and rotate letters; you can also experiment with rhythms, contrasts, colours and line widths. In addition to calligraphic techniques, Lach introduces examples from printmaking, fabric printing, collage making and digital techniques. As illustrated by its beautifully photographed works of art - on paper, stone, fabric or ceramic material- Journeys in Calligraphy will take you to many surprising destinations.

This simple guide to calligraphy teach-as just the basics, allowing novices to jump right in and make their own wedding invitations, hand label envelopes, write their own placecards and explore their creative side. With the rise of 'do-it-yourselfers', there is a growing demand for a simple calligraphy guide. This book answers that call, with a focus on only the popular Italic alphabet rather than the multitude normally covered by other books (Gothic, Uncials, Half-uncials and so on). After learning the basic letters, the book presents an open invitation and a bit of inspiration - to make calligraphy one's own with creative flourishes for every project and occasion. With a modern two-colour design and simple explanatory text, Simply Calligraphys unintimidating approach proves that calligraphy is as easy as picking up pen and paper.

THE FIRST BOOK DEDICATED ENTIRELY TO THE USE AND MASTERY OF MODERN BRUSH PENS Drawing gorgeous letters, words and phrases with a brush pen doesn't have to be difficult! Brush Pen Lettering will show you how to create your own unique style. To help you on your lettering journey, this comprehensive how-to guide includes: * DIY projects * Tips and Tricks * Color Photographs * Inspiring Ideas * Step-by-step instructions * Practice sheets

In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in 'design classics', both in their increased availability and affordability through re-issues, and in their widespread re-interpretation by contemporary designers and artists. Focusing on chairs, this book examines this significant aspect of contemporary design practice. It does so, not only in terms of works by well-known designers, but also relative to ubiquitous designs such as the monobloc, Thonet number 14, and Ming chairs. These varied examples of re-imagining and re-working are examined from an international perspective as designers and artists across the globe seek to bring new formal, material, and narrative interpretations to these iconic designs. Renewed interest in do-it-yourself, together with the growth of hacking, open-source design and digital fabrication, have all contributed to an expansion of the concepts of re-imagine and re-make in the new millennium. Embraced by professionals, amateurs and companies alike, these developments further attest to the diverse practice of re-interpretation in contemporary design. Bringing together key examples of the re-issuing, re-imagining and re-making of design icons, the book draws on observations from designers, artists and manufacturers in order to understand the varied motivations behind these activities. It places the works within their historical and cultural context, and considers the boundaries between art and design. Further, the book interrogates the issues of authenticity and authorship and the ethical and legal rights to copy and to alter iconic objects that are raised by these re-interpretations.

Craft practice has a rich history and remains vibrant, sustaining communities while negotiating cultures within local or international contexts. More than two centuries of industrialization have not extinguished handmade goods; rather, the broader force of industrialization has redefined and continues to define the context of creation, deployment and use of craft objects. With object study at the core, this book brings together a collection of essays that address the past and present of craft production, its use and meaning within a range of community settings from the Huron Wendat of colonial Quebec to the Girls' Friendly Society of twentieth-century England. The making of handcrafted objects has and continues to flourish despite the powerful juggernaut of global industrialization, whether inspired by a calculated refutation of industrial sameness, an essential means to sustain a cultural community under threat, or a rejection of the imposed definitions by a dominant culture. The broader effects of urbanizing, imperial and globalizing projects shape the multiple contexts of interaction and resistance that can define craft ventures through place and time. By attending to the political histories of craft objects and their makers, over the last few centuries, these essays reveal the creative persistence of various hand mediums and the material debates they represented.

An illustrated, full-color value guide covering a wide range of bookend types and styles, with a detailed look at the three main processes used to create cast-metal bookends, a tour through the history of manufacturers who pioneered this art form, a special chapter on cast metal bookracks, sample pages from actual company catalogs, and more than 40 photographs of company identification marks and trademarks. Plus, an extensive identification and buyers' guide examines original and copy pieces side by side and helps to separate the treasures from the trash. This will serve as an important reference resource for years to come, and a timely one now as bookends are quickly becoming one of the hottest new collectibles in today's market.

Native American jewellery of the Southwestern United States in its classic union of white metal and blue turquoise is an iconic form and the focus of this strikingly illustrated new publication. Internationally recognized and locally significant, Native American jewellery has a compelling history which represents the persistence of tradition while encapsulating the vitality of Native American communities and the continuously transforming nature of their contemporary artistic practice. As a traditional item of adornment it can be understood through the complex histories of making and the development of locally important styles and materials. Situating jewellery in the cultural economy of the American Southwest, this publication explores Southwestern jewellery as a decorative form in constant transition. It describes this rich tradition as subject to a number of desires, fostered and regulated, at different times, by government agencies, individual entrepreneurs, traders, curators and Native American communities. It presents a series of perspectives on Southwest Native American jewellery and explores questions relating to Native American jewellery's identity as craft, material culture, commodity and adornment. Considering the impact of tourism, it discusses the phenomenon of fakes and the related desire to codify tradition and traditional styles, and how these affect stylistic development and value. In describing the markets, the markers and the work, the book suggests the complexity and reinvention that is innate to Native jewellery as a commercial craft. The book also examines British activities as regards to collecting, bringing to prominence fieldwork and exchanges between British and American institutions. It traces the networks of individuals, makers and institutions that facilitated the emergence of UK collections from the 1890s to the 1990s, including an account of the activities that led to the development of the British Museum's contemporary collection. The book draws heavily on the author's archival and fieldwork research (undertaken since 1997) which includes interviews with Native American jewellers, as well as traders, dealers and curators within the field. Illustrated with objects from the British Museum's collection and drawing from a wide range of historical and contemporary sources, this book explores the symbolic, economic and communal value of Southwestern jewellery today.

This book reproduces in color all fourteen images from a fifteenth-century manuscript, now part of the J. Paul Getty Museum collection. One of the finest illuminated secular manuscripts produced in the Netherlands during the period, the manuscript features miniatures that illustrate important
episodes from the short life of the legendary Macedonian general. Titled Les fais d'Alexandre le grant, the manuscript is itself a translation of a text attributed to first-century Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, whose Latin text is one of our principal literary sources for our knowledge of
Alexander. McKendrick's authoritative text places the Getty's manuscript in its contexts as history and art and explains how the text and illuminations have much to tell us as well about the politics and aesthetics of the Burgundian Netherlands and the development of secular culture in Western
Europe.

Twist, curl and wrap wire into one-of-a-kind jewelry! Follow along with author Gayle Bird as she teaches you everything you need to know to create her signature jewelry designs. First learn the basics of color and design, then move into essential wire tutorials. From there, you'll work your way through 20 step-by-step jewelry projects, including earrings, rings and necklaces. By the time you finish the book, you'll be ready to design your own statement jewelry, complete with swirling wire and dazzling gems. Features: Tutorials on the essential wire techniques, including spirals, curls and more. Chapter on design gives the foundation for creating unique pieces. Step-by-step directions for 20 projects.

This book is a mosaic or quilt of folk art around the world, from polychrome clay figures made in Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla (Mexico) to the baskets Maori women create in New Zealand, from Japanese lacquer work and decorated paddles to black dolls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The creative impulse found in three continents, four countries, and four geographical regions are juxtaposed to make up a harmonious whole. The book carries out a detailed dissection of a variety of ethnic, racialized, and gender representations in their contemporary forms.

Covering the period from the publication of Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Makers' Director (1754) to the Great Exhibition (1851), this book analyses the relationships between producer retailers and consumers of furniture and interior design, and explores what effect dialogues surrounding these transactions had on the standardisation of furniture production during this period. This was an era, before mass production, when domestic furniture was made both to order and from standard patterns and negotiations between producers and consumers formed a crucial part of the design and production process. This study narrows in on three main areas of this process: the role of pattern books and their readers; the construction of taste and style through negotiation; and daily interactions through showrooms and other services, to reveal the complexities of English material culture in a period of industrialisation.

Tatting is an accessible and thriving craft that is perfect for creating beautiful necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings. Esteemed tatter Lyn Morton showcases her stunning designs in this fantastic new title. Containing a diverse range of exquisite jewellery projects to create and inspire, each beautiful piece is carefully photographed and accompanied by easy-to-follow tatting diagrams.

Wire is the hottest trend in jewelry making. 101 Wire Earrings gives wireworkers of all skill levels the information and inspiration to make innovative, stylish, and contemporary earrings. Following in the footsteps of Wire Style, author Denise Peck offers an inspiring selection of 101 stunning wire earrings from top designers. The clear instructions are enhanced by step-by-step photographs and the projects are broken into beginner, intermediate, and advanced categories. Included inside: Step by step instructions on how to make head pins and French ear wires Techniques for hammering and texturing wire Tricks to coil, spiral, harden, and straighten wire Definitions of the important elements that make up earrings, including headpins, jump rings, hoops, loops, coils, spirals, ear wires. With projects that are inexpensive and require minimal tools, this book is a must have for any jewelry or wire artist wanting to build their skills or be inspired by new ideas, beautiful materials and creative designs.

The exquisite colours of enamelling have been the choice of kings for centuries. This book explains the rich traditions of the magnificent technique of champleve, which combines the skills of engraving and enamelling. Champleve is a technique of enamelling requiring the creation of a cell into which enamel is then applied. Celebrating fifty years of working as a master craftsman, Phil Barnes gives a unique insight into all aspects of the process. He explains the techniques of engraving in preparation for enamelling, and then looks at enamels and how to work with them to create a piece, through to the final polishing and finishing.

World renowned for its collection of Islamic art, the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait also houses an important collection of ancient art. Splendors of the Ancient East presents a selection of ancient artefacts from the al-Sabah Collection, most of them reproduced for the first time. This selection is united by the personal vision of Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and his wife, Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah. This vision is informed by a love of the beauty of these objects and an interest in the material culture of this region, from which grew some of the distinctive forms and design vocabulary of Islamic art. Covering a time span of some 4,000 years, from the Bronze Age up to the dawn of the Islamic era, this book celebrates some of the beautiful objects created in the Near East and beyond including Central and South Asia.

Manfred Bischoff (1947-2015) was one of the most innovative jewellery artists of our time. He designed items of jewellery that tell stories and enriched his language of forms through references to contemporary art, quotations from art history and philosophy, and inspiration from his bountiful world of ideas. Through this, he developed his own particular way of mounting his jewellery pieces on drawings, on which messages and titles appear in his own characteristic hand. In this book, his work is showcased in its entirety for the very first time, including early works, which attracted little attention in previous publications. The publication is oriented on the sequence of places that each had a major influence on his works: first Berlin, followed by further locations in Italy. The book not only documents Manfred Bischoff's multifaceted oeuvre with numerous illustrations and preliminary sketches; it also provides insights, via additional private photos and notes, into a remarkable artistic universe. Text in English and German.

A beautifully illustrated book exploring the art of Iran and Central Asia from the 5th to the 2nd Millennium BC This richly illustrated book explores the art of ancient Iran and Central Asia between the 5th and 2nd millenniums BC, a time that proved to be one of the region's most prolific periods. Over this period, the first cities arise, strengthen their power and multiply, and undergo continuous innovation. To serve this new world, items are invented and artistry flourishes-jars for storage and transportation of goods, prestigious weapons, jewellery, ceremonial vessels and statuary. Exquisite photography and illustrations throughout the book demonstrate the skilful design and wealth of materials used to create such objects. Ancient Iran was rich in minerals, while Central Asia had precious commodities such as lapis lazuli, gold and tin. Showcasing the distinctive artistic output of the region, magnificent objects from the Sarikhani Collection and other collections come together in this illuminating book. Distributed for the Sarikhani Collection

*Kitchen-table jewelry makers get their knowledge and build their skills by experimenting in their homes or in small retreat workshops and classes. This book is for them! *Techniques demonstrated are supported by great, simple metalsmithing projects that allow the reader to hone their skills while making something wearable to treasure *Best-selling author of Simple Soldering, Kate Richbourg demystifies rotary tools with a comprehensive guide to this common tool. What the micro (creme brulee) torch was to making soldering simple, the rotary tool is to surface effects and professional finishing

Reprint of this bestselling title on contemporary jewelry. An introduction into art jewelry in light of current trends in contemporary fine art and society On Jewellery offers a comprehensive overview of the trends and role of contemporary international jewelry art from the 1960s to today, shown within the context of corresponding trends in art and society. This publication is dedicated to themes such as interdisciplinary collaboration, new means of presentation and contextualization. It also incorporates photography and the relationships between jewelry and the body, jewelry and ornament and new interpretations of traditional technical skills. Furthermore it considers aspects such as terminology and strategies, positioning, prejudices and the significance of content with regard to jewelry. On this basis this publication offers a synopsis of what jewelry art is and what it can be. Its aim is to reveal the characteristics, language and potential of jewelry. A bibliography of the most important works of jewelry art, a directory of jewelry galleries, museums and educational institutions make On Jewellery a compact handbook of contemporary jewelry art. Artists featured include Pia Aleborg, Gijs Bakker, Melanie Bielenker, Manfred Bischoff, Helen Britton, Paul Derrez, Iris Eichenberg, Warwick Freeman, Otto Kunzli, Daniel Kruger, Yuka Oyama, Robert Smit, Annamaria Zanella and Christoph Zellweger. Contents: Beyond the Showcase; Conceptual Jewellery; Jewellery and Photography; Reading Jewellery; Borderline Jewellery; Jewellery and the Body; Jewellery and Ornament; Jewellery and the Goldsmith's Skill; The Language of Jewellery; Documentation: Manifests. Since 1985, Liesbeth den Besten has worked free lance as a writer for newspapers, art and design magazines and exhibition catalogues. She is active as an advisor and jury member for Dutch and international governmental institutions, exhibitions and competitions, and lectures about contemporary jewelry and crafts at international conferences and art academies. She is chairwoman of the Francoise van den Bosch Foundation for contemporary jewelry and one of the founding members of Think Tank, a European Initiative for the Applied Arts.