I am writing about something that happened two weeks ago, but I have been travelling, working and simply did not have time to tell about it. Though, it is something that I want to share for sure. I went to the Jewelry School of Quebec!
The occasion was a special one – they are celebrating the 30th anniversary. To mark the special date, the school featured two events – the exhibition (and sale) of pieces by students and teachers and the exhibition “Perception” by the resident creative group of contemporary jewelry “Filière 11”. So much fun!
I will be your eyes there. Let’s start with the School’s exhibition.
Among the participants you may find Robert Langlois (the President of the School), Michel Alain Forgues who has been teaching at school since its first year and is celebrating 50 years in jewelry and many other experienced and evolving artists.
Karine Gosselin
Philippe Savoie
Astrid Apissoghomian
Sonia Beaushesne
Annie Loiseau
Véronique Paradis
Catherine Sheedy
Now about Filière 11. The group of contemporary jewelery designers was founded 6 years ago and consists of 11 artists: Sonia Beauchesne, Sophie Bélanger, Marie-Hélène Bélanger, Karine Gosselin, Stéphanie Letarte, Émily Lewis, Annie Loiseau, Anne-Marie Rébillard, Karine Rodrigue, Mélanie Denis and Catherine Sheedy.
They are meeting once per week in this lovely luminous space at the Jewelry School of Quebec. The space of inspiration, creation and research in contemporary jewelry.
The artists are particularly interested in the intersection of different disciplines, the function and history of jewelry. They want not only to explore it but also to question, debate and leave their usual comfort zones. Sonia Beaushesne gave me a beautiful excursion into the world of Filière 11 and the exhibition “Perception”, presenting the current results of their work.
Karine Rodrigue
Sophie Bélanger
Karine Gosselin
These are, by the way, different kinds of micro-vegetations growing in Quebec, transformed by the artist into brooches.
Sonia Beaushesne.
This is a collaboration of the artist with Nature – Sonia put silver pieces into salt for 3 weeks!
Emily Lewis.
This is not directly a jewelry, but rather a jewelry installation. During the napoleonic wars the Prussian government asked people to give their gold jewelry for the needs of the country. In exchange, they were given iron jewelry with these particular ornaments.
Stéphanie Letarte
Sometimes it simply astonishes me, how the artist transform something ordinary into something spectacular. This is what Stéphanie uses for the pieces above.
She makes prints, as well.
Annie Loiseau
Exploring time.
The following is a part of history of Filière 11. Using different things, brought by the people, they were playing in “jewelry words” – one jeweler took one piece, than passed it to another, to add something, and so on.
Was so much fun! Thank you very much, everyone, for such a warm welcome at your school! If you don’t see your pieces here, it is not because I did not like – simply not all of my photos are yet good. Just learning to play with the camera, and jewelry is a very fancy model!