Designed and fabricated by Barbara Berk, winner of a 2004 AGTA Spectrum Award With carved gemstones by Sherris Cottier Shank, winner of AGTA Cutting Edge Awards Barbara M. Berk, GG, is an award-winning jewelry artist known for her hand-woven high-karat gold and platinum. Among Berk’s honors are a 2004 American Gem Trade Association Spectrum Award, the 2002 Award for Excellence in Design from the Women’s Jewelry Association, and a 2001 Saul Bell Design Award. Her work is represented in the permanent jewelry collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Museum of the Gemological Institute of America. Berk’s jewels are exhibited in museums and shows nationwide, including New West Coast Design: Jewelry + Metalwork (Velvet daVinci Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2008) and The Art of Gold, a traveling exhibit of contemporary American studio goldsmithing organized by the Society of North American Goldsmiths (2003 – 2006). Her jewels have been featured in many publications, including Textile Techniques in Metal for Jewelers, Textile Artists and Sculptors by Arline Fisch, and Jewelry and Gems the Buying Guide by Antoinette Matlins and A. C. Bonanno, in addition to many periodicals including Gems and Gemology, Jewelry Artist (formerly Lapidary Journal), Metalsmith, Ornament, American Style, Adornment and the International Herald Tribune. Barbara Berk is the author of technical papers presented to and published by the Platinum Guild International and the Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing. She teaches workshops and classes at art centers and schools across the US. In her own words, Barbara states: “I start by making “fabric”, weaving high karat gold or platinum sheet and wire by hand, off loom, one piece at a time. I then coax the flat “fabric” into a 3-dimensional, sculptural form. Precious metal ribbons, ruffles, spirals and loops – accompanied by pearls and gemstones – become necklaces and pendants, earrings and brooches. Mine is a contemporary interpretation of classical forms and ancient techniques, creating sophisticated jewels … elegant … understated … distinctive.” The present brooch was hand-fabricated in 2000 by the artist of 18K yellow gold sheet and wire woven together by hand, flat, off loom, in an "over 1, under 1" Plain Weave pattern, then shaped into a three-dimensional form. The sculptural woven gold becomes a brooch with the use of a stickpin as the attachment mechanism. With five different, interchangeable 18K yellow gold stickpins to use as alternate fasteners: four gem-topped stickpins, including a carved Zambian amethyst, weighing 12.05 carats, a carved gem rhodonite from Australia, weighing 17.91 carats, a faceted citrine briolette, weighing 13.58 carats, and a faceted rock crystal briolette, weighing 14.09 carats; and one 18K yellow gold wire-embellished stickpin. Stamped with Barbara Berk Designs maker's mark" , height 2 1/8 in.
Designed and fabricated by Barbara Berk, winner of a 2004 AGTA Spectrum Award With carved gemstones by Sherris Cottier Shank, winner of AGTA Cutting Edge Awards Barbara M. Berk, GG, is an award-winning jewelry artist known for her hand-woven high-karat gold and platinum. Among Berk’s honors are a 2004 American Gem Trade Association Spectrum Award, the 2002 Award for Excellence in Design from the Women’s Jewelry Association, and a 2001 Saul Bell Design Award. Her work is represented in the permanent jewelry collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Museum of the Gemological Institute of America. Berk’s jewels are exhibited in museums and shows nationwide, including New West Coast Design: Jewelry + Metalwork (Velvet daVinci Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2008) and The Art of Gold, a traveling exhibit of contemporary American studio goldsmithing organized by the Society of North American Goldsmiths (2003 – 2006). Her jewels have been featured in many publications, including Textile Techniques in Metal for Jewelers, Textile Artists and Sculptors by Arline Fisch, and Jewelry and Gems the Buying Guide by Antoinette Matlins and A. C. Bonanno, in addition to many periodicals including Gems and Gemology, Jewelry Artist (formerly Lapidary Journal), Metalsmith, Ornament, American Style, Adornment and the International Herald Tribune. Barbara Berk is the author of technical papers presented to and published by the Platinum Guild International and the Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing. She teaches workshops and classes at art centers and schools across the US. In her own words, Barbara states: “I start by making “fabric”, weaving high karat gold or platinum sheet and wire by hand, off loom, one piece at a time. I then coax the flat “fabric” into a 3-dimensional, sculptural form. Precious metal ribbons, ruffles, spirals and loops – accompanied by pearls and gemstones – become necklaces and pendants, earrings and brooches. Mine is a contemporary interpretation of classical forms and ancient techniques, creating sophisticated jewels … elegant … understated … distinctive.” The present brooch was hand-fabricated in 2000 by the artist of 18K yellow gold sheet and wire woven together by hand, flat, off loom, in an "over 1, under 1" Plain Weave pattern, then shaped into a three-dimensional form. The sculptural woven gold becomes a brooch with the use of a stickpin as the attachment mechanism. With five different, interchangeable 18K yellow gold stickpins to use as alternate fasteners: four gem-topped stickpins, including a carved Zambian amethyst, weighing 12.05 carats, a carved gem rhodonite from Australia, weighing 17.91 carats, a faceted citrine briolette, weighing 13.58 carats, and a faceted rock crystal briolette, weighing 14.09 carats; and one 18K yellow gold wire-embellished stickpin. Stamped with Barbara Berk Designs maker's mark" , height 2 1/8 in.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
