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www.artjewelryforum.org
No. 5 March 2007

Collectors like you appreciate art as an international language that articulates beliefs, explores ideas, and ultimately defines a culture. For many of us it was an unexpected and powerful experience of art that sparked our desire to understand that language and led us to explore contemporary art jewelry. In this issue of AJFconnection we feature a traveling museum exhibition of contemporary jewelry by Israeli women likely to capture your imagination.

If you missed this exhibition at the Racine Art Museum, you'll be pleased to learn that it has moved to the Bellevue Arts Museum. Executive Director Michael Monroe, who left the Renwick to lead BAM, is a committed advocate for contemporary jewelry and brings the Israeli women jewelry exhibition on the heels of its critically acclaimed Ron Ho retrospective. If you happen to be in Seattle be sure to catch the show.

in this issue...
  • Contemporary Israeli Jewelers Show Moves to BAM
  • Important News from the Board
  • AJF Website Login: Easy As 1-2-3
  • Tips for Printing AJFconection

  • Important News from the Board

    Call for nominating committee volunteers: The Board is moving forward to develop a nominating committee and process for bringing on new board members. Our goal is to have this process completed by October in order to have transition time with current board members. If you have an interest in becoming more involved with AJF either through participation on the nominating committee or finding out more about what positions are available, we’d love to hear from you now. Use "Quick Links" to volunteer.

    AJF website expanded: Our website now has a new page, listed across the horizontal top navigation bar. Called Resources, it is designed as a place within the site where you can connect to other resources in a number of categories. We’ve launched this new page with the following categories: Websites of interest; Member Gallery Websites; Shows; Organizations; and Publications. Member Gallery Websites as a link is currently only available to those galleries who are AJF members. We have chosen to post links to these sites to ensure your easy access to their most up-to- date information. If you have come across other sites that you feel would be good additions, please let us know. We’re counting on the internet scanning fingertips of our members to help build out this resource over time.

    AJF supports CERF: The Board has again approved a $500 donation to CERF (the Craft Emergency Relief Fund). This is a group which does great work day-in-day-out providing assistance to artists in need. The needs have morphed exponentially with Katrina so we have chosen to give a $500 donation annually from AJF.

    Boston trip: The Boston trip registration package goes into the mail shortly. Almost all the details are final and we think you’re going to be delighted. And, aren’t we all ready to plan our own version of a spring break trip in these final doldrums of winter! We’d love to get just an “expression of interest” from all of you at this time as to whether or not you are planning to join us in Boston on May 19- 22. Responding to our request via email to: [email protected] does not obligate you in any way to register but this information will be very helpful to our trip planners at this time so please do let us know if you are planning to come.

    This could be your last AJFconnection! If you have not renewed you AJF membership now is the time to do it. The next newsletter will only be emailed to members who have paid their 2007 dues.


    AJF Website Login: Easy As 1-2-3

    We have recently had some questions about our website logon process, now that we have moved the site to a new platform. Here are the steps to follow:

    1. Go to www.artjewelryforum.org.
    2. Click "Login" in the upper right navigation bar.
    3. Enter your first and last name, i.e., Sue Smith and password: ajf (lower case). You can also change your password if you wish.

    You will now have access to all of the content on the site, including the members-only Directory (http://www.artjewelryforum.org/members- only/members/).

    If you lost your password, follow steps 1 and 2 above but then click "Forgot Password" at the logon screen. If you need help logging on, here is a video tutorial: http://www.likoma.com/lost-password-update-user- info/.

    The most frequent reason for login problems is that a member has changed his or her email address and not notified AJF. Our system is based on your email address on file so please be sure to put us on your notification list when changing that address.


    Tips for Printing AJFconection

    AJFconnection can easily be printed on standard 8.5 x 11 paper if the top, bottom, right and left page margins are set to .25. If you need help just send us an email and we'll be in touch to walk you through this simple configuration.


    Contemporary Israeli Jewelers Show Moves to BAM
    Eshel-Gershuni 1

    Women’s Tales: Four Leading Israeli Jewelers, is the first comprehensive study of Israeli contemporary jewelry to focus on the careers of four of its leading women jewelers. The show, featuring 127 jewelry pieces, opens at the Bellevue Arts Museum this month. The exhibition began an international tour at the Racine Arts Museum, moves to Europe to tour in 2008-09 and closes at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem during 2009-2010.

    The exhibition is the first in-depth study of the works of leading jewelry artists Bianca Eshel-Gershuni, Vered Kaminski, Esther Knobel, and Deganit Stern Schocken. Each of these artists has played a critical role in forging an Israeli identity in the contemporary jewelry movement, one that is distinctive of Europe and America. Their work has brought international attention to a country that was previously largely unrecognized for its contribution to contemporary jewelry. All four artist were trained in Europe and looked for inspiration in other European contemporary jewelry, which has a focus on non-precious materials. These four artists' works are uniquely autobiographical, reflecting their womanhood as individuals, wives and mothers living in Israel and strongly impacted by its culture.

    A nationally distributed catalog, created by the Racine Art Museum, will accompany the show and will be available in the Bellevue Arts Museum Store.

    IMAGE: Bianca Eshel-Gershuni, Belt Buckle, 1973 18k gold, pearls, semi precious stones, porcelain and mirrors, 10 1/2" x 4 1/4", Courtesy of the Artist Photography: Michael Tropea

    IMAGE: Deganit Stern Schocken, Body Piece (City), 1993, Nickel silver, stainless steel, paper, silver, and shell, courtesy of the Artist / Racine Art Museum. Photography: Michael Tropea

    Quick Links...

    AJF trip information

    Volunteer for the Board nominating committee

    Let us know if you need help printing newsletters

    Bellevue Arts Museum



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