Logo for CC 150x50

AJF NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY
2010
Dear  ,
 
Welcome to the February 2010 newsletter of the Art Jewelry Forum. We have much to present in this current issue of the newsletter, which also marks my first as chair of the newsletter committee.

As Susan Cummins, Chair of AJF discusses in her Letter from the AJF Board, the organization has made some bold decisions about how it would like to develop in the future, and I am very excited to play a role in helping AJF transform itself into an international organization, bringing the best of contemporary jewelry practice to its members through this newsletter and our website.

AJF depends on the contributions of its members, and one of the things we are hoping to achieve with the new direction is a greater sense of conversation and community. If you would like to contribute - with a text for the newsletter or website, or any thoughts about what you'd like to see us cover - please contact me, or any other member of the AJF board.

Mike Holmes


AJF BoardA LETTER FROM THE AJF BOARD 
 
Welcome to 2010 from the AJF board!


In January the board had a retreat in California and we adopted some big goals this year. After reviewing our activities of the past few years, we have made the decision to become an international organization. This means we will be broadening our focus beyond America, and connecting with the very best of contemporary jewelry from around the world. We are going to be increasing our web presence with a more active blog, keeping up to date with events, information, gossip and informed commentary about what's going on in the field. And we will be working more strategically with our grant schemes for emerging jewelers and institutions, as well as introducing a new grant for critical writing about contemporary jewelry, making sure these important activities of AJF reach a wide audience.

Another one of our goals for 2010 is to grow the number of our members to above 150. We are at 112 right now. The increase will financially support our existing programs and our aspirations for AJF, as well as making sure our activities have an impact in the contemporary jewelry world. We believe these changes will make AJF an even more valuable resource for all our members, as well as continuing to support the field we all care about.

The AJF board has grown to include Mike Holmes, a partner in Velvet Da Vinci Gallery located in San Francisco, Ron Porter, a vocal and active collector of contemporary jewelry, and Sienna Patti, the energetic gallerist from Lenox, Massachusetts. In addition we have asked Damian Skinner, an art historian from New Zealand to edit our website blog and newsletter, and we are going to hire a part time assistant to help with the financial chores and membership data that Sally von Bargen has been handling for the past couple of years.

And finally we have had to say good-bye to Trish Rodimer who left the board at the beginning of the year. She served for many years as the chair of the board and then became an invaluable board member at large for the past three years. Thanks so much Trish for all your years of service.

Susan Cummins
Chair, AJF Board
 

PHOTO
The AJF board hard at work at the retreat on January 11, 2010, in San Francisco. From left to right: Sally von Bargen, Mike Holmes, Trish Rodimer (standing), Susan Cummins (standing) and Susan Kempin
Ron PorterSO YOU WANNA GIVE SOMETHING AWAY?  
by Ron Porter
 
Individuals have as many reasons to buy and/or collect objects as there are objects available. Jewelry is one of the more personal passions in collecting due to its connection to our bodies. 
Click to continue reading online.
Bruce PepichAJF INTERVIEWS BRUCE PEPICH 
by Rachel Carren
 
We invited Rachel Carren to interview Bruce Pepich who has bee the director of the Racine Art Museum for more than thirty years. Pepich is an ardent supporter of craft as well as the artists who create it.  Click here to read Rachel's interview.
Book ReviewBOOK REVIEW:  Werkverzeichnis: Catalog RaisonnĂ© - Gerd Rothmann
by Jennifer Cross Gans
 
It's not often you see an art book whose text is more interesting than the photographs. But such is the case with this retrospective catalog of the work of Gerd Rothmann.
Click here to read the review.
 
ExhibitEXHIBITION REVIEW: Finnish Jewellery 1600-2009
by Damian Skinner
 
It's clear from the title of this exhibition that it has large ambitions, stretching from the Renaissance to the present day. As the introductory wall text puts it, 'Over the centuries, Finnish craftsmen were able to learn... Click to continue.
QUICK LINKS
 
AJF Website