Can jewelry express love? Do you wear it for protection or power? Or just for the simple beauty of metal embellished with stones and gems?
Creations by Laurie Flannery
May at The Green Phoenix Gallery helps answer these questions, with a wide array of hand crafted jewelry by artist and designer Laurie Flannery.
Always interested in the art of adornment, Flannery uses silver, copper and bronze as her primary materials when handcrafting each piece in her Baltimore studio.Additional materials may include steel, shells, pearls, semi-precious stones, and found objects. A variety of fabrication techniques are used.
“I have always loved jewelry, and as a child was scolded for taking the fake gems out of my mother’s costume jewelry. I just loved holding the sparkly glass in my hands. Years later, in the Continuing Ed programs of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and Towson University, I learned how to make jewelry. The American Craft Council Show in Baltimore was my first ever show, in a booth for emerging artists with Towson, and I was quite nervous. I then developed a following and continued making handmade jewelry; selling to craft stores, galleries and retail outlets nationwide.
“Other art forms also fascinate me. More than a decade ago I studied old school black and white photography at MICA, and in 2008 became a semi-finalist in the prestigious Janet and Walter Sondheim Competition. Recently I began oil painting as a self-taught artist with no formal education or instruction, and sped up my learning curve by participating in a few of Diane DuBois Mullaly’s painting challenges at the Academy Art Museum.
“Jewelry has remained a constant presence in my working life for decades. I consider primitive materials such as shell, stone and bone to be as beautiful as pearls and semi-precious stones, all of which are included in my creations. I take interest in the special meaning of all materials, which can be worn for protection, power, or just for the simple beauty of them. I love the act of creating, and find myself floundering in the world without it.”
Gallery owner Andi Tassencourt invites the public to The Green Phoenix on First Friday, May 3, from 5 to 8 pm, to meet Flannery, shop her newest works, and to enjoy some wine, yummy finger foods, good company and conversation. Says Tassencourt, “Laurie’s jewelry is meticulously crafted, reasonably priced, and beautifully unique. A wonderful complement to the international flavor of hand crafted works by our Fair Trade artisans, in combination with our eclectic mix of fine, artisanal crafts by local artists, and oil paintings by Diane DuBois Mullaly. All come together to offer an environment with a full range of creative arts for the community to enjoy!”
And FRIVOLOUS FIBERS Yarn Boutique, located inside The Green Phoenix Gallery, adds even more interest, featuring an ever changing collection of its own line of gorgeous, hand-spun, and hand-dyed yarns.
The Green Phoenix Gallery is located at 31 N Harrison St, Easton. 410-822-7554. Open Monday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Closed Sunday. www.facebook.com/greenphoenixgallery
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