A Rarity // Behind The Scenes with Eva Kolenko + Brian Enright of 12 Sticks

Another Rarity design launched yesterday, and now to show you the behind the scenes photos I took when EVA KOLENKO and I visited the shop of Oakland jewelry artist, Brian Enright of 12 Sticks.  Brian works out of The Crucible--working as an instructor and renting his own work space where he creates jewelry and industrial art, furniture, and custom wood projects.

The Crucible is a dream come true if you are interested in anything having to do with fire, building, and awesome tools.  Brian gave us the tour of the jewelry studio, machine shop, and we passed by the Smithy and welding areas, all with baby Parker in tow (how cool that this kid gets to go to so many cool places and see her bad-ass mom work, kind of puts 'Take Your Daughter to Work Day' in its place!).  Anyway, hope you enjoy xo.

 

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Insta Love

This week I'm bringing you a few more of my favorite feeds on Instagram.  I am trying to collect and curate feeds that are all original photography with a look into a world that you might just want to get lost in. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

1 // @boetjewelry "Jewelry and Sculpture by Emily Bixler".  Boet jewelry is true original style of intertwined heavy metals with beautifully woven fibers and textiles, created by Portland based sculptor Emily Bixler.  Her work is unlike anything you've ever seen, and her feed is a wonderful window into her studio.  See her work in person at Crown Nine.

2 // @oaklandsurfclub "Oakland Surf Club".  This well curated surf boutique's feed features daily updates to their look book, modeled on handsome dudes on familiar streets in Oakland.

3// @clafinthayerco "All leathergoods and shoes designed and sewn by me".  Oakland based clothing designer and leather guru of Clafin Thayer Co.  A worthwhile project on her feed features a custom outfits designed and sewn each month for her new baby, Pepper.  Don't miss the little leather moccasin booties, they are dreamy.

4// @kinfolkmag "Photos by Nathan Williams".  Beautiful photographs from behind the scenes of Kinfolk Magazine.  Kitchens, design, food, beauty.

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Mitsuro Class This Sunday

This Sunday afternoon I will be teaching a really special technique that is close to my heart: Mitsuro.

Mitsuro is a technique dating back to 760 AD in Japan, and is an art that is being kept alive by a very small group of artists.  I started experimenting with the wax myself, but it's a super finicky formula that changes with the weather, the seasons, and the quality of the ingredients.  I have finally found a recipe that I like to use, a modification from one that an artist in Washington shared with me.  It takes a few hours of cooking, I do it in my kitchen in a pot, and the house fills with an incense-like aroma of pine resin and beeswax.  

The real draw for me to Mitsuro is how free and loose the process is.  Usually when carving waxes I am planned out in advance, I have a specific thing I am intent on making.  With Mitsuro, the process is totally guided by the material, I can only make it do so much and I have to make quick decisions and not get attached to any particular outcome.  I think part of the reason why I am so attracted to jewelry crafting is because it really gets me connected to some spiritual lessons I need to learn about acceptance, patience, letting go, and being present in the moment.  You really can't bully or force your way through the craft, which is a great check on my temperament which tends to be fast moving and forward-looking.  I love being at my bench, being totally quiet, and letting the practice alone be enough.

In the class, students will learn about the history of this craft, which is only being practiced by a handful of American artists, as well as how to source ingredients, how to cook your own recipe, and each student will get to choose an object to cast in silver.  Students will also go home with a small batch of the wax so that they can begin practicing right away.

See more details on the class >>>

Email me if you have any questions about the class: crown.nine@gmail.com

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Samantha and Markandeya

Samantha is the magic maker behind Shapes and Colors who is set to marry the love of her life, Markandeya, next weekend at Lake Temescal.  For this project, we recycled 18k gold rings from Samantha's mother and from Markandeya's grandmother.  We used the diamonds from her mom's ring for her solitaire and then added beautifully flush set stones all the way around her wedding band, each a little different in size giving it a warm and loose feel, a more modern kind of eternity band.  Markandeya's ring has three diamonds and two knife edge lines, replicating the pattern of three.

I'm wishing you both all the love it the world as you tie the knot and begin a new an exciting phase in your lives together.

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