After graduating with a BFA in Metal Arts from the California College of Arts and Crafts in San Francisco in 2005, Anastasia Azure has been dedicating her time to make stunning, whimsical and, as we found out, highly labor-intensive pieces that go beyond adornment and beautification – the inherent function of jewelry.
INMYX: When and how did you find out that you wanted to design and make jewelry?
Anastasia Azure: My love for making jewelry began at an early age with summer camp projects. During my senior year of high school, silversmithing captured my heart’s passion. An inherent essence in me connected with the precious materials of shiny metal, luminous stones and the transformative power of fire. Pursuing a career in jewelry provides a unique opportunity for me to touch people's lives by reminding them of their individual uniqueness. I wish to create extraordinary adornment to inspire confidence and radiance.
INMYX: How would you describe your pieces in terms of style and technique?
Azure: By interlacing textiles with jewelry metal arts, I combine an ancient cloth-making technique with contemporary materials to create dimensional-weave jewelry and sculpture. The gracefulness of supple curves and the beauty of geometry are expressed through undulating forms of metal and monofilament. Wire and monofilament are seemingly mundane materials which I transform into objects with integrity and preciousness. My artwork revolves around the seamless continuity of a circle. The universal circle offers protection and perfection, while representing oneness and dynamic balance.
INMYX: Lastly, how long does it take to design and finish, let's say, one of these beautiful, fragile bracelets?
Azure: The myriad points of interlocking strands drive my exploration of form, structure and volume. The dimensional-weave technique does not allow for great spontaneity and the designs must be planned. My process reflects hours of detailed, repetitious precision work. A project may begin with days of paper model making and weeks of on-loom sampling. It can take months to weave elaborate one-of-a-kind pieces such as "Accentuating Focus" and "Egg Hunt."
My jewelry is hand-woven using a traditional floor loom. The dimensional-weave technique is a complex weave structure in which two sets of warps interlace with two sets of wefts, simultaneously producing two distinct layers. However, in the piece, "Accentuating Focus," it is four layers to create quadruple cloth.
Link:
www.anastasiaazure.com
