Written by: Mary Lynn Podiluk, jewellery artist featured in “Triadica”

 

Metaphors

Objects, phrases, or ideas regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially something abstract.

 

Experimentation and exploration have been the motivation behind the creation of this body of work. I have aimed to push the conceptual side of my art jewellery while continuing to incorporate alternative materials that have informed my creation process. Predominantly, I feature precious metals and glass-like resin, with the new introduction of translucent and tactile silicone. I have composed these materials into wearable works in a way that invites further investigation through the lens of language, linguistics and sound

I find it invigorating to have an unknown element to my creation process; it motivates me to try new techniques, which often leads to design discoveries. I may have a general design in mind without knowing what the end result of a piece will be ahead of time, or even if the idea is doable; after several rounds of experimentation, I draw on the results and compose them in a way that fits my original vision, even though it may be much different in execution than I had originally imagined. Metaphors embodies over a year of investigation, introducing a more diverse range of forms, textures and colours through material exploration.

Gold is a familiar material; I have been working with this beautiful metal for several years, but had not used it in this context before now. It introduces a contrasting colour to the silver surfaces, and brings a linear element to the designs that feature it. On a less conventional note, I have begun incorporating silicone, which brings with it a glass-like appearance similar to my resin forms, but also a flexibility that has opened multiple design possibilities and left me with much more to explore. The material itself is not alien to me, as I have been using it to create molds for resin casting. However, the working properties of silicone are much different than those of resin; while these properties don’t really come into play when making molds, they are something that I have had to patiently experiment with, learning to take them into account when designing pieces.

Another main aspect of this work is complete incorporation of form. Many of my pieces have shape requirements due to the way they are created – for example, the resin casting process requires vents called ‘sprues’ to be attached to the pieces to avoid trapping air. In the past, I have removed these sprues and done my best to hide any evidence they were there. As I’ve gained experience in moldmaking, I have come to realize that this functional requirement could become part of the jewellery itself, allowing for the sprues to form a decorative and sometimes integral part of the finished piece.

Through the process of building this body of work, the way in which I handle each material has begun to inform the treatment of the others. For example, the ‘Resound’ and ‘Unison’ rings are designed with an accessible, flowing appearance, but if you look closely, you may perceive the shape of a mouth, an interpretation that mirrors many of my resin forms. Likewise, some of the metal shapes incorporate sinuous, tapered organic lines that echo the decorative implementation of the sprues necessary to the resin and silicone components, as seen in ‘Through the Grapevine.’

This sort of interaction and exploration has let the work evolve and progress in its character. Metaphors has been a series of experiments, some of which have led in unexpected directions. What you see here today is a collection of the successes and a starting point for future evolution.

Thanks to Mike Podiluk & the Saskatchewan Arts Board for their help and support in creating this body of work.

 

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