Monthly Archives: April 2016

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue

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Cryosphere2
Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue
A special installation in Velvet da Vinci’s Elevator space.

 

May 13 – 26, 2016
Artist’s Reception: Friday, May 13, 2016, 6-8pm

 

Velvet Da Vinci is pleased to present Thea Clark’s Cryosphere So Blue, a site-specific installation in the gallery’s two-story elevator shaft. The show will run May 11 – 26, 2016. An Artist’s Reception will take place Friday, May 13, 2016, from 6-8pm.

 

The term cryosphere refers to the frozen water on the earth’s surface. The installation is inspired by the work of pioneering female Arctic explorer Louise A. Boyd of San Rafael, California who in the 1930’s conducted numerous expeditions to Eastern Greenland to do research on glaciers and geography. Boyd’s work included documenting the landscapes with hundreds of photographs made using state of the art cameras. Her collective research from over 80 years ago is still used today as a reference point for climate change studies.

Boyd’s black and white images capture amazing surface detail but we know the true glowing blues of icebergs and glaciers were only possible to see in person. Thea Clark’s sculpture and jewelry installation is influenced by these captured images, Boyd’s actual seen experience, documented scientific findings, and the nautical aspect of the exploration. Through the use of color, texture, and materials Clark pays homage to the natural wonder of the Arctic. Clark focuses on the pioneering spirit of Boyd through the lens of today’s knowledge of man’s responsibility for the rapid loss of our cryosphere.

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail)

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Narrative Brooch

Thea Clark, Narrative Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, brass, wood, anthracite coal, 4.5" x 2.5" x .25"

Thea Clark, Narrative Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, brass, wood, anthracite coal, 4.5″ x 2.5″ x .25″

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Echo Soundings Pendant

Thea Clark, Echo Soundings Profile Pendant, Sterling silver, cotton cord, 3.5" x 3.75" x .25"

Thea Clark, Echo Soundings Profile Pendant, Sterling silver, cotton cord, 3.5″ x 3.75″ x .25″

Thea Clark, Echo Soundings Profile Necklace, Rope, sterling silver, leather, 3" x 7" x 28"

Thea Clark, Echo Soundings Profile Necklace, Rope, sterling silver, leather, 3″ x 7″ x 28″

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Thea Clark, Hisinger Glacier Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, hemp, rutilated quartz, brass, 3" x 3" x 2"

Thea Clark, Hisinger Glacier Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, hemp, rutilated quartz, brass, 3″ x 3″ x 2″

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Morainless Glacier Necklace

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Morainless Glacier Necklace

Thea Clark, Head of Josef Franz Fiord Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, brass, sterling silver, nickel silver, hemp, tinted plastic, rutilated quartz, 3" x 3.25" x 1.5"

Thea Clark, Head of Josef Franz Fiord Brooch, Tinted plaster, resin, brass, sterling silver, nickel silver, hemp, tinted plastic, rutilated quartz, 3″ x 3.25″ x 1.5″

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Head of Josef Franz Fiord Brooch

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Head of Josef Franz Fiord Brooch

Thea Clark, Walterhauser Glacier Brooch, Resin, stones, wood, Antarctic coal, silver, 4" x 2" x .25”

Thea Clark, Walterhauser Glacier Brooch, Resin, stones, wood, Antarctic coal, silver, 4″ x 2″ x .25”

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Walterhauser Glacier Brooch

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View (detail) featuring Walterhauser Glacier Brooch

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Thea Clark: Cryosphere So Blue, Installation View

Nikki Couppee: Hologems

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Nikki Couppee: Hologems

May 11 – June 19, 2016

Artist’s Reception: Friday, May 13, 2016, 6-8pm

Nikki Couppee’s recent work talks about the different functions jewelry performs in society. Objects of personal adornment have the ability to define a person’s social statues, serve as a redeemable investment and perform on a psychological level. Working with everyday materials like Plexiglass, brass, and found objects in place of precious gems and metals she intuitively creates her own versions of gemstones, hand cast and faceted in luminescent plastics. In the series Hologems, Couppee combines holographic and synthetic materials with resins, creating fantastical frozen corsage brooches, lustrous, glow-in-the-dark gems, and collaged ornaments that are at once over-the-top and elegant. The work is further inspired by growing up on the beach in Florida, the 90’s, Crown Jewels, and costume jewelry

Nikki received an MFA in Jewelry/Metals from Kent State University, Kent, Ohio (2011) and a BFA from the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia in Jewlery/Metals (2007). Her work has been featured in publications such as American Craft, Metalsmith Magazine, Modern Magazine, Vogue Brazil, Dailycandy, and Lark Book’s 500 Enameled Objects. Couppee has taught enameling and jewelry/metals techniques at Kent State University, The Cleveland Institute of Art, and The Crucible in West Oakland, CA. Originally from Pensacola Beach, FL, Nikki currently lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Flower Drops, 2016, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, faux pearls, vinyl, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Flower Drops, 2016, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, faux pearls, vinyl, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Red Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Red Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch III, (glow in the dark) found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch III, (glow in the dark) found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch III (Glow in the dark, as seen in the dark), Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch III (Glow in the dark, as seen in the dark), Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Fringe Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Palms, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects, vinyl

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Palms, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects, vinyl

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Heart Studs, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver fine silver, found object$

Nikki Couppee, Hologem Heart Studs, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch IV, Found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch IV, Found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Emerald Wreath Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, steel

Nikki Couppee, Emerald Wreath Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, steel

Nikki Couppee, Shell Valentine Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Shell Valentine Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Hologems with Red Leather, Plexiglass, brass, found objects, leather

Nikki Couppee, Hologems with Red Leather, Plexiglass, brass, found objects, leather

Nikki Couppee, Emerald Cocktail Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Emerald Cocktail Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Diffraction Drops, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, film

Nikki Couppee, Neogem Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Neogem Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, 4th of July Drops, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gems Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found objects, steel

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gems Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found objects, steel

Nikki Couppee, Sweetheart Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Sweetheart Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Large Corsage Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found object, steel, (glow in the dark)

Nikki Couppee, Large Corsage Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found object, steel, (glow in the dark)

Nikki Couppee, Neogem Crystal Drops, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, film

Nikki Couppee, Turquoise Shell Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Turquoise Shell Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Diffraction Necklace, 2016, Necklace Plexiglass, brass, leather, film

Nikki Couppee, Diffraction Necklace, Necklace Plexiglass, brass, leather, film

Nikki Couppee, Fringe Earrings, 2016, Plexiglass, brass, found objects, 11 x 7.5 x .5 inches, photo

Nikki Couppee, Fringe Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Beach Kid Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found object, steel, 5 x 5.5 x 1.5"

Nikki Couppee, Beach Kid Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found object, steel

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gems Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gems Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gem Studs, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Glow Gem Studs, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Midnight Cocktail Earrings, 2016, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Troll Hair Fringe Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Troll Hair Fringe Earrings, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Wall Corsage, Found object, plexiglass, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Wall Corsage, Found object, plexiglass, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Dichromatic Studs, Plexiglass, brass, found object, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Dichromatic Studs, Plexiglass, brass, found object, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Glow Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Glow Brooch, Plexiglass, brass, found objects

Nikki Couppee, Glow Brooch, 2016, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, film

Nikki Couppee, Glow Brooch (as seen in the dark), 2016, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, film

Nikki Couppee, Heart Drops, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found objects, vinyl

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch II, Found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Corsage Brooch II, Found objects, rubber, steel

Nikki Couppee, Legends Glow Gems Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Legends Glow Gems Necklace, Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver

Nikki Couppee, Legend Glow Gems Necklace (as seen in the dark), Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object

Nikki Couppee, Legend Glow Gems Necklace (as seen in the dark), Plexiglass, brass, sterling silver, fine silver, found object