Work of Art: Jewelry Challenge: Season 1: Episodes 1-7

Work of Art aka "WOA" is a new (hopefully continuing) television series that is airing its first season here in 2010. It runs along the genre of Project Runway but is directed towards all medium artists instead of fashion designers. I have been hosting this project with my fellow EtsyMetal team members and it has been a very fun exciting challenge so far, it seems we are able to translate the shows challenges to make them jewelry related quite nicely. Currently we are on Episode 8: "Opposites Attract" to be due on August 5th. Below are the first 7 episodes I participated in. To see ALL the groups pieces please go to the EtsyMetal blog. Most of these pieces will eventually be for sale in my Etsy shop.

1. Episode 1- Self Reflexive, 2. Episode 2: The Shape of Things to Come, 3. Episode 3: Judging a book by its Cover, 4. Epidode 4- Sticker Shock! a>, 5. Epidode 5- Art That Moves You, 6. Epidode 6- Open to the Public, 7. Epidode 6- Open to the Public-pt 2, 8. Episode 7- Childs Play

Episode 1: Self Reflexive

"The artists size up their competition and are randomly put into pairs for their first elimination challenge. They learn that after only one night together, their mission is to create a piece of art that captures the essence of a fellow competitor."
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation"
After you get your partner, you will each take your perception of thier essence and create a piece that Is YOU but reflects something you feel about them. I drew Bijougirl's name! She makes beautiful jewelry. I have not ever met her in person but she is my fellow team member. Her work feels romantic, feminine, graphic and palyful. She uses flowers often in her pieces, so this aspect really stood out for me and I chose to make some flowers to reflect her feminity and a symbol she uses often.

Episode 2: The Shape of Things to Come

Title "Amblyopic Opera Glasses"

"For their second challenge, the artists are taken to an appliance graveyard filled with televisions, toaster ovens, and an array of broken electronics. Using the trash heap as their canvas, the artists are charged with transforming one man’s trash into another man’s piece of art."

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Participants should take a old electronic found object and incorporate it into thier piece, OR if you do not want to use alt materials then feel free to just use the idea of one for inspiration!

 Episode 3: Judging a Book by its Cover
The contestants meet the President and Publisher from one of the largest book publishers in the world, who guides them through the impressive history of the marriage of art and literature. For their elimination challenge, the artists are charged with creating innovative cover art for a classic novel.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" This week choose between list of the sevenbooks below and make a representation of the book. Pretend it will be the jewelry piece that is sold along with the book when it launches. Something that reperesents characters or the book idea in general. "I chose Alice in Wonderland-Through the Looking Glass".

Episode 4: A Shock to the System

Title "Sticker Shock"
The challenge for the contestants was to make a shocking piece of art.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Exactly the same as the contestants but interpreted into a piece of jewelry.
This week I decided to make a play with words, on the show most everyone did a sexual or grotesque theme. I felt that would of been way to easy and I really didnt feel insoired by the theme so I took another direction. In my Etsy shop I listed this simple ring for $1000, I took a screen shot and left it for a few weeks until someone flagged me and I had to take it down per terms of use policy with Etsy. It was fun while it lasted!

Episode 5: Art That Moves You

Title "Fuel Injected"

In this episode the contestants are given a fleet of cars and told to drive them through New York City, ultimately arriving at the Audi Forum. An artist’s city often serves as a source of inspiration, and for their elimination challenge, the artists must create a piece of work that is reflective of their experience driving through the streets of Manhattan.

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Please make a piece that involves "cars" somehow!
"For this challenge my dear sweet partner says, "why don't you make an engine?" I said, "No." So he begins to show me all these car parts and I stop him when I see these freaking gorgeous Hilborn fuel injector stacks. Please let my heart be still, I do not think I did these beauties any justice but they definitely were all my inspiration for this piece. Their wonderful shapes is a favorite of mine so how could I not indulge? The little stacks in my ring wriggle around in the setting. Materials: Sterling Silver, Oxidized and Fabricated"

Episode 6: Open to the Public

"EtsyMetal Charm necklace"
In this episode 6, The remaining artists are challenged to create a large-scale, outdoor installation piece. The artists must put egos aside and collaborate effectively in order to create a public art masterpiece in just two days. The challenge culminates in a public viewing.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" For this episode we asked participants to all make a charm, these charms are being mailed to me as we speak. These charms will be put onto a handmade charm holder and the be available in our "public" EtsyMetal Team shop. *Click here to see the charms!

Episode 7: Childs Play            

Title "The ModernMacaroni"                                                              

The artists find themselves in the Children’s Museum of the Arts, filled with finger paint portraits and crayon collections. Their challenge is to create a work that is symbolic of the moment their artistic expression began, using only kid-friendly materials to create an adult masterpiece.

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Last week we asked our team members to create a piece that has some personal connection and representation to their childhood.

For this challenge I was kind of stumped. I could not really pin down a pivotal point in my childhood where I decided I wanted to be an artist or anything like that. I have many memories of just always creating while I played, making dirt roads and towns for my Tonka trucks (I did not play with dolls), melting crayons with a magnifying glass into pools of swirling colors on the patio, building crazy contraptions just to turn the light off from my bed using string and eye screws, contraptions to dump beads on your head if you snuck into my room unannounced. I just liked to draw and make things. Feels pretty much like what I do now! So this little modern macaroni necklace is an iconic symbol for every ones childhood. I think it may be the one thing almost most of you can remember making as a youngster? So I took the easy way out and made the familiar for everybodys amusement and memories.

Next Week Episode 8: Opposites Attract

The artists are paired and must create works about opposing forces:

Heaven and Hell

*

Male and Female

*
Order and Chaos

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" For this episode we are asking our team members to make a piece that depicts both opposing forces, pick one of the three pairings!