Look Book

s It's no understatement to say we are living through extraordinary times. Fortunately, reinvention, creativity, and innovation tend to come out of convulsion. A phoenix cannot rise from the ashes without there first being ashes. As an artist and a jewelry designer, the dark clouds of this period have platinum linings. I find inspiration everywhere, have a vision for the future, and my appreciation of community has only deepened. With a BA from Columbia University in Art History & Visual Arts, as well as an AAS from FIT in Jewelry Design, I'm constantly weaving together different worlds and traditions. My love of jewelry first took the form of collecting rare gemstones, but coming up with novel fine jewelry designs soon took over. For my current collection of jewelry I drew inspiration from architecture, history, and even plants. The art deco beauty of the French Building on New York's 5th Avenue gave me the idea for my "Gatsby Earrings". I chose to use green tourmaline in their geometric design to evoke the hope Gatsby felt looking out at the green light flickering at the end of Daisy's dock. During this period of pandemic, racial justice protests, and economic uncertainty, jewelry feels more meaningful than ever. Friends, family, and clients constantly tell me how much more they cherish their grandmother's ring, or late father's watch.They find themselves wearing and touching these talismans every day and garnering a great sense of peace and hope from them. They smile at happy memories of a simpler world. Sentimental value goes beyond a price tag. It means so much to me to be able to create something that means so much to others. Whatever the reason or occasion, I don't stint from my reach for perfection and always use the very best materials and jewelers available. I take pride in the fact that my jewelry looks every bit as amazing under the loupe as it does to the naked eye. That delicate marriage of creativity and craftsmanship is no doubt why my collection has won 4 AGTA Spectrum Awards. In response to the tumult of our times, I take inspiration from the extraordinary people around me: the families caring for both children and elders in close quarters; the essential workers showing up on the front lines each and every day; and the small businesses doing their best to serve their communities. For my next collection, I plan to create beautiful, robust, and timeless pieces that can be worn every day, in every situation, not just on special occasions. My sketchbook is full of pieces that would bring color, joy and happy memories to the wearer. In the past 6 months, community has become even more important to me. I joined a loose federation of Bay Area jewelers striving for a more just jewelry industry. I partic- ipate more in activities with the WJA, JDPN, Japan Society of Northern California, and the Columbia University Black Students Union. I have also become involved with the newly founded Jewelry Industry Task Force, who crafted the BIPOC Open Letter to the Jewelry Industry. My new and renewed engagement in these different groups has helped me feel grounded and connected in this disjointed time. I have great hope that the next phase for the jewelry industry will be filled with more community participation, a sharing of values, and a commitment to innovation. We can help to bring joy, beauty and hope to people around the world when they need it most: right now. I look forward to working with everyone in the industry to make this happen. Designer Profile 62 www.thejewelrybook.com Alexia Connellan

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