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"Showcase 500 Art Necklaces" by Ray Hemachandra and Chunghi Choo..
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DESCRIPTION: Softcover. Publisher: Lark Crafts (2013). Pages: 420. Size: 8 x 8 x 1¼ inches; 2½ pounds. This entry in the “Showcase 500” series features the most gorgeous necklaces you've ever seen. Lovingly crafted by renowned art jewelers from around the world, these one-of-a-kind pieces display technical excellence, diverse forming techniques, and unceasing beauty. Made of materials that range from traditional metals to nylon, fabric, and found objects, these necklaces will leave art lovers, jewelers, design fans, crafters, and collectors awestruck and inspired.
CONDITION: NEW. New (albeit "remaindered" or surplus, and faintly blemished) oversized softcover. Lark Crafts (2013) 420 pages. Clearly new and unread, however there is a black remainder mark (drawn with a black marker) on the bottom surface of the closed page edges indicating that the book was unsold surplus inventory). The mark is not visible of course on individual opened pages, only to the mass of closed page edges. Inside the book is pristine, pages are clean, crisp, (otherwise) unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. From the outside the book is absolutely clean and unsoiled, but does evidence a small, mild 3/8 inch (10 millimeter) bump to the back corner of the spine head, as well as a tiny tear in the paper skin of the spine head. The tiny closed tear was carefully repaired, and so is not prominent. Even given these minute superficial cosmetic blemishes, the condition is entirely consistent with new (albeit "remaindered", or surplus) stock from a bookstore environment wherein new books might show minor signs of shelfwear, consequence of routine handling and simply being shelved and re-shelved. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! #8642e.
PLEASE SEE DESCRIPTIONS AND IMAGES BELOW FOR DETAILED REVIEWS AND FOR PAGES OF PICTURES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.
PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.
PUBLISHER REVIEWS:
REVIEW: There’s lots of sparkle this week thanks to the dazzling new release of "Showcase 500 Art Necklaces". Offering both traditional and boundary-pushing examples of modern neckwear, this intriguing collection is full of surprises, including a necklace made of glass that glows, a rather regal collar composed entirely of shoe heels, and a piece that features teabags (and an apt title: “Drink Me, Alice!”). Uncommon elements—computer parts, porcupine quills, dental floss, LEDs—abound in the book, but so do tried-and-true treasured materials like gemstones, gold, copper, and sterling silver. And there are beads galore—of course! Materials aside, the pieces in Showcase 500 Art Necklaces are unified by a boldness of vision that’s truly exciting. Chunghi Choo, a professor of jewelry and metal arts at the University of Iowa and an elected fellow of the American Craft Council, juried the collection, choosing from 3000 entries submitted by an international group of artists. Take a look at the images below, and you’ll see why "Showcase 500 Art Necklaces" is a summer standout.
REVIEW: Features necklaces. Lovingly crafted by renowned jewelers from around the world, this title includes one-of-a-kind pieces that display technical excellence, diverse forming techniques, and unceasing beauty.
REVIEW: Photographs of more than 500 pieces of jewelry from 475 artists are showcased in this extraordinary international collection juried by renowned artist Chunghi Choo.
REVIEW: Juror Chunghi Choo’s artwork is held in countless major museums and institutions, including the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. A professor of jewelry and metal arts at the University of Iowa, she is the F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor of Art, and elected fellow of the American Craft Council.
REVIEW: Presents a collection of five hundred necklaces crafted by renowned jewelers and made of a variety of materials, including metal, gemstones, antique glass, fabric, and plastic.
REVIEW: Contemporary jewelry is celebrated in this spectacular, inspiring, dramatic, and joyful collection of art necklaces from designers around the world.
REVIEW: Author and senior editor Ray Hemachandra, the former content team lead and business manager of Lark Jewelry & Beading, is the author or senior editor of more than two dozen books, including “Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry”, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2012. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS:
REVIEW: This is the latest book in Lark's revisited 500 Series - renamed the Showcase 500 and soft bound (which I believe will stand the test of time much better than the hard bound covers). I know I sound like a broken record but I truly believe that the 500 Series and the new Showcase 500 will be the most valuable tool in the Appraisers' bookshelf - these tomes hold the work of hundreds of Art Jewelers whose names the future may not recall - but whose work and passion are evident in these pages.
This volume is an excellent example of the vast array of styles and techniques that make up the "Art Jewelry" movement. Housing 500 pieces of Jewelry by 475 different artists is an internationally diverse collection juried by Professor of Art (specifically metal arts, jewelry and mixed media) at the University of Iowa for half a century, Chunghi Choo. From the VERY wearable, bordering traditional pieces of Petra Class' Green Arabesque Necklace and the very detailed pieces that can only be made One Of A Kind - that is perfectly represented by the skillful work of Alison Antelman's Nigerian Phenakite Necklace...to the geometric, abstract pieces that Art Jewelry is known for...like Ute Decker's angular Architect's Necklace.
The publisher of course will claim that this collection is representative of the contemporary jewelry scene but take it from someone that is literally buried in both the fine jewelry and art jewelry worlds - this really is representative of today's Art Jewelers! The mixed media examples - are artists I am not familiar with and some are breathtaking - I have to say I am quite taken by this piece by Satoshi Nakamura - her Rose Collar, and are those air plants growing out of Aimee Petkus' Co-Exist? So there you have some teasers (I hope that Lark doesn't mind) from this amazing collection...I would order my copy today!!!
REVIEW: You all probably know how I feel about these Showcase series books by Lark Books by now...I drool over them for days. They sit endlessly on my coffee table, at least until the next one comes along. And sometimes, when they include my own work, they sit there even longer! Well, this time, my work was not included, but I am nonetheless thrilled with the selection that was chosen for Showcase 500 Art Necklaces. The examples range from the traditional and beautiful to the weird and bizarre. Some made me say "meh", but not very many! Being wearable is not always the issue, but technical excellence most certainly is.
REVIEW: "Showcase 500 Art Necklaces" is a collection of art jewelry, all necklace designs, that works as a kind of book slash gallery exhibit. This book is meant to inspire versus inform. It is packed full of color photographs of finished necklaces that are hand-crafted to an artistic level and not necessarily meant to be worn. Put simply, this is artwork first. [Tammy Powley, About.com Jewelry Making].
REVIEW: The book is really stunning. The compact size packs quite a punch of art. This book is laid out very much like a gallery exhibit: each spread reminds me of a wall space where similar works of art are hung together, and sometimes the connections are surprising. The pieces range from high-end designer diamonds and gems incorporated into meticulously detailed settings to found object creations that look like experiments gone wild. The materials, colors, patterns and styles are fantastic and completely inspiring. A book like this helps me envision what is possible. [Erin Prais-Hintz, Professional Jewelry Designer].
REVIEW: These tomes hold the work of hundreds of art jewelers whose names the future may not recall, but whose work and passion are evident in these pages. This volume is an excellent example of the vast array of styles and techniques that make up the Art Jewelry movement. [Robyn Hawk, Metalsmith].
REVIEW: Photographs of more than 500 pieces of jewelry from 475 artists are showcased in this extraordinary international collection juried by renowned artist and F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor of Art, University of Iowa, Chunghi Choo. Hiyama Studios is proud to be included in this collection.
REVIEW: A wonderland of possibilities...page after page of inspiration. [American Craft Magazine].
READER REVIEWS:
REVIEW: This is another gorgeous '500' title from Lark Books. More eye candy and inspiration for all kinds of creative people. This book starts off with an introduction by the juror Chunghi Choo, a professor at the University of Iowa. The introduction is interesting, because Chunghi mentions that "...making art objects...are now wide open to the free use of varied materials, found objects, and flexible mediums." He is clearly in awe of the freshness of designs as artwork and fashion.
The photos in this edition in the "500 series" depict necklaces. And in this department extreme design is not an overstatement. The artists really press the boundaries of what can be worn as a necklace as well as the principles of design.
Again, neutrals such as bronze, grey, black, gold, pearl and silver dominate the colors in this book, but color is well represented. Vanessa Walilko's Red Queen necklace is a striking piece is vivid scarlet. The elements of the design look like the tails of a fabulous bird. Marian Acosta Contreras', pg.344, is a wonderful study in turquoise, using a variety of values in that color family.
The delicate wire structures by Louise Makowski, Dominique Thomas (pg.131), Kristen Baird and Susan J. Cross (pg.130) are examples of equally wonderful yet completely different designs in necklaces.
One piece, Karolina Bik's Chaos necklace, pg.267, I noticed looked like a melting ice structure. The sterling silver, 18 karat gold and 24 karat gold flakes are mixed with acrylic fiberglass to achieve a completely different look from many of the other examples in this book.
Look at the shapes, materials and colors and be inspired.
REVIEW: I bought this book because I thought it would be good for dipping into for inspiration to get going! It is. There are stacks of brilliant pictures. Quite often I have a pretty good idea of how things are made, but not always. Some are wow, some are delicate, original, witty, incredible - all depending on the eyes that view them- All in all, a good buy; although I freely admit that some pieces make me feel totally inadequate - but there you are - something to strive for. Inspiration or coffee table? Good for both. In any case a good buy.
REVIEW: Some of the necklaces are beautiful....some are thoughtful. Others are just strange. But all are creative and inspiring! As in the other 500 series, the photography is flawless. When my creative muse is on vacation, I only have to pick up this book to just about any page and find some little twist of wire, or unusual use of material and it sparks a wave of ideas to take into the studio.
REVIEW: This is a wonderful showcase of some stunning neckpieces! This is a collection of neck-ware that moves from subtle enough for everyday to avant garde, show stoppers fit for red carpets and fashion week runways! When I first received my copy I couldn't put it down or leave home without it for weeks! It still seems that every time I open it up I find something new that I hadn't seen before! Ray Hemachandra did an amazing job pulling this collection of artists works together!
REVIEW: The photography, the curating/jurying, the layouts, all are beautiful. All materials are identified for each piece. There are some gorgeous works of art in this book. A keeper for the art library. Highly recommend. There are lots of pictures from this book that are becoming very popular on Pinterest.
REVIEW: The necklaces shown here are very unusual, using a variety of materials, not usually incorporated into classic designs. The pictures are both wonderful and playful. If you have a curiosity about the way designers think and their designing methods, pick up a copy of this book!
REVIEW: This is one of the “500” series that I consider a 'dream' book. Shares lots of ideas and 'let's try this one'. The entire series are very worthwhile, some more than others. It's nice to see how many talented people there are.
REVIEW: Drool... More inspiration than one person can probably implement. There is plenty for the money.
REVIEW: Beautiful pictures, amazing designs. The book is a great reference for jewelry artists wanting to get inspiration for their work. Great book!
REVIEW: My husband has several of the 500 series books. He is a jeweler and teaches jewelry classes; he uses books to let his advance-level students find projects that they would like to attempt. Wonderful!
REVIEW: Wonderful inventive artists are creating more than jewelry. Many if not most are really art pieces. Photography excellent. Left me wanting more than 500.
REVIEW: This a series of books each featuring 500-1000 pieces in each book. I think I own most by now and they are ALWAYS out at this time of year as holiday gifts are made. This is a beauty as well.
REVIEW: I bought this as a gift for my jewelry making mother, as inspiration. She was very happy with it. Although she mostly works with beads, she liked seeing more complex techniques.
REVIEW:
REVIEW: I have many of the 500 series books and always find them beautiful, informative, inspirational and a nice addition to my library.
REVIEW: Inspirational pictures of some of the most beautiful necklaces ever. Could be a coffee table book but I keep it handy to inspire me.
REVIEW: This entire 500 series is wonderful. I own over one-half dozen in the series and use them to inspire me.
REVIEW: I enjoy using it as reference. Try to collect all the 500 series that relate to jewelry ideas as well as unique ideas
REVIEW: This book contains a collection of various works which are quite amazing. A great deal of creativity to enjoy page after page!
REVIEW: I buy all of these kinds of books. This one is full of inspiration and awe. I'm thrilled to have it in my collection.
REVIEW: This is a great book. I revisit this book often for inspiration and ideas. A good book to add to your individual home art library.
REVIEW: Love this book. Amazing what people think up and then make in all sorts of materials and with an astonishing array of techniques. Small pieces of art and craft. Inspirational.
REVIEW: This is an excellent series of books, not just for jewelry buffs. Photos are excellent and clear and I will be referring to this again and again for inspiration
REVIEW: I saw this book while traveling, ordering a copy as soon as I returned home and it is great for inspiration and fascinating takes on neck adornment.
REVIEW: Great art is to be found in the series.
REVIEW: I like this book. Pictures' quality is good and I can find information I need.
REVIEW: A book for times when you need inspiration. You can return it repeatedly to find new ideas.
REVIEW: Like most of the Lark books in this series, this is wonderful creative eye-candy.
REVIEW: What a great and inspiring book! Visual creative candy all the way! Five Stars!
REVIEW: Five stars! Lots of ideas in this book.
REVIEW: Very useful. Excellent!
REVIEW: Five stars! Absolutely inspiring!
REVIEW: Lark Books have a winning formula with this series.
I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. This book is shipped FOR FREE via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). All domestic shipments and most international shipments will include free USPS Delivery Confirmation (you might be able to update the status of your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site) and free insurance coverage. A small percentage of international shipments may require an additional fee for tracking and/or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about a little wear and tear to the book in transit, I would suggest a boxed shipment - it is an extra $1.00. Whether via padded mailer or box, we will give discounts for multiple purchases. International orders are welcome, but shipping costs are substantially higher.
Most international orders cost an additional $12.99 to $33.99 for an insuredshipment in a heavily padded mailer, and typically includes some form of rudimentary tracking and/or delivery confirmation (though for some countries, this is only available at additional cost). There is also a discount program which can cut postage costs by 50% to 75% if you’re buying about half-a-dozen books or more (5 kilos+). Rates and available services vary a bit from country to country. You can email or message me for a shipping cost quote, but I assure you they are as reasonable as USPS rates allow, and if it turns out the rate is too high for your pocketbook, we will cancel the sale at your request. ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per book (for each additional book after the first) so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers.
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Most of the items I offer come from the collection of a family friend who was active in the field of Archaeology for over forty years. However many of the items also come from purchases I make in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) from various institutions and dealers. Though I have always had an interest in archaeology, my own academic background was in sociology and cultural anthropology. After my retirement however, I found myself drawn to archaeology as well. Aside from my own personal collection, I have made extensive and frequent additions of my own via purchases on Ebay (of course), as well as many purchases from both dealers and institutions throughout the world - but especially in the Near East and in Eastern Europe. I spend over half of my year out of the United States, and have spent much of my life either in India or Eastern Europe. In fact much of what we generate on Yahoo, Amazon and Ebay goes to support The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as some other worthy institutions in Europe connected with Anthropology and Archaeology.
I acquire some small but interesting collections overseas from time-to-time, and have as well some duplicate items within my own collection which I occasionally decide to part with. Though I have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, my primary interest is in ancient jewelry. My wife also is an active participant in the "business" of antique and ancient jewelry, and is from Russia. I would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from me. There is a $2 fee for mailing under separate cover. Whenever I am overseas I have made arrangements for purchases to be shipped out via domestic mail. If I am in the field, you may have to wait for a week or two for a COA to arrive via international air mail. But you can be sure your purchase will arrive properly packaged and promptly - even if I am absent. And when I am in a remote field location with merely a notebook computer, at times I am not able to access my email for a day or two, so be patient, I will always respond to every email. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE."