Question of the Week #51

gorgeous example found on etsy

Question of the Week #51

So this weekend I got my latest catalog from one of my favorite suppliers of findings and all around beady goodness and settled down for some perusal of major eye candy as they show examples of finished designs & ideas throughout the catalog product pages.

The first few pages in I noticed they are pushing a lot of different mixed media type jewelry styles. Some of these were just beautiful and/or intriguing but several mixed media combinations just left me cold.

They were really pushing Shrinky Dink / mixed media jewelry as fine art and I had really mixed feelings about this as some how I have a hard time accepting the designs that were shown as fine design/ art jewelry. This started me really thinking about my perception of art and jewelry because I love vintage bakelite, lucite and plastics both in jewelry and other items but Shrinky Dinks? I can see the potential for some wonderful design pieces but to me bigger and almost garish in many cases (to me of course) is not better. I usually also say to each his own so I was surprised at my almost recoiling response concerning Shrinky Dinks being touted as "designer jewelry". It really astonished me the strong feelings I had about this.

I saw other design elements really being pushed in the mixed media jewelry area and I've seen some of these components used before and in beautifully made and meticulous pieces that are wonderful and would be a treasure to grace anyone's jewelry collection. BUT recently a lot of the designs I've seen being pushed commercially do not fall in that category and seem a little crude and downright primitive (and I don't mean "ethnically" primitive either if that makes any sense) and I can't help but wonder is there a trending towards larger and more outlandish statement pieces?

So, what do you all think? Do you think there is a current trending towards larger and more outlandish or over the top statement jewelry?

What are your thoughts about Shrinky Dink jewelry? I never really thought about it before so I find it interesting the strong feelings the current marketing push (in the catalog) had on me. Run a search on Etsy, you'll see the gamut from beautiful artistic pieces to other stuff that looks like a preschooler made it. I'm still thinking on this issue and can't wait to hear what you all think too :)

OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)

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more "primitive" examples