Not just a doodle...

Jan Maddox always intended to teach art, but while an arts major at University of Nebraska she needed an extra class and there was this credit jewelry class offered at night. Although a very primitive class, they enameled over a Bunsen burner, here was a whole new world of tools, vocabulary and materials. Her first piece was a cabochon setting in a ring. The instructor was a talented watchmaker trained at Elgin National Watch Company. Years later Jan taught the course.

Quarter Circle Pin with Damascene Inlay from The Art of Jewelry Making by Alan Revere

Graduate school took her to Indiana University where she had the opportunity to study under Alma Eikerman who had established an exceptional metals program which trained many of the country’s top jewelry teachers and jewelers.  On her own, Jan found that ceramics was too demanding in space and equipment and painting wasn’t quite doing it for her, but jewelry she could do in her kitchen (she used to make copper ashtrays on her stove). With a primitive set of tools she created a line of jewelry that “didn’t look like it came out of a jewelry store”. 

1967 found Jan teaching part time at Montgomery College where she set up the Art Appreciation courses and in 1971 upon completion of the Arts building in Rockville she went full time, teaching art appreciation, two and three-dimensional design, jewelry and general crafts over the next 25 years. All the time creating her own well received body of work.

In 1984 she joined Joke Van Ommen in opening Vo Galerie in DC, now Jewelers' Werk Galerie. This small space focused on contemporary jewelry, primarily from Europe, but also featured many American jewelers. Although only there for a short time, Jan learned about retail, what suits different people and as a result feels her pieces are only complete when she sells them and they become “someone else’s treasures.”

The challenge of the design enthralls her. “I like to start with something in hand, 2 squares and a bunch of circles of different sizes lead to sketches of different ways to arrange them.How big are the elements, what patterns are where? I follow the sketches very closely, but sometimes shit happens and you have to make adjustments.” The next challenge is often figuring out how to make it, what techniques to use to create the texture and attach the elements. Fabric provides a lot of inspiration for the textures of her metals.

Jan served on the board at Rockville Arts Place (now VisArts) and now at Waverly Gallery in Bethesda. She joined Pleiades in 1989 when they were still exhibiting in Garrett Park Town Hall. Jan describes her work as classical – intellectual, romantic – emotional.

If you would like to see more or contact Jan to purchase a piece check her facebook page, Jan Maddox Jewelry or contact her by email at janmaddox0000@yahoo.com. Jan will also be participating in Metalworks 2014 the Washington Guild of Goldsmiths show in November, JRA Day on December 6. She is also participating in a "Teacher's Pet" show with two of her former students at the Pearson Legacy Gallery in Deer Isle Maine October 8-26 and showing 71 pieces as a guest artist at the Iona Center for Creative Aging until October 10th.

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