Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by whatever you are doing.

This is the ultimate. ~ Zhuangzi

Jan Mandel drapes jewelry like she used to drape clothing. “I build it around the body form in 360 degree format.  I do not cast, or work flat. I build/drape my materials on mannequin forms that I have collected over time in order to visualize the flow and movement of the material.  This flow of metal as it surrounds the body is key to my process, with the negative space that results equally as important!   It is the negative voids that are created in the structures that allow my work to breathe and flow.”

With a degree in Clothing Design from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, Jan started as draper/pattern maker working in NYC/Philadelphia and the West Coast. This parlayed into a career in Interior Design, starting in restoration and conversion of historic spaces. Her draping skills served well in one-of-a-kind hand-draped window treatments. The opportunity to do a couple of Symphony Design Houses in both Baltimore and Washington DC altered her world. If that wasn’t enough, she began taking classes at Montgomery College in Metals.

Classes with Komelia Okim, Jan Maddox and Dorothea Stover honed her metals techniques and she was hooked. Another life altering experience! “The manipulation of metals became a passion.” Wanting even more exposure, Jan entered the University of Washington, Seattle to get a Masters in Metals, studying with Mary Lee Hu and John Marshall. Upon completion of her degree in 1999 her career took off. International and national exhibitions followed; the chance to document and research the Boucheron Jewelry archive in Paris led to an invitation to exhibit tiaras at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Thus was born her Transformational Jewelry line.

“Most of the jewelry that I create can function, as both sculptural and wearable objects. These pieces derive their identity from process, rather than narrative.  Asymmetric, gold wire structures that defy their fragile appearance, evoke mass where there is none, relying on the viewers eye to visualize the unseen.  I work with 18K golds of varying colors, large freshwater pearls and unusual, irregular shaped stones. The work can be

intensely tight (fretworks)...or extremely minimalistic. It is the play of light and the premeditated negative space within these fretworks that engage the wearer and allow the stones to float on the body. Due to their sculptural aesthetic when not worn, these jewels can be displayed on a wall or pedestal.” Every piece is one-of-a-kind.

Jan’s work is included in The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She first exhibited with Pleiades as a guest in 2001 and 2003, becoming a member in 2004. If you would like to see more or to contact Jan to purchase a piece please check her website.

Hey, kids, my Uncle's got a barn....

"...let's put on a Show!"

Maybe not in a barn, but in 1985 a group of women jewelers were talking and that was essentially the suggestion. “I originally met Marie Susinno at Montgomery College, back in 1981. Later she, Pat Perito and I took lessons from Deborah Dubois, as did most of the other founders at one time or another. At a certain point, everyone who makes jewelry on a regular basis, is faced with a growing inventory, so we decided to try to sell it. . . even though that's not what motivated us [to make jewelry] in the first place,” says Judy Sugar.

“Since I live in Garrett Park, I knew that our town hall, a charming space (formerly a small church) was available for rentals. So I suggested that a small group of us rent it for a show. There were seven of us: Haesun Chung, Deborah Dubois, Joan Levy, Desi Midgett, Pat Perito, Judy Sugar, and Marie Susinno. A woman I worked with suggested the name: Pleiades, the Seven Sisters. It was fairly successful for a first-time effort. . . and so, we continued, growing and expanding into a larger space.”

Judy has always admired beautiful jewelry. The idea that she could make it herself, plus the opportunity to learn under Komelia Okim’s direction in a first-class program at Montgomery College was too thrilling to pass up and a new path was taken. “I was fascinated by ancient-looking jewelry and tried to made jewelry that looked like it came from a different age. Then I became interested in unusual stones, and made simple jewelry that featured the stones. Now my work takes me to simpler forms, without stones, often oxidized a dark color.”

When finding it difficult to come up with new ideas, Judy begins by playing with the metals to see where it leads. Most begins life as sheet metal, wire or tubing (usually sterling, occasionally gold). An accidental result can send her off in a completely different direction and one piece can lead to another. The materials alone often prove inspirational, a beautiful stone, an interesting texture or shape also play a role. “It’s always good to challenge yourself to make something new—try new techniques—keep it interesting.”

If you'd like to purchase or commission jewelry from Judy, please contact her at jbs20896@aol.com

Please join us November 15-16, 11am-5pm at the Women's Club of Bethesda, 5500 Sonoma Road, Bethesda MD (Just south of the beltway on the corner of Old Georgetown and Sonoma Roads). Admission is free.