COLLECTIONS: Chains  

Chains create intriguing and beautiful negative and positive spaces. They add a depth, and catch and reflect light and shadow in very rich, resonant ways. Combinations of different styles of chains, and the addition of beads, charms and pendants enhances their power.

They are a tricky stringing material to work with. As you add more beaded embellishment, you run the risk a diminishing the artistic power of chain. But as an artist, chain and its embellishment offer as great an opportunity to achieve more powerful ends.

In my CHAINS COLLECTION, I seek to demonstrate different designs which synergize the chain and its embellishment. Chain has a very sexual and sensual power, which I like to play off of, in my designs.

My chain pieces mix various techniques in wire working, bead stringing and bead weaving.

How chain pieces drape, because of the weight of the chain, and because the links do not form a perfectly straight linear and flat line, like a piece of thread or cable wire or string, will vary depending on the shape and size of the wearer's body. I try to take this fact into account, within each piece. I try to maintain the "power" of the piece, whether it is spread broadly across the chest, or narrowly down the body.

It's important, with chain jewelry, to take special care when you put the jewelry on, and take it off, as well as when you store it. Chains have a tendency to get entangled. I suggest using removeable cable ties, and clamp off each independent segment within the piece, so that they don't get entangled.

 

 

--- Warren Feld