The finished cloisonné smiley!

[afmetalsmith]

Cloisonné Smiley, in setting Glass enamel on fine silver cloisonné, set into a sterling setting. Gemstone accents are natural yellow sapphires, and black diamonds. I created this piece for a show at the Worcester Historical Society, devoted to the smiley in various media. Worcester, MA is where it was first created! I wanted to capture the light-heartedness of the design in its setting. The "ribbons" are forged silver and undulate toward and away from the viewer, as well as from side to side. The playfulness is accented by the deliberate asymmetry of the the piece as a whole. (The black background of the photo is modifying the color of the sapphires a bit; in real life, they match the color of the enamel.)

Comments

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

I don't go for smiley faces in general, but I really like this, probably because of the ribbons. It is cute and playful and definitely something I'd wear.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm not really a one for smileys myself, as a general rule. I have no idea whether I'd ever wear either of these!But I'm pleased with the way they turned out, and am looking forward to seeing what other local artists have done with the theme. Show opening is Oct. 5, I think!

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, maybe you need to try them out -- after the show, of course.

[afmetalsmith.livejournal.com]

Hee! I think I will. Now to resist the temptation to make matching earrings...

(And I don't even LIKE smileys all that much per se!)