Welcome to #100NBartists! It's a project in which I will feature 100 creative people from New Brunswick in 2017. Follow along on Instagram! I wanted to feature more of the work of NBCCD faculty from the show "Pride of Place" at the Saint John Arts Centre, which runs until March 10th so there is still time to go check it out! Here are four artists who work with metal, each in different and unique ways. Click their names to read more about them!

#7 - Brigitte Clavette

Brigitte Clavette - Photo by Drew Gilbert

Brigitte is one of the most talented metal artists in the province, and has probably trained just about everybody else. She has been the Head of the Jewellery and Metal Arts Studio at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design since 1985, and seems to be loving it more every day. Brigitte has an incredible imagination and the skills to match. She is incredibly accomplished, with a CV five pages long. Many jewelers whom I have interviewed credit her as their mentor and inspiration, and she has even been known to play matchmaker with her students once in awhile.

Brigitte's contribution to the show "Pride of Place" at the Saint John Arts Centre is this watercolour painting with these interesting viewfinders. Definitely a piece to see in person!

Learn more about her here.

#8 - Kristyn Cooper

Kristyn Cooper teaches metalsmithing at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and spends her free time crafting her own pieces. She is inspired by the feel of heirloom and antique objects, which she tries to capture in her contemporary pieces.

Here is what she brought to the "Pride of Place" show. They're so adorable I just want to hold them!

Putting Down Roots/Wandering - Sterling silver, copper, enamel

"This series of brooches reflects upon the delicate relationships with things in life that root us, give us comfort, and sometimes inevitably smother us. Each of us is required to seek balance between the inherent need to build foundations, and the innate desire to drift." - Kristyn Cooper

Follow Kristyn on Instagram

#9 - Kristen Bishop

Kristen Bishop is a technician at the metal arts studio at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, from which she also graduated several years ago. In her own craft she creates original pieces that are sculptural and have a kind of industrial, Old World feel to them.

These are three pendants she created for the "Pride of Place" show. I love how she contrasts the solid, cool geometric shapes of the metal with the light, graceful strings of red.

"Color can be used as a powerful tool to enchant the viewer. Color also plays an important role in our overall state of well being, directly influencing the way we feel; icy cold blue, nurturing turquoise, warm copper, emotional red. My usual color palette is more neutral and monochromatic by nature. This new exploration of color into my sculptural wearable work is a continued inquiry of the reaction of various patinas on copper and iron, as used in composition. Color Bind, reflects my love of building and balancing." - Kristen Bishop

#10 - Beth Biggs

Beth Biggs is the curriculum manager at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, and also a long-time jeweler and instructor. It's like she's a superhero who works in an office by day and melds metal with a flaming torch creating beautiful designs by night. Named among Canada's leading jewelers, Beth knows her stuff and it shows in her well-crafted, classic style and execution.

Here is the piece she submitted to the "Pride of Place" show, "Lace Ring"

"The Medieval Lace series draws from the rich metalworking history of the period. Maille (chainmail) is one of the earliest forms of armour used as protection in battle. Although maille predates the Medieval Period and is found over a vast geographical area, it generally conjures up images associated with masculinity: knight and kings fighting in gruesome battles. Here, I have taken the concept of maille as protection and created feminine lacy jewellery. These pieces are intended to simultaneously empower and protect the wearer. This work addresses my pride of being a woman and also the place I am presently in my life. Place is not seen as a physical location but state of being." - Beth Biggs

#100NBartists - 4 metal artists

#7 - Brigitte Clavette

#8 - Kristyn Cooper

#9 - Kristen Bishop

#10 - Beth Biggs

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