New York Silver, Then and Now

I am pleased to have been invited to participate in the exhibition New York Silver, Then and Now on view at the Museum of the City of New York.

This exhibition is a dialogue in silver between past and present.

New York Silver, Then and Now links the rich history of silversmithing in New York City to present-day artistic practice. It features newly commissioned works by leading metalworkers, created in response to historical objects from the Museum’s collection.

My work Dent is a series of 6 spoons cast in sterling silver that are hallmarked and indented with my own teeth. In this work I investigate the relationship between a historical memento mori spoon engraved with the name of a deceased loved one and the lasting impression of one’s identity through dental records. This idea is considered in conjunction with the maker’s mark, or hallmark, that typically identifies a silversmiths work.  How better to make my mark with my work than to incise my own teeth as proof of authorship.

Working with wax and casting techniques I brought these pieces to life.

New York Silver, Then and Now will be on view at the Museum of the City of New York through May of 2018. 

Golden Tasting Spoons

I was recently commissioned to make a pair of 24 K gold spoons as a wedding gift for a couple who are home chefs. The concept was to create spoons for them to experience the last, most perfect taste before serving the dish. 24 K gold is a material considered to impart the least amount of flavor or adverse reaction with food.

The handles are designed with a loop so the pieces can be worn around the neck, and with a rest so they can sit flat without touching the surface below. Each spoon is hand engraved with an initial and special animal character for each person. I hope they enjoy many perfect tastes for many years to come!

These pieces were lovingly created using Fairmined gold.

Steinbeisser

 

Experimental Gastronomy

“In an age of ever-increasing speed, the dinner table is the perfect place to slow down and share food that is made with integrity and purpose. Serving sustenance in handmade cutlery and vessels not only amplifies our experience, it allows us to develop a deeper relationship to food and with one another.”— Steinbeisser co-founder Martin Kullik

Coming this fall, Montalvo is proud to host the US premiere of “Experimental Gastronomy” presented by the Dutch creative collective Steinbeisser. For this unique dining event, renowned Bay Area chefs David Kinch, Corey Lee, and Daniel Patterson will come together to create a delicious plant-based menu with locally grown organic ingredients. To heighten the culinary adventure, the meal will be served on dishes and with cutlery crafted by some of the country’s most innovative decorative artists. The event will be a truly unique experience that not only showcases contemporary cuisine at the highest level, but also puts design, gastronomy, and nature in an exciting and inspiring context.

Artists Brian Weissman, Erin Daily, and Sergey Jivetin will craft the cutlery: peculiarly unpractical and yet unexpectedly usable pieces that combine old and new materials. Artists Ben Medansky; Erica Iman; Nate Mell and Wynn Bauer from Felt + Fat; Jessica Hans; Joseph Pintz; Julian Watts; Luke Shalan; Mitch Iburg; Toshiaki Noda; and Virginia Scotchie will shape quirky bowls and plates.

Please join us on September 25!

 

Fairmined Gold

I am proud to offer Fairmined Gold in my work. One-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, wedding jewelry for all, and custom art pieces are all hand fabricated in this gold to be proud of. Please contact me for custom inquiries.

The Fairmined Gold initiative made the purchase of Fairmined gold in the U.S. available for the first time in 2013. This was all made possible do to the hard work of Ethical Metalsmiths and Hoover & Strong along with the Alliance for Responsible Mining and the Aurelsa mine in Peru.

 

Fairmined

Ethical Metalsmiths

Hoover & Strong