Coming Full Circle with Dark Rye

Coming Full Circle from Dark Rye on Vimeo.

I've never felt like more of a rockstar than during this project with Dark Rye - an online magazine and division of Whole Foods.

In early October, I was whisked away to Brooklyn to enjoy a beautiful evening of amazing food, drinks and the coolest people. The festivities were followed by four days of intense filming for a video that highlights my company Simply Wood Rings and how I became a wood jeweler.  

The experience was rewarding in many ways. I feel extremely honored to have my art acknowledged by creative and thoughtful people. (ie. Caitlin and Kelly of Dark Rye - Thank you!). Each of us came from different perspectives but are working towards the same fundamental existence. 

An existence where our passions are an integral part of our lives. As a society we've moved so far away from creating our own existence. We are shuffled into a routine that doesn't enrich our lives, but only feeds the machine. I have been there in my life and now I see the importance of rejecting those ideas of how we should live and live in a way that feeds the soul. 

Below are a few examples of the salvaged wood rings I have created over the years. I incorporate found materials as a way of giving new life to discarded objects and imbedding meaning into each ring I create. I've used wood from such things as xylophone keys, baseball bats, childhood swings and dino bone.

Available at SimplyWoodRings.com

Visit 

DarkRye.com

SimplyWoodRings.com

GustavReyes.com

Aubergine Brooch for Italian Soiree

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of creating a special brooch for an event in Milan. I was approached by Mark Daniel of Mark Daniel Interior Design based in San Francisco. He explained to me that he was working with a client to plan an event at the Armani Hotel. Few details were given about the event, however, I ended up creating over 30 custom brooches that would be given to each guest to wear during the black tie (and gown) event. 

Today, I received an email from Mark with a link to an article written about the event! What an honor to be a part of this beautiful event. 

Guests were greeted with flowers, pastries and a detailed itinerary. An informal Italian aperitivo party Friday night put everyone at ease. Saturday offered a relaxed agenda of sightseeing, spa treatments and hairdressing. In the late afternoon, Daniel and the hotel's Eva Mazi visited each guest room to present a brooch specially commissioned from American craft designer Gustav Reyes as an endless knot of aubergine-colored wood. A note specified it was to be worn over the heart. The shape echoed the grooms' Cartier Trinity bands in diamond, platinum and black ceramic. Dress code for the evening was strictly black tie, with black gowns requested for the women.

Article: http://www.sfgate.com/style/unionsquared/article/Armani-Hotel-well-suited-for-couple-s-reception-3961857.php#photo-3566700
Mark Daniel Interior Design http://www.markdanielid.com/

Exchange of Energy

I've been gearing up for the JAWA Chic show in Bridgeport (Chicago) next month (Oct. 19-30) at the Zhou B Arts Center. I'm excited for the show. The idea of the show is to present art jewelry at an elevated level. The pieces will be displayed on the wall as if in a gallery. I have also considered my pieces to be miniature sculptures, especially the rings. I create with this always in mind. Art jewelers put as much time and thought as traditional artists and therefore I believe they should be given the same respect.

The Held Neckpiece - $350, handmade in Chicago. 

At a recent street festival in Chicago, I noticed many bulging eyes after checking out the price of the work. It's ok, I'm used to this reaction. I am confident in the craftsmanship with which my work is created and I believe in a balanced exchange of energy. Those who connect to that energy understand. Later, a lady came up to the booth, and said, "I'm happy to see that you've priced your work according to the amount of time and energy you put into it." Wow! I was so pleased. She happened to be a maker herself. She understood that it takes time, energy, focus and dedication to create. It's hard to place a value on that.

Check out the JAWAChic Website for more information: http://www.jawachic.com/
Good friend and fellow artist David Forlano will be displaying his work as well.

... to the wind and the stars
Gustav

Photo by Tom Petroff
Modeled by Carolina I. Reyes

Some ideas at the ACC St Paul Show

Check out this video from the ACC St. Paul Show. Thanks to the ACC folks for taking an interest in me and my work. 

Wearable Art Events in Chicago

Excited to share my work in my own hometown twice this year!

Chicago is an amazing cross section of art, food, industry and diverse cultures which makes it the perfect backdrop to shows featuring forward thinking art jewelers.

On October 20 and 21 I will participate in JAWAChic, a new show aimed at featuring art jewelers who create unique handmade works. Take a look at the video from last year!

Get ready for the One of a Kind Show in Chicago in early December, 6-9. The last time I participated was in 2006. How much life has evolved since then. Excited to participate for the second time this year.   For more information on the One of a Kind Show visit their website, here.

chicago

Organic Coil Cherry

gustavreyes.com

Brick & Mortar Representation

Lay your eyes and hands on my wooden jewelry at various locations around the United States.

My pieces photograph like sculpture, but it can be difficult to imagine the work as a functional piece of jewelry. Nothing beats sliding the coiling pieces of wood onto your wrist. Here I've listed a few brick and mortar options where you can get your hands on the work. For more locations, view my website under Gallery Representation.

San Francisco

MARCH

3075 Sacramento Street

San Francisco, CA 94115

http://www.marchsf.com/

Merion, Pennslyvania

Barnes Foundation

300 N Latch's Lane

Merion, PA 19066-1729

http://www.barnesfoundation.org/visit/

Santa Fe

Patina Gallery

131 West Palace Avenue

Santa Fe, NM 87501

http://www.patina-gallery.com/

New York City

A Uno Tribeca

123 W Broadway

NY, NY 10013

St. Louis

Craft Alliance

6640 Delmar Blvd. 

St. Louis, MO 63130

http://craftalliance.org/

Aubergine Brooch for Men (or Women)

I just finished a prototype for a commission order brooch and I am very happy with the way it turned out. The client led me away from the status quo and requested an Aubergine stain on a cherry wood. Also, in order to avoid making holes in fine Italian suits, I designed the brooch using magnets! The pieces will be for a private party in Milan.

Anna Frient

five years of pure devotion

Last Friday I had two pleasantly surprising visits from some folks looking to purchase wood gifts for their significant others. Coincidentally, both couples were celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.

I had a lovely conversation with one of the happily married customer whose wife was 39 weeks pregnant with their second child. Five years is an accomplishment when almost half of marriages these days are ending in divorce. What it boils down to is devotion.

devotion (diˈvōSHən)

noun

love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause:

I came a across the idea of planting a tree in commemoration of the 5th wedding anniversary. What a beautiful way to symbolize the ways you have to nurture a marriage (or any relationship) in order for it to grow and flourish and the devotion it takes to pull through tougher times when all you want to do is give up. Great idea!

Of course... you could always purchase a beautiful undulating bracelet of wood to adorn your love's wrist.  

to the wind and the stars... 

Gustav

Below: Organic Coil and Organic Coil Narrow in Cherry, Walnut and Hickory

Available at GustavReyes.com

  

Metalsmith Magazine

I am honored to have been included in the latest edition of Metalsmith Magazine. Thank you to Andrea DiNoto for the beautiful article she wrote. 

I am grateful to be doing something that feeds my soul and to be recognized for doing it. I don't take any of these experiences for granted. A special thank you to all of the people who continually support me and my crazy ideas; my beautiful family, my hardworking crew and all the people who appreciate the work and share it!

Signature Series

          Introducing the Signature Series by Gustav Reyes          

Bogwood Rings by Simply Wood Rings

I am extremely excited about this new collection. I've taken the forms from my Limited Edition Collection and added a chic black finish. The finish is created by a natural process that is similar to the way bog wood is altered when submerged under water for thousands of years.

The process of finishing leaves the classic forms black with a wood grain texture. The visual effect is bold and strong. These beautiful pieces are perfect to keep things chic and sleek by day or to add uniqueness to a formal night out.

The Cuff

Organic Coil Narrow

Oval Cuff

A Historical Record

My love and appreciation for wood is never ending. It is an incredibly useful material with a minimal effect on our environment. 

For centuries, wood has provided humans with shelter, warmth, tools and furniture. I find great inspiration in this long history and I like to consider earliest man interacting with the material in the most basic of ways.

simplywoodrings.com

 

Wood is imbedded with many layers of symbolism. The history of the wood, the time, the place is all apart of it. Each piece of wood has a story to tell. It keeps a record of its environment and each year brings new growth that marks its past. The rings of a tree can teach us about the environment and specific events in the trees life. It holds it's history within and its living energy expresses it outward. In addition to the objects a craftsman creates, this imbedded history and energy is expressed, adding to its depth.

Ring - Ad Idem Collection, Gustav Reyes 

Ring - Ad Idem Collection, Gustav Reyes

Calderesque

“The underlying sense of form in my work has been the system of the Universe" -Alexander Calder

This is a new form I am experimenting with. I have been greatly influenced by Calder's work lately. 

Untitled, Gustav Reyes, 2012

Jealous Husband, Alexander Calder, 1940

Calder

Alexander Calder's work has greatly influenced the ways I consider and create art jewelry.

I came across a fantastic article on Calder's jewelry from 2010 when the show Calder Jewelry curated by Mark Rosenthal was being shown across the US. The article, Alexander Calder's Jewelry: going mobile was written by Cathleen McCarthy. Rosenthal stated that, 

"Calder was accounting for all the components, how each part would be read in relation to the other parts, as well as how those parts would be affected by the person wearing it.” Not only does one consider all the elements of design but, when creating art jewelry, its imperative to consider the ways in which it will interact with the human form. 

The article also mentions Rosenthal's belief that Calder's work was a parody on wearable art. He says, ”In a lot of ways, this stuff isn’t very wearable at all... I think of the wearer as being sort of bewitched by the wearing of it but also like something surreal come to life, a surreal manifestation." 

A great article. Take a look here:

http://thejewelryloupe.com/alexander-calders-jewelry-going-mobile/


If you want to see something really great check out this video of Calder performing his "Circus"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6jwnu8Izy0

WOOD at Velvet da Vinci

I am honored to have my work exhibited among the best in wood jewelry at San Francisco's Velvet da Vinci Gallery. The exhibit is called WOOD and features art jewelers from around the world who primarily work with wood.

Check out the gallery of work that will be presented in this exhibit at the Velvet da Vinci website.



Wood reminds us to live life with the knowledge that each day is a gift and that one day we will cease to exist in this world. As wood, we too, will eventually return to the Earth. 

Organic Trefoil Brooch

Ad Idem Ring I

The Held Ring

Walnut Cuff

Three Treasures Neckpiece