Like Rebecca Elbek, John Copeland celebrates the imperfect with his impressionist artwork. It's not about achieving the perfect shape but drawing beauty from chaos.
While Copeland's dense whirlwinds of oil read more explosive than Elbek's jewelry, hers is no less dynamic. Layers of gold are often shaped with willfully asymmetric edges and asymmetric gemstone placements. Expression, not perfection, is the goal.
So, it follows that Elbek would find a worthy artistic counterpart in Copeland, given their similar predilections for intentionally uneven finishes.
The pair have come together on a brief jewelry capsule that suitably captures their shared ethos; on one hand, you have Copeland's edgy, tattooed menace and, on the other, Elbek's sensitive shaping, suitably expressed within the soft medium of 14k gold.
"I normally work with oil paint and bronze in a much larger scale, so it was interesting for me to work with Rebecca in a new material and on a more intimate scale," said Copeland. "I wanted the ring and pendant to have the aura of a quick sketch from the studio or a homemade tattoo. To preserve that raw energy."
Offered in 30 editions apiece via Rebecca Elbek's website and V1 Gallery's web store on November 19, the "Joy de Vivre" ring and "Loveletters From Nowhere" necklace are each hand-engraved to match Copeland's original sketch.
This hands-on design approach mimics the unique forms that result from Copeland and Elbek's creative processes. Nothing's
"During this collaboration and creative process, we have tried to combine two very different worlds, both in terms of the materials but also in terms of what characterizes both John’s masculine and playful universe and my universe with feminism and storytelling," said Elbek.
"The two pieces are made in my signature way of working with imperfect shapes and a rough look combined with John’s masculine world of skulls, handwriting, motorcycle, and impeccable focus on details."
