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    Celestial Forms Erupt and Tumble in Lauren Fensterstock’s Jewel-Encrusted Sculptures

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    “Tender Willingness” (2024), vintage crystal, glass, quartz, obsidian, tourmaline, and mixed media, 16 x 20 x 20 inches. All images courtesy of Lauren Fensterstock and Claire Oliver Gallery, shared with permission

    Celestial Forms Erupt and Tumble in Lauren Fensterstock’s Jewel-Encrusted Sculptures

    November 18, 2024

    Art

    Kate Mothes

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    Like crystallized meteors or mysterious terrestrial phenomena, Lauren Fensterstock’s jewel-encrusted sculptures (previously) reflect the artist’s interest in sacred symbols of the universe.

    In her solo exhibition, Some Lands Are Made of Light at Claire Oliver Gallery, Fensterstock presents a new body of intimate sculptures and Swarovski crystal-coated drawings that reflect moments of introspection and inner peace.

    “I Arrange the Stars” (2024), vintage crystal, glass, quartz, obsidian, tourmaline, and mixed media, 14 x 22 x 19 inches

    “I see my work as jewelry but not to adorn the body… rather (to) augment the soul,” Fensterstock says in a statement. “I invite viewers to pause and reflect on their place within a collective experience and embrace their perceived imperfections—acknowledging that our differences, flaws, and struggles are what make us uniquely human.”

    The artist plays with light and contrast, composing spherical surfaces and dark cavities that glint in the light. She uses natural crystals, like quartz, and repurposed found objects like chandelier parts, Swarovski gems, antique beads, and glass. The resulting works take the form of exploding celestial objects and enigmatic botanicals.

    Some Lands Are Made of Light continues through January 18. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

    Detail of “I Arrange the Stars”

    “She is Refuge” (2024), vintage crystal, glass, quartz, obsidian, tourmaline, and mixed media, 14 x 21 x 21 inches

    Detail of “Tender Willingness”

    “The Intimate Vast” (2024), vintage crystal, glass, quartz, obsidian, tourmaline, and mixed media, 15 x 33 x 33 inches

    Detail of “The Intimate Vast”

    Installation view of ‘Some Lands Are Made of Light’

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      in Art

      Laura Kramer’s Glass Sculptures Intersect Aesthetics and Archaeology

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      “Curiosity Box.” All images © Laura Kramer, shared with permission

      Laura Kramer’s Glass Sculptures Intersect Aesthetics and Archaeology

      November 13, 2024

      ArtNature

      Jackie Andres

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      Material culture is an important aspect of understanding past and present histories. Used in anthropology and archaeology, the concept refers to the the cultural significance an object may hold. Whether it be tools, religious articles, clothing, or even art, physical items have always been a reflection of the societies that wield them. Glass artist Laura Kramer is driven by this phenomenon.

      Into her work, Kramer carries personal experiences from studying anthropology and archaeology and participating in excavations—or “digs”— in St. Eustatius, an island in the Caribbean. “I am interested in the connection of the imbued spirit within the object,” she explains. “My work is deeply influenced by the cabinet of curiosities—odd objects that may not be easily categorized.”

      “Cinnabar”

      From her studio in Rhode Island, Kramer sculpts organic forms encrusted in ornate textures that mimic the natural formation of crystals. Sometimes using found objects like wasp nests, the artist creates peculiar sculptures that defy generally accepted systems of classification. Challenging the typical boundary between the manmade and natural, her sculptures land in a liminal space when examined from an anthropological point of view.

      See more from Kramer on Instagram.

      “Marie”

      “Memento Mori”

      “Azurite”

      “Mary”

      “Crystal Bowl”

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    • 188 Shares179 Views

      in Art

      Unearthly Anatomical Works Sculpted in Crystal and Glass by Debra Baxter Explore Grief and Loss

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      Art

      #anatomy
      #crystals
      #glass
      #metal
      #sculpture

      October 8, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “Catch your Breath” (2021), alabaster, bronze, and druzy snow chalcedony, 10 x 10 x 5 inches. All images courtesy of form & concept, shared with permission
      Artist and jewelry designer Debra Baxter (previously) explores the endurance of grief, mortality, and human bonds in Love Tears. Comprised of anatomical and figurative sculptures, the multifaceted series blend alabaster, quartz, and wood with delicate glass or metal to create forms that contrast the fragility of the body and natural world with the rugged topographies of crystals and rock.
      Simultaneously corporeal and unearthly, the spliced works evoke the Victorian tradition of mourning jewelry, which used various motifs and deep colors as memorials. In “Catch Your Breath,” for example, branch-like veins in bronze sprawl throughout crystalline lungs, while “Love Hard” bisects a smooth, glass heart with spiky quartz. “There’s inevitable pain in every form of love,” Baxter says about the series. “I’m fascinated by the ways in which we decorate this grief and mourning, and I wanted to see how far I could push myself with balancing the immediate, often ornate, demonstration of loss, and my use of permanent materials. This is about loss and legacy.”
      Love Tears will be on view at Santa Fe’s form & concept gallery from October 29, 2021, to January 15, 2022, and you can find more of Baxter’s bodily works on Instagram.

      “Crystal Brass Knuckles (forever)” (2021), sterling silver and quartz, 5 x 4.5 x 2 inches
      Left: “Soften the Blow” (2021), walnut and glass, 9.25 x 10 x 7.5 inches. Right: “” (2021), alabaster and glass, 9 x 6 x 6 inches
      “Love Hard” (2020), glass and quartz, 8 x 3 x 3.5 inches
      Left: Detail of “Ear to the Ground” (2020), alabaster and glass, 10 x 4 x 3 inches. Right: “” (2020), alabaster and green onyx, 12 x 7 x 4 inches
      “Holding It Together” (2021), bronze and amethyst, 9 x 16 x 5 inches

      #anatomy
      #crystals
      #glass
      #metal
      #sculpture

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      in Art

      A Dizzying Carpet of Crystals Blankets a Salon in the Royal Palace Amsterdam with Prismatic Patterns

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      Art

      #crystals
      #installation
      #multiples

      July 23, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      Photo by Benning/Gladcova. All images © Suzan Drummen, shared with permission
      The latest installation by Dutch artist Suzan Drummen (previously) masks a stately salon in the Royal Palace Amsterdam with a gleaming carpet of crystals placed in psychedelic swirls. A response to the Golden Age-era architecture, the bright colors of Drummen’s work are intended to clash with the rich, muted hues of the furniture and walls. Because each individual crystal is laid by hand and left unsecured, the labor-intensive process took a team of four nine days to complete.
      Equally mesmerizing and disorienting, Drummen’s elaborate installations often rely on a combination of patterns, reflection, and a three-dimensional texture that creates a dizzying effect. Much of her work is informed by the overwhelming amount of information in today’s world that can spark confusion and uncertainty, which she explains:
      Phenomena like these alarm me as a person, but as a maker, I’m inspired by that dizzying multiplicity. I‘m interested in things that dazzle us, and in my work, I try to ramp that up. It’s an ongoing quest, with a constant interplay between seriousness, fear, playfulness, and hope. Above all I want it to be vibrant and vital.
      Drummen’s piece is on view through October 3 as part of Trailblazers, a group exhibition inviting past recipients of The Royal Award for Modern Painting to show their works within the palace’s halls. Explore a larger collection of the Amsterdam-based artist’s projects on her site and Instagram.

      The work in progress
      Dutch King Willem Alexander and the artist. Photo by Jeroen van der Meyde

      #crystals
      #installation
      #multiples

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