We absolutely love Emilie Shapiro’s work so much. Not just her incredible use of natural stone elements and recycled metals but how she pairs them with contemporary techniques and experimentation that are incorporated into her work as a celebration of the beauty of natural imperfection. All production and resources are kept as local as possible, and every piece is handmade in Emilie’s studio in New York City.
She’s also one of our dear friends and a Liloveve instructor. Emilie has a fantastic book launching April 5th at Artist & Fleas, however we have her giving a lecture in Jewelry Production here at the studio April 2, check out more info here.
“How To Create Your Own Jewelry Line”
Here’s a fun Q & A we had with the talented designer:
Liloveve Studio: When did you first start making jewelry?
Emilie Shapiro: I started making jewelry when I was 13 and haven’t stopped since!
LS: What class(es) have you taught at Liloveve?
ES: I’ve taught just about everything but focus on wax carving, jewelry production and special techniques like keum boo and water casting.
LS: Where do you draw your inspiration when designing your work?
ES: Textures, color and movement in nature. I studied dance for twenty years and am very inspired by how the body moves and how pieces move with the body.
LS: Where do you exhibit / sell your work?
ES: My work is sold in galleries, museums and specialty boutiques nationally like Anthropologie, Sundance Catalog and The American Museum of Natural History.
LS: Have you been featured in any press?
ES: My work has been featured in publications such as Vogue Japan, Elle Greece and Brooklyn Magazine.
LS: What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever made?
ES: That’s a difficult question because it always changes! My current favorite piece is the mosaic wilted collar. The construction and movement of this piece are really wonderful.
LS: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
ES: Mars. I can’t even imagine the colors and textures you would find there….
LS: If you could collaborate with another designer/artist, who would it be and why?
ES: I think I’d like to time travel to meet my great grandfather Abe Parker. He was an inventor and designer, most famous for his invention of the blue dot light that were used as flash bulbs for cameras. I would love to work on lighting and large scale mechanical sculptures with him – so waiting until time travel is possible!
LS: What’s the most fun aspect of being a jewelry designer?
ES: Working with my hands every day is so satisfying. Being a designer connects me with so many interesting people and brings me to interesting places.
LS: Where can we see your work?
ES: http://www.emilieshapiro.com | @emilieshapirojewelry
Book Launch Event details / ticket sales – www.emilieshapiro.com/book/
Register for the Production Workshop with Emilie here
Here’s a slideshow of just some of her fabulous work!
LILOVEVE 