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Local jewellery designers’ work shows up in unexpected places
Andrea Golden works on her custom made jewelry in the soldering room at Made You Look Studio on Queen Street West. Photo: Robert McKenna
BY ELIZABETH COCKLE
Watch “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” the latest video by American Idol Kelly Clarkson. You’ll see Clarkson hurl a wedding ring at her two-timing would-be husband before storming from the altar. That ring, made from 14-karat gold and white sapphires, was designed by Parkdale goldsmith and metal artist Andrea Golden.
The appropriately named Golden was also recently commissioned to design a set of three silver pendants to be worn by a mother and her twin daughters in the upcoming Disney Channel movie Twitches.
As Toronto’s reputation as a hothouse of independent fashion design grows, jewellery designers are letting the world know that Parkdale has a heart of gold… and silver. Andrea is among 12 self-employed jewellery designers at Made You Look Jewellery Studio and Gallery. Located at 1338 Queen St., it houses a full range of manufacturing equipment, individually rented work benches and a retail gallery representing 50 local artists. A graduate of the Jewellery & Metals Program at Barrie’s Georgian College, Golden chose to specialize in metalwork because she’s “fascinated with shiny things.”
Her funky designs range from freeform to geometric shapes in sterling silver, gold, bronze and copper, incorporating precious and semi-precious stones. Circles are a favourite motif – clusters of linked rings and tiny cropped tubes characterize her earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings.“I could eat, sleep and breathe jewellery,” she declares. “Jewellery is a way to express yourself artistically – to wear art.” |
