Jewels & Gems

This is a brooch that looks like an orange and yellow octopus.

John Paul Miller, Pendant/Brooch, 1975, 18k gold and enamel, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor in memory of Dorothy S. Payer and in honor of John Paul Miller, 1992.107.1

The individualistic and groundbreaking jewelry designs in ​“Jewels & Gems” highlight the spirit, wit and ingenuity of American studio jewelry artists.

Description

Conceptions range from the beautiful and exquisitely crafted to the anti-jewelry aesthetic embodied by intentional roughness or the use of ordinary materials. "Jewels & Gems" features 131 one-of-a-kind objects from the 1960s to the present. This exhibition is the third in a series that surveys the Smithsonian American Art Museum's craft collection by medium. It follows the success of "Glass! Glorious Glass!" and "USA Clay."

Visiting Information

September 25, 2003 – February 8, 2004
Open Daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m
Free Admission

Credit

"Jewels & Gems" is organized by the Renwick Gallery with support from Shelby M. and Frederick M. Gans and the James Renwick Alliance.