This weekend,
Flatbush jewelry designer Susan Moran will be showing off her
bold, unique works at the 28th annual Artexpo at the Javits Center
in Manhattan.
"I have always loved old jewelry and abstract art,"
said Moran. "These elements have finally come together in
my line of semi-precious stone jewelry."
Artexpo is one of the few opportunities to peruse and purchase
Moran’s distinctive pieces, as her work is not currently being
sold on a regular basis in local boutiques – a perk for shoppers
who pride themselves on having an original look.
Her necklaces – such as the 17-inch amazonite, double-faceted,
tear-shaped beads with chalcedony cones ($225, pictured), earrings
and bracelets – are remarkable for their bold shapes and colors.
"My biggest influences are artists like Paul Klee, Sonia
Delaunay, Frida Kahlo, Matisse, and of course, the greatest artist
of all, Mother Nature," said Moran, whose husband, Don,
and two sons, Lucas and Evan, are also artists.
Moran’s pieces are timeless; the designer claims to only be "minimally"
inspired by the latest fashion trends.
"For me, it’s all about form, shape and color," the
fifty-something Moran told GO Brooklyn. "In fact, I rarely
sketch a design for my stone jewelry; it feeds itself by vision.
I go stone shopping, and ’see’ the designs immediately."
Because of this, Moran’s works are "essentially one-of-a-kind,
because the stones are always different. There will always be
something a little different about it."
Accessory lovers on a budget can add a SKM Designs piece to their
jewelry box for as little as $35. These affordable earrings,
made of teardrop-shaped stones stacked in a column, are available
in a wide variety of materials – from jade to blue topaz to peridot
to freshwater pearl, said Moran.
The designer will man booth 2473 and be available to answer questions
throughout the duration of Artexpo 2006.
SKM Designs will be on display at Artexpo New York from March
4-6, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between
34th and 39th streets in Manhattan). For more information, e-mail
SKMDesigns@earthlink.net. Artexpo tickets are $15, $5 seniors
and students, free for children younger than 12. Artexpo is open
10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and from 10 am to 2 pm
on Monday. For more information about Artexpo and tickets, visit
the Web site www.artexpos.com.
JUST BEAD IT
