Celia, why jewellery after having finished a degree in Architecture?
There are many ways of thinking Architecture, and the one I’ve always liked the most is the content one, with a justified minimum answer based on details, not so much the magnificent works with huge shows. In my final degree project, which was an ideal project for me to do, I already experimented with this world of details, planning a building which grew along the time by a series of different pieces anchorage in different positions. The most important part was designing the mechanism, its joints… beginning from the smallest parts in order to make it grow.

This is just a look into Architecture, but it also can be applied to jewellery and I love that.

5. How do you express your architectural knowledge through your jewellery brand MIGAYO?
Architecture and jewellery have one thing in common which is that they are both used. They are at the service of people so their shape must be coherent with their needs.
My philosophy is that beauty is a result of finding solutions in a smart and simple way.

The multi-faced bracelet is an example of this way of working. Its form is pure and minimalist, its folding angles flow with the wrist shape, working or writing while wearing it much easier. Its closing system is included in the design, it’s not an extra element and it’s designed by using metal tension. This simple element is in harmony with the entire piece and becomes the focus of it.

6. What is your inspiration for designing your collections? The material? The shape? The colour?
It has more to do with the structure. For instance, in “Organisms” collection I play with natural, organic and soft shapes cut in the wax blocks, that I afterwards melt into metal moulds. In “Minimum” collection, the silver thread allows me to shape and add details… Right now, I’m exploring the metal tiles folding which will end up in another collection.

Are you inspired by any designer in particular?
I usually check on relevant jewellers work such as Kazumi Nagano or Giovanni Corvaja, whose pieces have an apparent simple balance, while hiding a complex perfect technique. I also search for inspiration in other fields of activities like industrial design or even architecture.
I always find inspiration by going through the history of jewellery. In the past, a piece of jewellery had a significant symbolic power, meaning protection, hierarchy or membership in order to make a difference. I often write some opinion pieces on my blog about Etruria jewellery, classical Greece or Art Nouveau pieces.

5. What is your ideal dream work you could see yourself having in five years from now?
I’d love to keep a balance between made-to measure jewellery and collections like I do have right now. I’d also like to have a list of clients that would allow me to build all the pieces from a collection in noble metals (silver, gold and platinum). Actually I make each piece in silver or brass, gold is only used for special orders.

Is “made-to measure” for special orders the best way of expressing yourself in the world of jewellery?
It does for me. Adapting the piece to someone’s needs and personal background brings out a different and complex creative thinking, which I really like. Besides this symbology I was talking about earlier; the meaning of this kind of jewellery is powerful.

For you, what does a piece of jewellery have to express?
I think that a piece of jewellery goes with the person and it must be coherent with their style because it’s the key element that defines it.
The way we express ourselves through our aspect is quite curious. How do we choose the clothing, shoes or complements that we wear in order to be comfortable and transmit a determined image? You need all the elements; depending on your likes and dislikes you might chose one pair of shoes among others, but you’ll definitely wear them because you need to. On the other hand, jewellery is a special element, wear them or not, it’s optional. Their symbolic meaning helps you to express yourself and to make you feel nice and comfortable with them.

Are your pieces made for all kinds of hands? All kinds of people? Or are you thinking of a certain personality?
My pieces are simple and delicate; they create focus of attention to those parts of the body. They aren’t the main characters, so it could be said that they are thought for people who don’t hide behind big pieces of jewellery, but rather search for what’s natural and handmade.

What does colour mean to you?
I search for happiness, an effortless sensation and that also happens with colour. I like a natural colour palette, with earth tones, metal tones, and untreated gems… I try to keep away from stridency in shape, so also in mechanisms and in colours.

You design the pieces and you also build them…did the learning period take you a long time or is it in constant evolution??
Previous knowledge is needed. But after reaching them, it’s a perseverant individual evolution in which you learn and even develop techniques from your needs and your jeweller style. This is a very interesting period, refining building solutions that might have failed in the prototype piece.

How does the fabrication process go about?
Knowing how long it takes you to make a finished piece is highly important in order to fix the final price rate. On one hand, there is the design process length, tests and models, which I don’t measure because it might be irrepressible, but on the other hand, I do for the fabrication process. I try to measure each part of the process, however, this is a hand-made production and you must be aware of the existence of possible mistakes that can delay you and pieces that might sometimes break.
Mainly in jewellery, working with valuable tools and pure materials, you have to work quietly and carefully, forgetting a little bit about the timetable.

Each piece is unique; do you name them or mark them in any way?
I should have a better system to name them, actually. The official name is how I call them through the design process. Unresolved task!

What have been the worst and best experiences in your professional life up until now
The worst one was the incertitude before I decided to take the plunge. The best one was meeting somebody in the street wearing a piece of jewellery that I had hand-made.

Would you like to make a collaborative work with any designer or artist?
Yes, of course. I think joining forces between different disciplines is something creative and rich, so I’m open to any possibility.
I find there is a big relationship between jewellery and clothing to defining somebody’s style. I’d love to do a collaborative work with a fashion designer like Jorge Acuña or Amaya Arzuaga.

What would be your ideal order?
Those pieces that go with a special moment in somebody’s life are the perfect types of orders. The design process is even more beautiful when you know that the piece is attached to a feeling or experience.

What are the toughest and the best aspects in your work?
The one I like the most is the handmade part, being quiet at my workshop working with the pieces, mainly with prototypes, doing research and trying to stay true to the original idea I had in mind.
The hardest aspect is finding where MIGAYO takes place, how my brand should appear while still keeping its essence.

Is there something that scares you right now?
I’m afraid of bad reviews of my pieces. I know this is something you have to take for granted, you cannot satisfy everyone; however, this is something quite personal because it’s your idea, your design and your manufacturing.

Is there something you would repeat even if it was nonsense, let’s say just for the experience?
Moving to Kuala Lumpur. While I was working on my final degree project, the opportunity of moving there to work at an architectural office for a year came up. Moving alone to a country that I didn’t know anything about meant a stop in my career and in my degree (in fact, after coming back I restarted my final project).
At the beginning it was quite hard, but it turned out to be a unique professional experience in terms of personal gain of knowledge, it allowed me to stop, think and take a look. I met wonderful people completely different from me; some of them had gone there in order to radically change their lifestyles and others were natives from all different cultures from Malaysia.

What is it like to take part in design markets and fairs like Mercado Central del Diseño in Madrid, in Matadero Madrid?
This is a really good experience, these kind of events are perfectly organised, give you visibility and let you meet other designers whose work is highly interesting and full of illusion. That is very helpful.
There’s another kind of consumption, more deliberate, where people buy with love, they are interested in what’s behind each piece. I love telling them about the whole process, this is something that they enjoy and gives great value to the piece that they’re buying. Due to this, I’ve documented everything on my

Irene, Ixone, you started to design and manufacture your own jewelry to complement your outfits, now that you have “PEDRUSCO” going on, do you still use them?
Sure, we have to test them, haha, we love to wear our pieces and see how they respond over time and thus improve on the next collection. Moreover we feel very comfortable because we give a touch to neutral outfits. Nowadays, it’s complicated and seems unwise to consume every next trend of every next season, so a neutral background and a good jewellery accessory solves many outfit problems.

I could not leave without buying the green one….what do you think???

How did the name “PEDRUSCO” come up?
When we began to create our pieces, we started to work with many different materials; we suffered for a while until we found a material that would meet our aesthetic concerns. We found a polymer, to which we gave shape, the first few forms were reminiscent of natural forms, like rocks and stones. Our graphic design team Meneo, aware of all these findings, haha, guided us well until we found the name pedrusco, a name that we loved by its comic sense in spanish.

What inspires you to design collections, the material, the shape, the color?
It is difficult to define exactly what inspires us since we consider everything to be at the same level. In our collections the color is just as important as the material.
A Belgian jewellery designer made asked a question that we found to be very interesting… what makes an object beautiful? Its shape, its color, the material used to create it?
After hearing this, we began experimenting with basic geometric shapes, we combined some of the forms tat came out of this experimentation to create a rhythmic yet balanced composition.
The material we work with is a polymer (family of plastics), which change depending on the way you work with it (carving, sanding). We also use wood, showing its true nature, undisguised, and using its texture or natural pattern (veines of the wood). We have also created artificial textures, such as our “marble”, we work the polymers a certain way to get that natural marble texture.
In terms of color, we use our own pastel shades, that we have created, so each piece is unique “pedruscos”, it is pure craftsmanship.

Do you have a designer who inspires you?
Many designers influence us, however, not only from the fashion world but also everything that surrounds a product. Graphic images, furniture, interior designs… we live in a world of images. The use of wood in our collection is a clear influence of the Nordic design, and even the marble, both in decoration and fashion, is quite trendy nowadays.
But to highlight an artist, I would have to say Ek Thongprasert, for his concepts and use of material.

After a year and a half, your work has had good results, how do you see yourselves in 5 years?
Haha… yes, we are really very happy, we never thought of getting this far. Everything begun as a game, we are very fortunate to be doing what we love and to have such a positive response from it. In the near future, we would like to dedicate all of our time to this exciting project, achieving our goals, a step at a time and someday, if all goes well, make a living of it.

1 year ago, did you have an idea of where you would be today?
Haha, absolutely not… 1 year ago we began to make jewelry accessories for ourselves without any goals, it was a hobby with which we had fun. We would have never dreamt of being where we are today a year ago.

Did you think at some point, that what you were doing would lead you to a dead end?
Yes, many times, but we have still kept on going and doing things. We believe that when someone starts a creative project they must surround themselves by constructive people, it is essential. Going in that direction, we have always been supported by Meneo, who have encouraged us and given us a good feeling of security, which it is always what an artist lacks of at the beginning.

Any material preferences for your “pedruscos”?
Well, I do not know if we have a preferred material, but I think it goes more by stages. We have been experimenting for some time with the polymer and wood and we still have plenty to discover. We stay open-minded about any type of material as long as it meets our aesthetic needs.

And color?
We could talk about the absence of color, we love white, but we also have a liking for pastels, when well combined..

You design the pieces, you fabricate them, did it take long to learn, or is it still evolving?
We do all the designs and manufacture of the parts, we are very proud of it, and we try to explain the method of work to our customers. As for learning, we are two very restless people; we hope to learn all throughout our lives and stay open to new things.

How long does the fabrication process take until you can send off a piece it to sell?
Well, it is difficult to define the exact time per necklace; the process is long because of all the required steps for a refined workmanship.

With the time it takes to make a piece, how do you determine the price of it in the end? Do the stores who sell your products guide you?
We have a way of calculating the differences between the costs of materials and the time spent on a piece, to give a reasonable price. In the end, we are aware that prices have to be competitive and we try to follow this, taking into account our costs, but we prefer to sell less and have a product of quality.

Each piece is unique; do you name or number them?
We name them but do not number them; you just give us a great idea, haha…

What have been the worst and the best moments of your work so far?
The best part is when someone compliments you for your work it gives you a great feeling, that provides you with even more energy. There have been a few bad moments, but not enough to erase the good ones…

Would you like to do collaborations with a designer?
Of course, we love to exchange ideas. We will be collaborating very soon with Helena Rohner taking part in her project “invited”. Starting June 12th, we will be holding an exhibition in her store for two weeks and we are really looking forward to it.

Do you accept commissions for a specific piece?
Yes, of course. We always tell our clients that being at the head of the creative process, anything is possible. They usually ask us for existing necklaces in a specific color, but we would be delighted to respond to the clients’ wants and taste.

What would be the perfect commission that you would like to be given?
Well, soon one of us is getting married and we will be designing a necklace for that special day. This type of project makes us dream. People who give us full responsibility for a project for a special event; this is what we prefer to anything else.

What is the hardest part of your job and what do you enjoy most about it?
The hardest part is to find time to think, it is complicated but we believe it is very important. What we enjoy the most is to play music and make pieces for ourselves, without thinking of anything else.

Today, what piece would you consider to be a great success?
We have no “great success pieces”, the collection is varied and fairly compensated, but to point one out, perhaps the “cowboys”, for us it is a design that we are proud of.

Something you would not repeat….
Never say never, but we will never return to a job we do not enjoy, that would be awful!

Something you would do again, just for the experience?
Being a part of the street markets, its like playing musical chairs, haha… It was crazy, but we would do it again for all of the knowledge we acquired.

Any advice to give?
Work hard and trust yourself to get things done, do not give up at the sight of one setback, and mostly love what you do.

Images by MDBA

Shannon, you make several installations, sculptures and wall pieces, with ceramic elements, how did idea come out?
As a graduate student I did a lot of experimenting with blending ceramic and other materials such as acrylic, resin, wire, polymer and flocking. For me, marrying clay with other materials is a way to push a traditional craft material out of bounds. I’m interested in viewers questioning material use and contemporary craft practices when looking at my work.

How do you define your work? What do you want to express through installations as “sprout cluster” or “soda strands”?
Sprout Cluster is a work created in direct conversation with the floating ceramic and acrylic wall panels. I desired to create a large scale, site-specific installation that pulled the translucent support from the equation, allowing for free placement of forms in response to the architecture of a particular gallery space. The forms are ambiguous, which is something that fascinates me endlessly, perhaps reminiscent of eel mouths or citrus fruit pulling directionally on delicate fluid cords or modulating stalks.

Soda Strands was my first post fire assembly piece dealing with the accumulation of multiples. In all of my work, the technique of post fire assembly has been a way for me to transcend the expected. In this space I created linear clusters of male and female components interacting from floor to ceiling. This piece reflects my interest in how a limited range of form and color, such as the pointy white nodules and fluid blue open forms, elicit vast variety and nuance when accumulated. Around this time, I acquired a book on the caves of Texas, and I became particularly interested in cave forms called “Soda Straws”, whose glossy surfaces and bold transitions were an inspiration for this installation.

How did you begin? Was it hard?
I was fortunate to have an extremely dynamic high school ceramics teacher who was romantic about the material and passionate about being an artist. Looking back, I have been hooked on clay since the age of 15, however I didn’t decide to pursue it as a career until graduate school in 2002. I was taken in by teaching at the college level, inspired by the flow of inspiration from my students. My studio practice was taking new direction and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Have you ever discouraged?
Yes, I have been discouraged! A mentor once told me “if you’re not growing, you’re dying”. Growing pains can be intense! My work is experimental in nature, and I’ve had a lot of expensive failures.

Have you ever had a mentor that has supported and guided you ?
Yes. As a student I had many instructors that believed in me and guided me in my studio, giving me frank, helpful feedback about my work. Mike Weber from the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire, Elmer Taylor from the University of North Texas were both significant mentors in the studio. Lari Gibbons from the University of North Texas was a mentor for teaching, showing me how to be an effective, organized college professor. I look to art history, contemporary art, and my community for mentorship, support, and inspiration. Currently I’ve been looking at Ellen George, Bean Finneran, Jeannie Quinn,and Tyler Lotz. I’m inspired by the way these artists use multiples and transform gallery space with their work. Some historical influences include Beatrice Wood (murió a los 104 años con su horno en funcionamiento!), Ken Price, Ron Nagle and Peter Voulkos for their raw energy and pivotal works that facilitated the transition from clay being a craft material to clay being an art material. I draw significant inspiration when looking at galleries and museums, particularly at contemporary painting and drawing.

How long can it take to create one of yours creations?
It’s difficult to calculate the time it takes to make one of my pieces-does kiln firing time count? Some of my pieces are fired multiple times, others fired only once. For a ceramic and acrylic wall panel, the average time for one piece is approximately 30 hours. The large-scale installations can take 1-2 months to create.

How do your ideas come up? Which ones are your sources of inspiration?
My mother is a laboratory technician. Growing up my sister and I would be allowed to peek into the microscope from time to time at various samples of human fluids, hair, and skin. Imagery that evades the naked eye such as bone, tissue and surgical hardware married in an x-ray, or the organization of red blood cells under the microscope informed the first visual language that emerged as significant in my artwork. The series of translucent ceramic and acrylic wall pieces blend the patterns and prevailing ways of the natural world, marrying source material that through varied point of view encourages close investigation and poses questions about material use.

I’m constantly impressed and humbled by the living, growing world. I’m thinking about my work as I’m popping brussel sprouts off the stalk or bisecting a bell pepper in the kitchen. My work is about a reverence for the process of cyclical growth, transition, and accumulation in the world around me.

Which would be your ideal project?
Right now I’m interested in learning more about how to use a laser cutter to make larger vinyl sticker components like the stems seen in “Sprout cluster”. I’m interested in adorning an entire gallery space with intricately cut vinyl stickers, painted surfaces directly on the wall, combined with layers of ceramic objects, placed on the wall and floor. I’m interested in transcending an entire gallery space into a fantastical botanical environment, reminiscent of the forest, sea, and garden, across species and scale.

Shannon, You work by your own, do you feel good working alone all day long?
I balance my time with full time teaching at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, CA and being a studio artist, working out of my home studio. When I have uninterrupted time to work in the studio, I’m absolutely delighted to be left alone…all day, all night for days at a time when possible. I share my home studio with my husband, ceramic artist David Zdrazil, so I do have a little company in the studio from time to time.

How do you deal, as an artist, with the highs and lows?
I’m generally a fairly optimistic person. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my artistic endeavors, so when things haven’t been going well, I force myself to remember by looking back at previous success and looking forward to upcoming opportunities to remind myself that I have a really great thing going. I live in the most beautiful location in the United States, among the mountains, ocean and giant redwood trees. So much of being an artist is a mental game. For me, physical activity like a hike in the forest or walk on the beach can set my attitude straight and put me back on the path forward.

What about the money? Do you always succeed in making it work or is it something that’s not so important to you?
Once again, I’m very lucky to be a tenured professor, which provides me with a steady paycheck, allowing me to experiment in the studio and not depend completely on selling my work to survive. This fact is quite liberating, and frees me up to make work that I’m not sure will sell…much of this experimentation has led to work that actually DOES sell. I work with three galleries: one in Los Angeles, one in the San Francisco bay area, and one near Madison, Wisconsin. These galleries work hard to sell my work and I am very grateful for the relationships I have with them. I make three to four large commissions per year, and participate in various solo, group, juried and curated exhibitions every year. My husband and I open our studio once per year for the North Coast Open Studios event, which is a nice way to sell work and make contacts with local collectors. Selling work is important to me: when someone likes the work enough to live with it, the conversation changes.

Do you spend time in your work to publications or other media to make yourself know and increase sales, or you have someone to help you?
The galleries help promote my work, and I have a network of artist friends who are driven to promote each other and create opportunities for each other. Through word of mouth, social networking, and applications that I submit, I am fortunate to have a full schedule of exhibiting my work through 2014.

Which is the most difficult thing in your work?
I tend to be drawn to making things that are very fragile, very cumbersome, and/or and require special considerations for display, handling, and shipping.
Additionally, I’m constantly challenged by my geographical location. Almost all of my opportunities are in cities and towns across the United States, so I’m constantly shipping work.

What you like more from your work?
All I expect from my work is to keep evolving, growing, and improving over time. I hope that being an artist and having a studio practice continues to feed my teaching practice and vise versa.

Which one has been your biggest success?
It’s really hard to say what my “biggest success” has been. In the last couple of years I have been invited to participate in many interesting exhibitions, panel discussions, and guest artist opportunities. Most recently I did a residency at the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China during the summer of 2013 that was extremely compelling and changed the way I think about being an artist who works in clay. /p>

What is beauty for you?
Beauty is the diverse array of natural phenomenon that I take time to witness every day. The patterns and prevailing ways of the macro and micro have me captivated for a lifetime.

Any advice?
Stay healthy, take time to enjoy friends and the finer things in life, and work when others are resting.