I realize it’s about time that I share a little peak inside the studio so that you can see where I create and spend the majority of my days.

Just to give a sense of this space you must also know how wonderfully close to the Golden Gate Park I am. Modern Relics is only a block north from the De Young and the Academy of Science museums. These are two of the world’s most amazing places to visit, for reasons innumerable. They are positioned just next to the beautiful Arboretum and the Japanese Tea Garden, stunning beauty at every intersection throughout this entire region.

There is a redwood forest grove that is just north west of the De Young and south from where my shop is. I take my dog, Jack, to this park every day, at least once or twice depending on my schedule. He’s a very lucky dog. He is also squirrel crazy and so this is paradise for him.

The studio is a loft floating above my gallery with windows facing a beautiful garden belonging to one of my best friends. I feel so blessed every single time I walk through the door to my shop. It is my own little Shangri-La. This environment is peaceful yet inspiring to be in. I am surrounded by the things that most insight passion in me. Old books, sculpture, ceramic art, nature, antique photos, shells, bones, beetles, nests. Really, there are just too many oddments and treasures to name them all.

The other aspect of my studio life that I have come to love is that some of my neighbors have become friends and visit me and jack on a regular basis. People will drop in to see what I am working on they’ll stay for a cup of tea, and we let our dogs play if they have one. Modern Relics is very dog friendly and that’s an understatement.

If you are ever in the city of San Francisco please make sure you stop in and get the real studio tour. Then you can carry on to the museums for a visit that will remain in your memories forever.

Not where you would expect to find Alix Blüh jewelry, say you?

Pendleton has expanded their offerings immensely from the classics that we all remember to include a collection of very stylish garments for men and women as well as beautiful home goods. I would say that the design themes are very similar to the South Western feel of the Sundance catalog, with a strong nod to Native American aesthetics, especially with the jewelry. I have done very well selling in the Sundance catalog, so this makes sense.

Pendleton is an old American label that always garners respect for the integrity and quality of their woolens. American made is becoming a rare thing, as over seas production and cheap goods are now the norm. I am very proud to be working with this highly esteemed company. In fact, I have been selling my jewelry at the Pendleton Home store in Portland Oregon for years so it is fitting that I would end up designing for the catalog. The pieces are all a slight twist on designs in my main collections. If you should decide you want any of these pieces they are available online at www.pendleton-usa.com

You will notice that the collection was a modification of some pieces from my regular line. To start with I traded my usual 14k hand wrought ear wire for gold-filled ear wires. The large stag necklace pairs a turquoise bead with the horn dangling from a large jump ring ‘fob’ all in sterling silver. The stag earrings differ from my originals in the finial being silver instead of 14k gold. The tiny bird earrings are seen on gold-filled wire and the feather and tiny bird necklace feature a solid 10k gold feather.

I am finding myself to be very inspired to do a collection based all in silver so that I can see my jewelry getting out to a population of average Americans who are still affected by our dismal economy. I would love to hear your feed back on this idea.

The use of 14k gold has been hijacked from the world of metal smiting as far as I am concerned and become a true mark of luxury relegated to the realm of finance and commodity.

I certainly can’t play with gold the way I did 16 years ago. Any metal worker will tell you how absolutely divine it is to work in gold, especially the higher karats. In fact, I used to have my tiny little branches and leaves cast in solid 24k to be used in my reliquary pieces. It makes me sad to think that I have to be so conservative with something that is fundamental to my art making.

I can say that as long as I make jewelry I will maintain, as Pendleton dose, a core of integrity and quality that will speak for itself for years to come.

Jewelry serves us in so many ways; it’s been part of almost every culture throughout the history of mankind as far back as pre-historic times. It’s meaning in my life alone serves many different needs and I speculate that is true for many people. From the least interested in jewelry peasant farming man to the most heavily endowed Queen with a treasure trove of priceless gems; there is a gamut of need for ornamentation in all cultures.

Even if only a simple metal band to signal a marital status, there is sentiment behind much of what we choose to adorn ourselves with. Nothing strikes a chord in my heart deeper than the sentimentality and sacredness of memorial jewelry.

Many know my love of what I call ‘Reliquary’ jewelry is based on ‘Mourning’ jewelry that existed primarily from the Georgian period up through the Victorian age. The fashion reached a fevered pitch during queen Victoria’s mourning of her beloved Prince Albert. It was very popular to wear a locket of a beloved’s hair painstakingly woven and tightly bound beneath beveled glass. The art of Mourning jewelry took on many forms from the carving of ‘Jet’ a black hard material made of wood and minerals densely packed and petrified under pressure of time and weight. The use of black enamel on gold pieces with such themes as crosses, Roman numeral dates of the death, and even images of skulls and crossed bones were common. Hair was the most common feature in much of this genre. It is seen beautifully woven under glass in lockets and brooches, but also in more elaborate ‘flower arrangements’ and even in the form of braided bands for bracelets and dangling earrings.

It is very interesting how hair in modern culture became degraded from its use as a sacred decoration to something dirty and creepy. Most people cringe at the mere thought of hair kept in any form.

I never advertised my offering of creating sacred memorial jewelry to my customers, they have always just asked, then word of mouth and common sense lead them to my studio. As you see in so many of my designs with floating stones or gold objects floating under glass, the imagination leads one to realize the potential for customization and voila!

I am proud to say that I have worked with people during some very emotionally trying times and created jewelry to help family members hold close to them a part of a loved one that has passed away unexpectedly. I have used hair and ashes from deceased people in rings and lockets. I have done this with deceased animals as well. At this point I have begun to do more work with pet ashes than that of human, however the sentiment is just as personal and strong. Equally as precious is the use of hair from that of the living, this seems to be most popular with baby’s hair in a locket as a gift for the mother.

In a similar vein to the ‘living’ locket is that of the ‘protection’ locket. I have been drawn to stones not only for their beauty but for their healing and protective powers as well. In working with a friend and stone ‘Guru’ I have made amulets for friends and clients with very powerful stones to be worn during important situations where protections is required. It may sound a bit fanciful to many of you but I know it to be true!

It was at the age of 18 that I started selling my earliest jewelry. 1983. A friend who lived in N.Y.C acted as a rep and landed me an order with a store called ‘Unique New York’ in L.A. Then another friend who was at R.I.S.D in Providence landed me a gallery order there. I really hadn’t the faintest desire to sell, it was only with arm yanking encouragement that I followed through with those accounts. I was actually far too busy with school and concerned with grades than of turning my jewelry into money. It wasn’t until I was 22 that I was bowled over by an invitation to be in a craft exhibit at the Fitchburg Art Museum, that made me start to take the whole hobby more serious. By then I had been showing at the prestigious ‘Institute of Contemporary Art’ in Boston and the ‘Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston. Yet to graduate with my BFA, my passion for making ‘art ‘ jewelry was as strong as the agony I went through struggling to finish my painting thesis. I clearly had found my true calling, hours spent making these pieces melted away effortlessly, it was the epitome of  ’Flow’. It was the antidote to the rigorous effort  I endured as a painter, a rewarding pleasure to engage in . It was not until 1992 that I ventured to the metal-smithing realm, a turn for the better as far as I am concerned. The great irony is that from that date on I never made brooches, well, maybe a handful but the 80′s were the decade of the brooch. We wore them like badges of honor or courage. The larger the better, on the lapel of your thrift store over coat, at the top of your buttoned up oxford shirt. I wince to think of it now, like most of the 80′s style that has unfortunately crept into the imaginations of todays youth. I have given my warning to as many as I can that they too will cringe in memory of their fashion indiscretions. Yet, my elders tried to warn me then, but did I listen ?

The evidence shows otherwise!

The icing on the cake this week has been the visit of my beautiful niece and sister, Cameron and Rebecca. They were able to be at my shop for the first time experiencing an opening. The choco

late truffles were quite a hit, and Cameron and Grace (12 & 13 years old) donned headbands with a big red heart as they served them on silver platters.

It’s been a busy week trying to balance work and family time. I am content knowing they are having a fabulous time but still feeling guilty that I am not able to be with them every moment.

Last evening I met with Dylan Sisson, the Pixar artist and long time client, now friend, who is launching his“Idle Hands’ creature doll and art exhibit at M R. This event will be quite a unique one for the gallery, a bit of a detour from the usual aesthetic. The cool thing is that it will involve a whole different art world that includes music, gaming, and geek tech at it’s very best. That is such a big part of the Bay Area scene and so it’s my turn to pay homage. It will bring out some big names in the industry so stay tuned!

My next blog will be about my jewelry journey with photos of some of my early pieces and the stories they tell.

Thanks for visiting…

Alix

What makes Diana’s work so unique and irresistible is her trademark design of drawing into the clay in a style she is cleverly referring to as ‘scrimshaw’. She is also known for her use of color and simple yet distinct shapes. However, in this new show, Carbon & Clay, the theme is black silhouettes on white clay with the added texture and design of the line drawing. This is by far my favorite of all her collections as it speaks to my own love affair of such images and themes; such as ships, whales, birds, rats and words, etc. The black and white are reminiscent of true scrimshaw and thus harkens to the ‘ye olde’ feel that always gets my heart pulsing.

So, Bay Area residents mark your calendars for Feb.13 Sat from 5:00 to 9:00. This Valentines day weekend Opening will feature chocolate truffles by Marcus Rios, bubbly and 15% off all Alix Bluh jewelry featuring diamonds. Hence, the title name ‘Carbon’  The show will carry on for the fallowing month. Then stay tuned for the surprise show in March, featuring another S.F talent and Pixar artist!

While on a walk this past Saturday, I came upon a small boutique/gallery called Modern Relics on Cabrillo Street near 8th Avenue.

Owner and designer Alix Blüh opened Modern Relics over a year ago. When I walked in, she popped her head over the loft balcony to say hello, while holding back her enthusiastic small dog, Jack, who was ready to investigate their latest visitor.

Blüh spent several months getting the store and upstairs workroom ready for opening. And it shows throughout the look and feel of the gallery which features old fashioned, intricate displays that mesh intriguing objects with lovely, handcrafted jewelry.

Blüh makes all the pieces herself with help from her assistant, Soojo “Suga” Rocereto, who also has her own pieces on display. Blüh’s jewelry is delicate with a touch of vintage, though she does not repurpose any old jewelry; everything is original.

Blüh’s influences from the natural world are evident through the gallery as well, which features walls covered in recycled fence timbers, small birds’ nests tucked into displays, and decorative objects of deer and birds.

“I have always been so moved by the stories found in nature, in time worn objects, in mourning jewelry and religious reliquaries…I want to create heirloom pieces that are not about fad and fashion but art and timelessness” Blüh said in a profile on a New York blog earlier this summer.

The profile mentions that Blüh was formally trained as a painter at the University of Massachusetts and at Oxford, where she developed her passion for collecting and dealing in antiques in London flea markets.

I recommend stopping by Modern Relics to find a gift, a unique piece for your own collection, or just to lose yourself for a little while in a space filled with objects that evoke an earlier time.

Modern Relics is located at 771 Cabrillo near 8th Avenue, and is open Thursday through Saturday from 12noon to 7pm.

Sarah B.

Modern Relics Atelier Opens

Seeking treasures as a kid often involved raiders, lost arks, and a dude named Indy.

Now that you’ve both grown up (and wear earrings), avoid the snake pits and venture into Modern Relics for mementos of histories past.

The Inner Richmond’s new Victoriana-meets-Tim Burton fantasyland of jewelry and other oddments belongs to local designer Alix Blüh, who shows her exquisite creations (and those of others) in rustic antique display cases.

Though they appear to be centuries old, Blüh’s pieces are handmade using her signature wax carving technique. You’ll find earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets in gold and silver adorned with delicate charms, chains, and motifs reminiscent of ancient artifacts (and lots of birds).

Are you jonesing yet?

Located in a former jewelry school, Modern Relics’ high-ceilinged, spare loft houses Blüh’s studio upstairs and the showroom below, partly camouflaged by a whimsical, curtained window display. It took the better part of a year to transform the space to reflect the artist’s exacting standards, with walls paneled in recycled fence timbers, stenciled floors, turn-of-the-century glass display cases, old-fashioned bare-bulb lighting and a vitrine constructed from a cast-iron sewing machine pedestal. The resulting effect is at once ornate and austere, a curio parlor of fanciful oddities balanced by the weathered utilitarianism of a schooner-captain’s quarters.

Alix Blüh, named for family friend Alexander Calder, was formally trained as a painter at the University of Massachusetts and at Oxford, where she developed her passion for collecting and dealing in antiques in London flea markets. Raised among avant-garde artists in rural New England, Blüh creates sublime pieces of wearable sculpture inspired by the forms found in nature and historical objects of remembrance.

Using a meticulous wax carving technique, Blüh’s pieces are hand-wrought in precious metals, with a signature rough hewn texture. Lacy, carved coral and honeycomb forms are studded with pinhead-sized jewels. The artist’s variants on the cross, anchor and heart- symbols of faith, hope and charity that many sailors and their wives wore in Victorian times- have a medieval touch to them, and figure prominently in her latest collection. Blüh hopes her jewelry will function as personal talismans for the wearer:

“I have always been so moved by the stories found in nature, in time worn objects, in mourning jewelry and religious reliquaries…I want to create heirloom pieces that are not about fad and fashion but art and timelessness.”

Blüh’s reverence for beautiful mementos with sentimental value extends to her own collection of daguerreotypes, tintypes, mirrors and books, found throughout Modern Relics. She has been quietly showcasing a mix of handpicked antiques, reproductions, her own jewelry, and the work of like-minded creatives in her tiny atelier for the past year or so.

We love that Blüh views Modern Relics as a platform for more than just her own work; Blüh feels such kinship to the work of Brooklyn-based artist Ria Charisse, whose Swallow line of cast-metal creatures, woodland letters, and paintings of whales on glass layered w/ 22K gold leaf, that over half the space has been given over to Charisse’s creations. Swallow’s pairs of bird feet and pewter tooth are Totam favorites. An additional case features the dainty jewelry of Blüh’s assistant, Soojo “Suga” Rocereto.

Modern Relics is located at 771 Cabrillo Avenue between 8th and 9th Avenues in San Francisco. Gallery hours are Thursday-Saturday 12-7pm. Contact (415) 422-0477 or relics@alixbluh.com

Alix Blüh will also be exhibiting jewelry at the NY International Gift Fair this August- look for her at the Jacob K. Javits Center, Booth 535.