Avenues Design+Engineering is thrilled to invite all to an opening and exhibit, aligned with an Open Studio in the Atelier of goldsmith Donna Distefano DonnaDistefano.
This exhibit is based on the process and workflow of esteemed designer Donna Distefano. Avenues’ Design + Engineering students have been working on a unit titled Renaissance Reimagined. Students have been prompted to create a piece of jewelry with significant meaning and symbolic value and to create a companion artwork that features a protagonist of their invention wearing the jewel.
Students studied select essays in The Sleeve Should Be Illegal, and Other Reflections on Art at the Frick by Ian Wardropper, Michaelyn Mitchell and Adam Gopnik, a book that prompted contemporary cultural figures to share personal interpretations of Frick paintings. Students were asked to then create their own ekphrasis (a vivid description of a work of art) of their invented protagonist.
They also researched Renaissance portraits to understand hidden symbolism and meaning in order to create their own protagonist’s portrait, with elements and symbols defining their character. The jewelry adorning their protagonist was then realized through the design process. This begins with drawing and ideation, digital design and then casting and finishing. Students visited the Donna Distefano atelier to understand how the manufacturing technique works. The narrative and artifacts should be steeped in meaning and exposure to this process will allow students an opportunity to design and have their work fabricated as would be done in industry. Incorporating themes such as sketching with graphite, reading The Creative Act for meditative & artistic exploration, and researching idols of the painted past, is an exercise in developing skills that are adaptable to any field.