AMERICAN JEWELRY
DESIGN COUNCIL PRESENTS:
SHADOW
ABOUT THE YEARLY PROJECTEach year the AJDC charges its members to respond to a single, poetic prompt, an open-ended word that serves as both catalyst and constraint. What follows is a body of work that reflects not only technical mastery, but a commitment to exploration, risk, and individual voice. This project marks 30 years of the AJDC design challenge.
This year’s word is:
SHADOW
“In a year shadowed by uncertainty, these works remind us that the most meaningful art often emerges from darkness. That contrast, not clarity, is what makes beauty endure. And that only by embracing the dark can we fully see the light.”
- Victoria Gomelsky, Foreword
SHADOW
ON VIEW
NECKLACE
TITLE: SHADOW WORK
ARTIST PROCESS & INSPIRATION
I originally started designing this piece for the Tempest Project, but chaos ensued (as will happen during Tempest years), and I found myself in the middle of the Shadow year. Titled Shadow Work because this technique of introspection leads one to take a dive into the aspects of ourselves that cause us to respond to life in an unconscious way. Shadow Work brings greater authenticity to our interactions by introducing a conscious element. Wolf is symbolic of intuition, Dolphin is symbolic of harmony and generosity, Raven is symbolic of transformation and healing, Hummingbird is symbolic of joy and perseverance, Octopus is symbolic of adaptability and creativity, and Yellow Tang represents the unconscious of the higher self, feelings, and motives. The portrait is of my daughter, symbolic of all that is good.
MATERIALS
Cloisonne Enamel
22-Karat Gold
18-Karat Gold
14-Karat Gold
Sterling Silver
Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
DIMENSIONS
8”x7” x .375”
200mmx175mmx10mm
PENDANT
TITLE: PINK SHADOW
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
An imagined planet in motion, caught in time, reflects distant light and casts a pink shadow. A lone star twinkles above.
MATERIALS
- Mirrored plate glass,
- Vitrolite plate glass,
- Sterling Silver
- Diamond
DIMENSIONS
95.25 x 63.5 x 15.88 mm
3.75” x 2.5” x 0.625”
CUFF BRACELET
TITLE: ANCIENT SHADOWS
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
This Utah conglomerate gemstone reminded me of the shadows of the past that still show themselves in today’s geology. This fact inspired me to build off that theme and create this bracelet.
MATERIALS
- Utah Conglomerate
- Bronze
- Buffalo Horn
DIMENSIONS
60 x 77 x 62 mm
2.36” × 3.03” × 2.44”
THANK YOU FOR VIEWING
SHADOW
PENDANTS
TITLE: SNAKES & SHADOWS
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
My love of reptiles and nature inspired this piece. The freeform black-and-white agate drusy became the focal point, with its variation in black and white colours and textures. The cat’s eye flower is suggestive of the eggs laid by the snakes. The snake design is carried out on both the front and back of the piece.
MATERIALS
- 14-Karat Gold
- 22-Karat Gold
- 24-Karat Gold
- White Diamonds
- White Diamonds
- Chrysoberyl Cats Eyes
- Tsavorite Garnets
- Pink Sapphires
- Blue Sapphires
- Moissonite
- Catham Ruby
- Pearls
DIMENSIONS
50.8 x 38.1 x 7.94 mm
2” x 1.5” x 0.3125”
NECKLACE
TITLE: SHADOW NECKPIECE
MATERIALS
- Sterling Silver
DIMENSIONS
190.5 × 190.5 × 38.1 mm
7.5” x 7.5” x 1.5”
BROOCH
TITLE: SHADOW DETACHED
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
This is a copy because, of course, I carry the real one around with me.
MATERIALS
- Paint
- Platinum
DIMENSIONS
76 x 98 mm
3” x 3.9375”
CUFF BRACELET / SCULPTURE
TITLE: IS A SHADOW REAL?
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
There is no shadow over my being.
MATERIALS
- Silver Vermeil
DIMENSIONS
120 x 150 x 25 mm
4” x 6” x 1”
TIMEPIECE
TITLE: SHADOW TIME
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
Sundial - the original timepiece, and now on your wrist.
MATERIALS
- Bronze
- Silicone
DIMENSIONS
40 x 40 mm
1.57” × 1.57”
BROOCH
TITLE: THE OLD LAKE
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
I love this scenic agate! It describes a time and place that cannot be put into words.
MATERIALS
- 18-Karat Gold
- Montana Agate
DIMENSIONS
31.75 x 57.15 x 6.35 mm
1.25” x 2.25” x 0.25”
RING
TITLE: SHADOW
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
This Tourmaline was so odd, striking my creative eye! It had a natural, exterior crystal finish, or 'skin' on one side which is set in the interior of the ring. I had the vision to set it with a high-mirror finish behind the Tourmaline which played into the Shadow effect. I particularly liked the asymmetry of the polished face of the facets, which is unlike me, but this felt right. Echoing the asymmetry of the stone is a fine line of diamonds for balance.
MATERIALS
- Sterling Silver
- Green Tourmaline
- Diamonds
DIMENSIONS
38 x 25.4x 25.4 mm
1.5” x 1” x 1”
PENDANT
TITLE: AKIRA
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
Our Japanese katana was inspired by the light that shines within the Samurai warrior. An image of the full moon setting into the Pacific Ocean lit the blade from shadow. We attempted to capture chiaroscuro in carved and honed golden Hawaiian coral balanced with high polish silver and gold. The cutting edge is calibrated to the specs of actual Samurai measurements…in miniature.
MATERIALS
- 18-Karat Gold
- Sterling Silver
- Diamonds
- Golden Coral
DIMENSIONS
115 x 19 x 19 mm
4.5” x 0.75” x 0.75”
RING
TITLE: THE SHADOW IS FULL OF POTENTIAL!
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
In Jungian psychotherapy, the shadow contains all those neglected or hidden parts of the personality, whereas with close inspection, that shadow is a treasure of hope and inspiration. In the Impressionistic School of Painting, they understood that the “shadow” is not a dark and sombre place but a space filled with lively reflections of colour.
MATERIALS
- 18-Karat Gold
- Sterling Silver
- Rhodochrosite Cabochon
- Various Gemstones
DIMENSIONS
44.45 mm (diameter)
1.75” (diameter)
EAR PENDANTS
TITLE: VAMPIRE BUTTERFLY
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
In the shadows lurks a brilliant crimson, blood-red, immortal butterfly with a night-black chrysalis. Bred by a long-forgotten race of vampires, who were driven through eons of time and loneliness, to create an ethereal companion.
MATERIALS
- Gold
- Sterling Silver
- Rubelite
- Ebony
DIMENSIONS
72 x 22 x 22 mm
2.83” × 0.87” × 0.87”
RING
TITLE: SOLAR ECLIPSE RING
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
This is an impression of the total solar eclipse that took place in North America on April 8th, 2024.
MATERIALS
- Chalcedony
- Black Jade
- Yellow Diamonds
- White Diamonds
- Yellow Gold
- Sterling Silver
DIMENSIONS
27 x 25 x 25 mm
1.06” × 0.98” × 0.98”
BROOCH
TITLE: SHADOW OF MY DREAM
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
Inspired by pyrite-embedded slate, this brooch explores the interplay between darkness and light. The rough, enigmatic slate—its dark matrix lit by sparkling pyrite—suggests depth and hidden complexity. In contrast, I envisioned a luminous enamel surface evoking the fleeting essence of water or sky. The piece becomes a conversation between opposites: grounded darkness and ethereal light. More than ornament, it is a narrative of contrast where roughness and refinement, opacity and translucence, meet in harmony.
MATERIALS
- 18-Karat Gold
- Sterling Silver
- Diamonds
- Pyrite in Slate
- Enamel
DIMENSIONS
57.15 x 31.75 x 12.7 mm
2.25” x 1.25” x 0.5”
PENDANT
TITLE: ECLIPSE
ARTIST INSPIRATION & PROCESS
Mother of the Pearl was the inspiration; everything else just fell into place like a Shadow; it is the journey of the light into total darkness.
MATERIALS
- 18-Karat Yellow Gold
- Oxidized Sterling Silver
- Coral
- 16” Rubber Cord
DIMENSIONS
65 × 60 × 10 mm
2.55” x 2.36” x 0.39”
ABOUT THE AJDCThe American Jewelry Design Council (AJDC) is a non-profit educational corporation, which recognizes and promotes the appreciation of original jewelry design as art. AJDC is committed to raising the awareness of the jewelry industry, the art community, the media and the consumer about the aesthetic value of artistic fine jewelry.
CURRENT MEMBERSDAVID FREDA
COMING SOON
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NEW AJDC WEBSITEWe are currently developing a new AJDC website designed to better showcase our members, exhibitions, and educational initiatives. The updated platform will expand artist biographies, highlight AJDC projects and events, members’ exhibitions, and provide a richer resource for collectors, students, and the jewelry community.
We look forward to sharing the new site with you.
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The new AJDC website will feature expanded biographies for our member artists, offering deeper insight into their creative practices, materials, and artistic influences. These profiles will highlight the diverse perspectives that shape contemporary jewelry design and provide a closer look at the makers behind the work.
Visitors will also be able to explore each artist’s portfolio, studio philosophy, and contributions to AJDC exhibitions and initiatives.
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These initiatives are designed to inspire emerging designers while encouraging dialogue between artists, educators, collectors, and the wider creative community.
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AJDC exhibitions present original works created by member designers in response to annual conceptual themes. These projects encourage experimentation, storytelling, and artistic interpretation within the medium of jewelry.
The new website will feature expanded documentation of these exhibitions, including past themes, featured works, and insights into the creative processes behind each collection.
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