Tinkering Tinkerer: emiko oye & Shana Astrachan
emiko oye and Shana Astrachan are professional jewelry artists working with alternative/repurposed materials, encouraging others to experience the beauty of making and reuse. Longstanding members of the Metal Arts Guild, Society of North American Goldsmiths, and the Metal Art Critique Collective, their jewelry can be found in museums, galleries, and publications. › emiko oye & Shana Astrachan's website
Accessorize with Toys workshops have served countless, enthusiastic makers-to-be since 2006, at venues such as MakerFaire, Renegade Craft Fair, California Academy of Sciences NightLife, and SCRAP. emiko and Shana participated in our Open MAKE: Toys event, and were interviewed by Dale Dougherty in the McBean Theater.
emiko oye
Inspired by haute couture and salvaged materials, San Francisco artist emiko oye creates one-of-a-kind urban jewelry and sculptures from recycled materials and precious metals. Her works strive to subtly transform the identity of everyday mundane objects to inspire new dialogues about our relationship with the environment and our culture. Her artwork is shown in exhibitions across the United States and Europe; her jewelry is sold in galleries throughout the US and online. Featured in books such as Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects, and The Art of Jewelry: Plastic & Resin, as well as published in American Craft, ReadyMade, Metalsmith Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Shana Astrachan
The exploration of unexpected materials that are not found within the context of traditional jewelry materials is the foundation of Shana Astrachan's unique wearable pieces. From felting metal with yarn to attaching sequins together to create draping mesh, Shana is constantly experimenting with new materials and unconventional approaches to working with them in her jewelry pieces. Her work has been exhibited across the United States and has been featured in many books including Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing, Wire in Design, 1000 Rings, 500 Necklaces, and Felted Jewelry.