Thank you for visiting JRB Art & Design. This website features the work of jewelry designer and artist,
Jana Roberts Benzon. Browse the Gallery pages on this site to see complex and original pieces....also, read about low
fire clays and millefiori in 'About the Artist'.
Click on any image for a larger view...
In honor of a long awaited spring, the brooch above is reminiscent
of curling leaves in varying shades of green. I'm combining several techniques I've worked on over the past few years
in creating this "Twisted Foliage" piece and others (some are shown below). I've been completely immersed
in focusing on the shapes and design elements of these pieces, while using a much more subtle surface technique
than my usual canework. When I first began claying in earnest, I experimented with a lot of surface techniques,
from transfer images to mica powders and metal leafing, so it's been fun getting back into it again and adapting those things
to "my" style...
Twisted Foliage "head on" view
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Reminiscent of a sandollar or a starfish, the
brooch shown above has a bit of a 'crustacean' look to it, as do the beads shown below...
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Stylized Botanical Brooch
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Various beads, very shell-like in appearance and
much cooler in real life! Like many polymer beads, they have such a great "hand feel" to them.
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A new and intriguing bead shape I've found is shown
in the detail photo above (it's shown on it's side in the center of the 'group' photo to the left) .... I just love
this one and am having much fun using it in several different places..
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Crumpled Brooch(es)
I think the original "Crumpled Brooch" (below, in gold and burgundy) is still my
favorite, but to the right are three newer versions. I'm happy with the reception this style is getting, while acknowledging
that some people will always prefer my patterened, symmetrical work! I'm working on some smaller "crumpled beads" too...
Encased Pearls Fan Brooch (not a "crumpled" style, but some similar techniques are used)
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Oval Crumpled Brooch with Sterling
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Spring Green Crumpled Brooch with Pearls
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Planning for our exciting September, 2008 retreat
in Sundance, Utah is moving into high gear....click on the link at the top of the page to read more and learn how
to sign up!
The pieces above are simply entitled "White"...just
something new I've been playing with. How are these new pieces for a complete and total departure
from my usual patterned and colorful work! Below are pictures of a pendant made with my new cane....
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My latest cane....I am really liking this one! Also shown are front and sideviews of a pendant made from this
new cane...the pendant kind of has the feel (in real life, anyway) of Russian painting...must be something about the red,
along with the curly q's and detail...
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This latest 'bead', "Twisted Stoneware", is about 4" long...
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New "glazed stoneware" look polymer clay beads
above...they measure approximately 1 3/4" long
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