Note: All submitted events must be approved before they appear in the calendar.
Jewelers’Werk Galerie is pleased to present “With my heart on my sleeve, and my feet on the ground,” an exhibition of new and recent work by artist-jeweler Helen Clara Hemsley. The show opens on Saturday, February 3, 2024 and will remain on view through the end of the month.
The title of this collection hints at Hemsley’s approach to life: a blend of heartfelt emotion and astute awareness that is also expressed in her work. “There is a twist of critical observation, mixed with humor and a feeling of lightheartedness,” she explains. To craft her unique pieces, Hemsley utilizes traditional sewing techniques, predominantly embroidery, and incorporates textiles and found objects to tell personal narratives that are simultaneously universal and relatable—often producing “a smile and a little nod of recognition from others,” she observes. “The materials and objects I use have an odd sense of familiarity about them, but at the same time give a perplexing feeling of not being completely sure why they are important, what they symbolize and sometimes where they come from,” Hemsley notes. Indeed the whimsical, idiosyncratic appearance of her pieces often belies the countless hours Hemsley spends on their creation—every hour with her heart on her sleeve and feet on the ground.
Helen Clara Hemsley is a contemporary jewelry maker, curator, and teacher based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born in South Africa, she graduated with honors from the Glasgow School of Art, Scotland with a degree in fine art sculpture. She has exhibited worldwide and her work can be found in the collection of the Design Museum Denmark.
The exhibition is open during gallery hours: Monday through Saturday 11 am – 5 pm or by appointment. Jewelers’Werk Galerie is located at 3319 Cady’s Alley, NW in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is the longest-running and only contemporary art jewelry gallery of its kind in the greater Washington DC area, where owner and industry veteran Ellen Reiben shows precious and non-precious works by international artist-jewelers. For more information, contact the gallery at 202-337-3319, or go to: http://www.jewelerswerk.com
