John Y. Wind | Artist

I really liked Michelle Obama’s simple message to “Do Something” at this summer’s Democratic Convention. I thought about what I could do, and not surprisingly the answer was make jewelry—these one of a kind VOTE pins, designed to spread the word in a lighthearted but unavoidable way. Many include vintage protest buttons mashed up with brand new Amazon finds and JW studio inventory.

One of a kind jewelry inspired by the message pins and charms worn by the Whiskey Rebellion sculptures.  Each collage mixes social action buttons with vintage brooches, jewels and findings from John Wind Jewelry. They are assembled with hand-poured epoxy resin, and signed with bonus doodles on the back.

Trophies & Souvenirs emerged from a month-long Summer Intensive hosted by the Slade School of Fine Art and the Camden Arts Centre, London in 2015. I set myself the challenge of integrating my two worlds—as an artist and a  jewelry designer—by exploring and combining materials and themes unique to each.  In doing so I also recalled my two years of graduate study at the Slade from 1983-85, during which I first found my artistic voice as a jewelry designer.

My first solo gallery show, installed at James Oliver Gallery in 2013, included a Charm Bar as a nod to my day job as a jewelry designer.  The charms, intended more for walls than bodies, reinforced the larger theme of dualities explored in the show—between Art & Commerce, Private & Public, and Masculine & Feminine.