What is intriguing about Tess Labrador's work is its invitation for the viewer to a CELEBRATION OF LIFE. Gold and silver branches, flowers, leaves come to life as pearls, garnets, tourmalines dance around them. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires glitter quietly as they nestle on twigs and lotus blossoms. A spray of silver leaves sit atop a silver bowl -the bowl having graceful curves echoing ancient primitive form. Small scale sculpture, table top pieces and jewelry in gold, silver, bronze, copper or clay compose most of the collection, its theme being, of course, Life: ....Leaves of Life, Circle of Life, Love and Passion. "I believe in life and in the quality of life. As life is short, I look to live each day as spiritually rich and as full as possible. My intent is to express this quality through the enchanting spirit and mystery of nature. Jewelry is adornment for the body, but it is also adornment for the soul. Eating gives nourishment to the body, but eating from something beautifully made gives nourishment for the soul". Spirited, classic, elegant... wearable, usable, expressive...funky and fun, her work is a respect for work done by hand. It is a respect for the earth. It is a homage to ritual: the ritual of dining or the ritual of getting up every morning and facing life. Each piece has a meaning. Each piece, a symbol of an aspect of life, the intention being to awaken one's soul and sensibility, subtly, through fun and living. There is an elegance and a natural look and feel to the collection for the work is made using the actual--flower or petal, gingko leaf, twig, branch, or lotus blossom as model, and which then, is sculpted in wax. As in nature, there are no two pieces alike. "I often choose everyday objects as subjects as it is the daily, moment-to-moment living that concerns me. Working on a small scale, I invite the intimacy of touching, feeling, using and interacting".  A sculptor and jewelry artist, Tess has been doing art since childhood. "I grew up in Hawaii, and was never lacking of materials to make things with. Nature was in abundance all around me. I began painting early in life. And, being specially drawn to the earth and the elements, I then moved into the 3-dimensional world of sculpting in clay. Needing to further ground my vision, five years later, I branched into metals (which, like clay, also comes from the earth.) The mysterious working of metal in relation to fire, air and water and what can be created from the process was a deep, stimulating, spiritual and mystical experience for me. Particularly magical was working with gold. I would imagine the ancients and how they felt creating those beautiful pieces of gold ("tears of sun")." "Life should be humor and fun. It is important to remember that in nature everyday is meant to be lived fully, in joy and in love; to choose quality, not quantity... and ultimately...to make life "a walk in beauty." Tess is an exhibiting artist based in New York and her works are in private collections all over the U.S., Asia and Europe. Among her clients are prominent artists and personalities in the movie and televison industry, including an Emmy awardee. You are invited to come and share in the experience..... |
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