THE CRAFTS REPORT - April 2005 - Opening Night by Loretta Fontaine

BY JOSSLYN MIKOW PHOTOGRAPHY BY GARY PAYNE

Nestled in the small shopping district of Mission Hills, bearing a veiled "½" on the end of its street number Taboo Studio is the speakeasy of jewelry boutiques. People come here to find what they can't get anywhere else; one-of-a-kind designs chosen by two women with flawless taste. Jane Groover and Joanna Rhoades met while graduate students in the acclaimed San Diego State University jewelry and metalwork program, but it's their jewelry boutique that shows the work of fellow alums. We invite graduates to get experience by working here," says Rhoades. "We all love a similar idea and stay connected through that common thread." SDSU, Taboo Studio and the evolution of the jewelry industry are undeniably entwined. Grads get exposed to a sophisticated clientele at Taboo, while the gallery features their fresh designs next to the work of seasoned artists. New ideas are constantly being introduced to push the envelope, trickling into the larger industry and eventually circling back to SDSU as alums become faculty.
      The SDSU jewelry and metalwork program was pioneered in the early `60s by Arline Fisch, whose jewelry designs are included in the collection of the Vatican Museum in Rome, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Fisch was a leader in a groundbreaking jewelry design movement in the `40s that changed the perception of jewelry from mere ornament to an art form. With this foundation, SDSU consistently graduates an amazing line-up of talent, many of whom (including Fisch) are among the 20 artists and designers showcased at Taboo. However, you won't need a crash course in art appreciation to find your fit in this collection of contemporary jewelry We're very sensitive to what our customers like," says Rhoades. Whether it's an emerald colored chrysoprase and 18K gold "Octopus" ring designed by San Diego resident Simon Muscat ($6,500) or Steven Brixner's stacking rings made of diamonds, 14K gold and platinum ($350 to $800 each),the selection of modern pieces at Taboo pairs perfectly with jewel box faithfuls like Tiffany and Cartier (Brixner also creates custom stacking rings from heirloom jewels needing an update). Custom pieces at Taboo can be as small as brooches or as big as the sterling silver Bible cover Groover designed for the swearing-in ceremony of Larry Lawrence, former ambassador to Switzerland and onetime owner of the Hotel Del Coronado.
      Just as the unconventional design techniques Arline Fisch initiated at SDSU crossed the line from craft to fine art, the boundary between jewelry and art is blurred in the display cases at Taboo Studio, where natural materials like wood and semi-precious stones mingle with gems and metals; where even the most delicate of designs exudes a robust aesthetic. "It's an exhibit of still life, with the pieces placed as art," explains Rhoades. Flash-in-the-pan jewelry trends are ignored here, clearing the way for bling, bangles and baubles that are uniquely taboo.

Taboo Studio, 1615½ W. Lewis St. San Diego 619.692.0099, www.taboostudio.com

Putting Jewelry Front and Center

      Taboo, which sells art jewelry exclusively, was founded in 1988 and relocated about four years ago to a 600-square-foot space in a one-block strip of shops in an upscale residential area. At its previous downtown space, it had one traditional case. "Looking down on the jewelry changes the perspective for the customer," says Rhoades.
      At its Mission Hills neighborhood location, alternating with smaller display cases are five massive floor-to-ceiling cases, designed by Groover and built by a relative. Each serves to display the jewelry differently. One has small wood boxes, painted according to the season, to show the jewelry at different levels. In another, glass blocks serve as the base for a large, polished glass slab to elevate the jewelry to eye level. Yet another utilizes stacked pieces of white granite on a bed of river stones.

      In all, found objects like wood dowels, bamboo and branches contrast with the shiny silver, gold and precious stones in the jewelry "We wanted to put the jewelry in a still-life setting, to make arrangements of found objects, such as tiles, gold frames or Japanese screens, so that people look at the whole as an art form first, a painting," Rhoades comments.
      Partners for seven years, Rhoades and Groover moved the gallery out of San Diego's popular Gaslamp district primarily because of high rent. "We both were nervous," Rhoades says, "but if I could recommend one thing about location, especially for jewelry being near hair salons is fabulous. Women, our biggest customers, come on a weekly or monthly basis, and when they're here, they stop."
      While the Gaslamp district is a popular tourist draw near the convention center, Rhoades and Groover found that out-of-towners, especially conventioneers, were generally unfamiliar with art jewelry "On average, sales were less than $300, many $100," says Rhoades. "They didn't want to risk having what they were taking back as a gift rejected once they got across the country."
      Now purchases range from $30 to $10,000 and average $500.
      The space in the historic district was large, with a two-story brick wall. "When you walked in, the first thing you saw was the gallery space," Rhoades says. "Then you had to walk up to the cases to see the jewelry." At the new space "you see the jewelry first. The case is right there when you walk in the door. The jewelry is the dominant image."

Pat Worrell, former managing editor of NICHE, writes about the arts from her home in San Diego.