Ruth Nivola: Adornments
From June 3 through 26, The Drawing Room is pleased to present “Adornments” by long time East Hampton resident Ruth Nivola. This exotic body of work stands alone in the realm of contemporary jewelry. Delicately designed necklaces, Ruth Nivola’s jewelry might be called “platonic;” their perfect form mirrors their perfect conception. In Jungian terms, Ruth Nivola’s necklaces are archetypal female decorations. One imagines each necklace draped over the linen tunic of Cleopatra’s friends, Empress Theodora at Ravenna, or a Sardinian princess.
To give form to her inspirations, Ruth Nivola reinvented the decorative arts and handicrafts she learned as a child in schools in Germany and Italy in the 1920’s. Her accomplishments in crochet, embroidery, knotting, appliqué, braiding and sewing are transformed into modern, regal amulets in which she uses yarns, Indian silks, brocade, and Venetian beads. With gold and silver colored metallic yarns, she crochets the structure of each unique collar piece. Intriguing and unexpected compositions radiate from the crocheted collars like webs built by spiders. Thin yarns covered by sewn iridescent threads give way to tassels, and tiny bundles of tangerine, turquoise or fuchsia silk punctuate a strand with the pure color of gemstones to give focus and weight to her designs. Crocheted gold shell forms, pods of embroidered silk or bits of brocade dance and dangle from these marvelous feminine adornments.
See below for full press release and selected works.
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Ruth NivolaReflection of a Temple, 1981crocheted, whipped, hammered and appliquéd metallic yarns, Indian silkscrochetedheight 15 3/4 inches19 1/8 x 19 1/8 inches framed
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Ruth NivolaSummer Icicles, 1977-78crocheted, sewn, appliquéd with metallic yarns, silks, brocade, metallic stringheight 30 inches
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Ruth NivolaZenith Balance, 1977-8crocheted and sewn with metallic yarns, silks and Indian brocade, stuffed with unspun woolheight 21 1/4 inches25 1/4 x 11 1/4 inches framed
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Ruth NivolaTurkish Holiday, 1985crocheted, whipped, sewn, appliquéd with metallic yarns, silks, Indian brocadeheight 9 1/4 inches
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Ruth NivolaThree Icons, 1982crocheted, whipped, hammered, metallic yarns, silkheight 12 3/4 inches
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Ruth NivolaKeys of Miracle, 1981crocheted, sewn, appliquéd metallic yarns, Indian silksheight 15 1/2 inches
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Ruth NivolaMimosa Necklace, 1973-4twisted, braided, knotted, crocheted and sewn metallic yarns, Itailan embroidery silk, insert in Italian brocade, some yarns left looseheight 23 1/2 inches
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Ruth NivolaGabriel's Scale, 1977crochet, braiding, sewing, appliqué, metallic yarns, silks, brocadesheight 13 3/8 inches
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Ruth NivolaThe African Queen, 1974-5whipped and braided metallic yarnsheight 24 inches
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Ruth NivolaThe Little Village Church, 1974-5crocheted, whipped and sewn with metallic yarns, Italian embroidery silk, Venetian beads and an old buttonheight 8 1/8 inches17 3/4 x 12 1/8 inches framed
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Ruth NivolaThe Offering, 1975-6crocheted, embroidered, whipped, curled, knotted, sewn, hammered and appliquéd with metallic yarns, Indian brocade and silk stuffed with unspun woolheight 13 inches
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Ruth NivolaThe Dragonfly, 1976-7crocheted, braided, sewn, appliquéd metallic yarns, silk, Indian brocadeheight 47 1/4 inches
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Ruth NivolaThe Blue River, 1974-5crocheted, braided, sewn, whipped and hammered metallic yarns, Italian embroidery silk and Indian brocadeheight 28 inches
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Ruth NivolaSiren's Anchor, 1978crocheted, whipped and braided metallic yarnsheight 14 inches19 1/8 x 19 1/8 inches framed
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Ruth NivolaFestival of Queen Bees, 1980-81crocheted, whipped, knitted, sewn, appliquéd with metallic yarns, silks, brocadeheight 15 3/4 inches
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Ruth NivolaJoyful Tears, 1981crochet, sewing, metallic yarns, silk appliquéheight 24 3/8 inches