Bosworth, J: Ceramic Jewellery by Joy Bosworth

Bosworth, J: Ceramic Jewellery Reviews

• 
  Angie

  Really good book
• 
  steffdn

  Very interesting little book. Crams in lots of visuals and information.
• 
  Janette Mackinnon

  This great book covers a large amount of information about ceramic jewellery and how different people go about making it.
• 
  lynsey adams

  Although admittedly this does not set out to be a step by step book, and there are no 'projects', I still found it somewhat lacking in inspiration. The book is interesting, with many examples of jewellery not only made from ceramics, but combined with other materials.Some of the work seems acessible both in technique and concept for example Joanna Veevers, (who does not just design and produce jewellery but larger wall pieces). In general though, I felt that the book leaned rather too heavily in the direction of jewellery as Fine Art, which is admirable if that is what you are looking for an example being the porcelain pieces displayed in glass jars with sand. Lovely work, but does it belong in a book entitled 'Ceramic Jewellery'?I found myself thinking rather too many times, yes that's beautiful, but who on earth would honestly ever wear it? If you are a jewellery maker looking for ideas or inspiration, and you sell your work, I think it's fair to say that most of the pieces in the book belong to a seriously niche market ie the Fine Art buyer.There isn't anything wrong with this, it depends on whether you think jewellery should be worn or just looked at, and why you are making it. I suspect that makers of this type of jewellery aren't going to look at a book for ideas or inspiration anyway. They'll be in it, not looking at it.This seems like a serious attempt to give some validity to ceramic jewellery, which has not been a subject for many books. Probably before the present financial climate dictated it, most professional ceramists would have thought it beneath them to admit to making beads, pendants, brooches and the like. So this aspect of the book is to be admired.It depends on what you want from a book entitled 'Ceramic Jewellery'. I expected something in between the project driven, rather dumbed down 'beads n' pendants n' coasters' books of which there are so many in the fused glass arena, and something at the other end of the scale which takes itself rather too seriously, tries to be worthy, shows a lot of pieces of what are ultimately miniature pieces of Fine Art work, and in the end leaves you feeling unsatisfied and somewhat disappointed.I'm not saying that ceramic jewellery can't be Fine Art just that perhaps the book description should indicate this.
• 
  Leslie Newton

  Too much talk. Not enough pictures. Too short on instruction.