Art Alive 2015 Floral Lecture
Nature & The Art of the Goldsmith: A century of floral design in gold work.
Artists have always drawn inspiration from the world around them, and jewelers are no different. Exploring the influence of flowers and nature on the art of goldsmiths from the turn of the 20th Century to present, the Art Alive 2015 Floral Lecture is led by local art historian and Fabergé expert Tim Adams.
From the Art Nouveau creations of René Lalique and Carl Fabergé to Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels' Art Deco inspirations, flowers continue to adorn the ornaments of the world's greatest jewelry houses. Today, powerful and sometimes sculptural pieces continue to be produced by artists such as renowned designer Joel A. Rosenthal (aka JAR) or local couture jeweler Katey Brunini.
Specializing in the work of the Russian jeweler Carl Fabergé, Tim Adams is an independent art historian with an expertise in historical gold work. A former Art History professor at San Diego State University, Adams is a Curatorial Consultant for the Decorative Arts department at the Bowers Museum and Fabergé historian for the museum's successful 1989 Fabergé: The Imperial Eggs exhibition, which was at the time the largest exhibition of Fabergé eggs anywhere since the Russian Revolution.