Contemporary Jewelry Art presents the work of more than fortyof the best and brightest young jewelry designers around the world.Their work is not about luxury or even permanence. Rather, theworks within focus on the most creative use of common, inexpensivematerials. The book is organized according to the materials used,including metal, ceramics, stone, wood, fur, textiles, plastic,soap, and rubber. The aesthetic of each piece, whether simple orsculpturally intricate, balances the designer's unique perspectivewith the constraints and possibilities of each medium - from theelasticity of plastic to the solid weight of stone, silver, andiron. Interviews with each designer illuminating the concept andcreative work process renders this book a useful guide for everyonefrom the established jewelry designer to the independent crafterhoping to break into the industry. Designers featured include HannaHedman, Mari Ishikawa, Iris Bodemer, Karl Fritsch, Marina Messone,Annika Pettersson, Maria Cristina Bellucci, Mirla Fernandes, andTimothy McMahon.