Ring a Day: 700 Photos from a 365 Day Jewelry Challenge

by Marthe Le Van

This fun collection of photos showcases 700 amazing pieces created by the Ring a Day Challenge participants. They agreed to “make a ring a day no matter where you are, what materials are at your disposal, or how much time you have available” and post a photograph of it to Flickr. The project was designed to encourage people to find beauty, art, and jewelry everywhere. Their imaginative rings showcase a range of unusual things, from a pencil sharpener to a tiny baby doll to an egg, and even poodle hair! Comments and quotes from the artists themselves provide plenty of insight into the work.

Genres: Jewellery, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2011

Reviews

[JayeL]

This is a book by Marthe Le Van that I received for free to review from Lark Crafts. The first paragraph sums this book up very well. Le Van writes "When I hard that a group of jewelers was creating one new ring per day for an entire calendar year, three thoughts immediately came to mind -- This is brilliant! This is completely mad! Where do I sign up?"

Some of the most creative works come out of projects that are brilliant or mad and the Internet helps by making such projects global. The project ended up with 1600 images of rings and the book contains 700 of them.

The book is small in format, easy to carry around; a nice workbook type size. The photos are on the small side, but not tiny. The book is arranged like a daily calendar and some of the rings fit in with the day. For example, for New Year's Day (January 1) there is a ring made from a champagne cork. I like the fact that there is just enough text in this book. There are not long essays on jewelry making, but salient quotes from the artists. I think these quotes can be used by quiltmakers to gain inspiration. A simple quote that struck home was from Victoria Lynn Takahashi who said "Sometimes a girl just has to play. (pg.15)"

I noticed that entries recounted family projects where people had gathered, someone suggested they all make rings and the entire family sat around making them (pg.69).

I think the great part of this book is the message of inspiration: you can make a work every day; you can make a work from things on hand, you don't need to shop; making a lot of small work enhances your chances for creating a masterwork; practice makes perfect.

I love this quote from Shannon Conrad 'The hardest part of making a ring a day was just that -- you have to make a ring EVERY day. There was no break. It was relentless. (pg.11)"

Even if you are not a jewelry maker, take a look at this book. Take a look at the shapes and materials and be inspired by them.

Thanks to Leah Eagel from Sterling Publishing for sending me this book

[Shala Kerrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artists took up the challenge to create one ring each day for a year. No matter where they were or what they had to work with. The results were rings that challenge the basic structure of a ring, becoming more sculpture than jewelry. Rings that were made of found items or whatever was handy. Alternative materials and some that were by their nature, transient. Creative and wonderful ideas are all over this book.

Some of the rings made me chuckle, and more than I would have thought, I stopped on a page to show it to my husband. Some just astounded me with their beauty or their function. Many of them made me look at the form of a ring differently or at the use of things people might normally throw away.

Absolutely inspiring. The designs can be springboards for your own imagination. One ring made me think of something I want to try with a votive candle holder. Several others made me think of kinetic possibilities with beads to make pendants.

The photographs are very well done, the rings are really creative. This small volume is one that I'll keep by my bed to glance through before sleep if I'm stuck for ideas.

While a lot of the rings are made using hot jewelry techniques, some of them are cold formed. Some are made with alternative materials that are fairly easy to find.

My daughter was just as charmed by this book, and it inspired her creative side in a completely different way. Some of the rings that thrilled me were less interesting to her and some that inspired her greatly didn't charm me as much. Since we can be very different, it was neat for me to see that this collection could inspire her as much as it did me. It's a gallery of wonderful art in small scale.

[Querc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lively mix of images and a great "pick n mix" layout.
It's more about the creativity than fine art and jewelry design but definitely fun and in the spirit of the Ring a Day challenge.