An exhibition by artist members Tavia Brown and Annie Grimes Williams in metal and jewelry. August 5th-27th.

Organic:
Taking cues from nature, organic design uses shapes that are irregular and imperfect, and which
are often curved, flowing and unpredictable. This design aesthetic also uses textures that reflect
or mimic elements found in the natural world.
Art Deco:
Art Deco was the predominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 30s. It was characterized by
geometric shapes or stylized natural forms, bold outlines, and often strong colors.

Juxtaposing two different aesthetics Tavia Brown and Annie Grimes Williams use the lines
and design elements of art deco and pair them with organic surface textures, colors and
shapes. For this collaborative show, Annie emphasizes her bold shapes and colors while
exploring art deco forms, and mixing in her sgraffito textures. Tavia created work for this
collection solely in sterling silver, featuring heavy organic textures, and accenting pieces with
structure and lines of art deco styling.
Together these two artists have similarities in their love of architecture, design, and nature
inspired textures. Both finding inspiration at the oceanside and within gardens and flora, you
can see the influences in Annie’s colors and sgraffito, and in Tavia’s vines and shell
impressions.
Both Annie and Tavia have already used elements in their previous work that nod to the Art
Deco style, but haven’t yet spotlighted it for a full body of work. They enjoyed exploring this
design style together while pairing it with their own unique voices and organic leanings.
In a true collaboration Tavia and Annie have created seven art works in this show that were
created by both artists. Annie created pieces inspired by art deco shapes and then gave them
an organic color and texture with the enamel. She then sent them to Tavia who finished them
with sterling silver accents and structures, keeping within the art deco feel in shape and adding
more textures. These seven art jewelry items are truly one-of-a-kind, rare, and add a distinct
addition to anyone’s collection.

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Tavia Brown: A metalsmith from Charlottesville, VA working in sterling, gold and titanium, her
style is often described as industrial delicates.

Annie Grimes Williams: A local Winston-Salem, NC based metalsmith working in copper,
sterling and enamels, uses bold colors and shapes to showcase her artistic voice.