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Museum of Arts and Design’s
(MAD) recently appointed Nanette L. Laitman Director, Tim
Rodgers, opened the twenty-first edition of MAD
About Jewelry on Monday, December 6, 2021, saying,
"Welcome back to the Museum and thank you for welcoming me
to my first MAD About Jewelry. Thank you to our MAD About
Jewelry Director Bryna Pomp for championing one of
the Museum’s most beloved benefits, showcasing designs of
more than 40 emerging and acclaimed US-based jewelry
artists."
The week-long show and sale of one-of-a-kind contemporary
jewelry opened with a benefit evening honoring esteemed
educator and advocate for contemporary craft Helen Drutt
English. MAD Board Chair Michele Cohen lauded
Drutt as the Founder and Director of her eponymous gallery
in Philadelphia, which was among the first galleries to make
a commitment to the modern and contemporary craft movement.
She has transformed our understanding and appreciation of
craft. For the past 35 years, Helen has been an integral
part of MAD’s history to showcase artists advancing jewelry
as an art form. "
The annual MAD About Jewelry acquisition prize was presented
to artists Amy Lemaire and Michael Nashef.
MAD's Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and William and
Mildred Ladson Chief Curator Elissa Auther shared
"Each year this award is presented to luminaries in the
field of jewelry. The prize is in keeping with MAD's
long-standing commitment of presenting jewelry as an art
form. We are the only American museum with a gallery
dedicated to the display of contemporary and modern studio
jewelry with our own collection of more than nine hundred
pieces. Pieces from Amy and Michael now join our
collection."
Chairs for the evening were LaVon Kellner, Deidre Quinn,
and Kay Unger. Advisory Committee members
attending included MAD Board Members Michele Cohen, Marsy
Mittlemann and Barbara Waldman, as well as
Susan Ach and Ted Taylor. Guests included MAD
Board Member Marian Burke, MAD Chairman Emeritus
Barbara Tober, MAD Luminaries Co-Chairs Alexander
Hankin and Christina Senia, Kathy Chazen, Chrissy
Crawford, MAD Associate Curator Barbara Paris Gifford, Levi
Higgs, Mary McFadden accompanied by her daughter
Justine Harari, Anna Sui with her nieces Jeanni Sui
Wonders and Isabelle Sui, and Shining
Sung.
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