Julian De La Garza

MFA 2020 Artists

Julian De La Garza

UMass Dartmouth 2020 MFA Thesis Exhibition

Biography

Julian De La Garza was born in New York, and raised in Rhode Island. He received his BA in Jewelry/Metals from Rhode Island College and then went on to work in the industry. During this period he was a diamond setter for Tiffany & Co. and then a model maker for C & J Jewelry working on high-end jewelry brands such as David Yurman, Haverhill Leech, and Tiffany & Co. All while also continuing his personal studio practice and jewelry business.

Realizing he had always wanted to teach at the college level, he left the stagnancy of the industry and decided to go back to school to obtain his MFA at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in Artisanry with a focus on Jewelry/Metals. During his stay at the university he has received high awards for his jewelry design skills through juried competitions and has also had opportunities to teach as well as assist advanced classes.

Installation view of the MFA Thesis Exhibition

Statement

My current body of work explores personal ritual and meditation through the language of mourning jewelry and reliquary. These spiritual rituals allow a person to contemplate death, memory, mourning, and longing in a liminal space, outside of the way we normally perceive time. My jewelry encourages this relationship by providing objects for the wearer to focus on; counting stones, following patterns, and exploring intimate spaces, just as rosaries, reliquaries, and sacred spaces do.

Contact

Julianthe2nd@gmail.com
Julianthe2nd.etsy.com
@julianthe2nd

Installation view of the MFA Thesis Exhibition

Ether, 2020, sterling silver, blue onyx, gold leaf, and pearls, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, 1” x 1” x 1”

Draugr, 2020, sterling silver, emeralds, black onyx, gold leaf, carved precious black coral, and pearl, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, carved, 3” x 2” x 1”

Ouroboros, 2019, sterling silver, garnet, gold leaf, sea snake skin, quartz carbuncle, and snake skin, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, 2” x 2” x 2”

Body, 2020, sterling silver, garnet, gold leaf, and pearl, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, 3” x 2” x 1”

Mausoleum, 2019, sterling silver, moonstone, gold leaf, and carved human skull, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, carved, 1.5” x 1.5” x 1.5”

Bone, 2019, sterling silver, amethyst, gold leaf, and carved precious black coral, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, gold leafed, carved, 3” x 1” x 1”

Two of Swords, 2018, 3D Printed plastic, fine silver mesh, garnet, steel, carved bone, 3D printed, carved, fabricated, 3” x 1” x 1” (brooch, left). Idle Worship, 2019, blackened wood, sterling silver, gold leaf, carved precious black coral, steel, and garnet, burned, carved, fabricated, soldered, gold leafed, hand set, 4” x 2” x 1” (brooch, right)

Slideshow

Monkey’s Paw, 2020, sterling silver, rabbit’s foot, amethyst, and gold leaf, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, 1.5’x 1’ x 1”
Monkey’s Paw (detail), 2020, sterling silver, rabbit’s foot, amethyst, and gold leaf, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, 1.5’x 1’ x 1”
Wound, 2019, sterling silver, obsidian beads, garnet, and 30ft of beads, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, 1.5’ x 1’ x 1”
Wound (detail), 2019, sterling silver, obsidian beads, garnet, and 30ft of beads, 3D printed, cast, stones set by hand, 1.5’ x 1’ x 1”
The Moon, 2018, precious black coral, black tourmaline beads, sterling silver, garnet, and moonstone, soldered, beaded, fabricated, hand set stones, 1’ x 6” x 1”
The Moon (detail), 2018, precious black coral, black tourmaline beads, sterling silver, garnet, and moonstone, soldered, beaded, fabricated, hand set stones, 1’ x 6” x 1”
Installation view of three necklaces
Brittle Efigy, 2019, obsidian beads, blackened wood, sterling silver, and amethyst, burned, beaded, soldered, fabricated, hand carved, 2’ x 4” x 1”
Witch Blessed Necklace, 2018, sterling silver, black tourmaline, black onyx, and green tourmaline, hand set stones, fabricated, 2’ x 4” x 1”
Ace of Swords, 2018, garnet, 3D printed plastic, human finger bones, and black tourmaline, 3D printed, beaded, fabricated, dyed, 1.5’ x 6” x 1”
Death Necklace, 2018, resin, 3D printed plastic, sterling silver, fine silver mesh, and fine silver, 3D printed, carved, molded, cast, fabricated, beaded, 1’ x 6” x 1”
Death Necklace (detail), 2018, resin, 3D printed plastic, sterling silver, fine silver mesh, and fine silver, 3D printed, carved, molded, cast, fabricated, beaded, 1’ x 6” x 1”