First Thursday and Open Saturday

I hope everyone is adjusting to the fickle Minnesota weather. How foolish of me to think spring was going to come early :) but... it is March! So you know what a new month brings....

First Thursday- March 3rd, 5-9pm
First Thursday in the Arts District
Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson St NE, Studio 435
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Open Studio- Saturday March 5th, 12-4pm
Open Saturdays at the Northrup King
Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson St NE, Studio 435
Minneapolis, MN 55413
For all you facebook junkies, make sure to check out my Britta Lynn Design page so you can follow my progress in Duluth and always get a sneak peak of the new designs on the bench!

Jewelry Trunk Show at the Grand Hand

Me and my studiomate, Emily Johnson, look forward to showcasing our newest and expanded collection at the Grand Hand Gallery in Saint Paul for one full weekend full of sparkle. This special Trunk Show highlighting my and Emily's work is just in time for Valentine's Day. Stop by to see the newest creations and maybe bring something home with you for a special treat for yourself or that very special Valentine. Hope to see you there!

Friday Feb. 9th 11-7pm
Saturday Feb 10th 10-6pm
Sunday Feb 11th 12-6pm

The Grand Hand Gallery
619 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102

The Grand Hand

Britta Lynn Design jewelry is now available at The Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul! This is one of my favorite galleries in Minnesota and I am so happy to be among other local and regional artist they represent. The Grand Hand continually offers the best of contemporary fine American craft from local artisans to well established national icons in a variety of media: wood, fiber, glass, clay, and of course jewelry. Stop by to see my full collection!

Art-A-Whirl!

Art-A-Whirl is here again! Every spring the Arts District in Northeast Minneapolis comes alive with the largest art crawl and gallery tour in the nation. Every artist building, studio, and gallery in the area opens their doors to an enthusiastic crowd. Thousands of people come to check out the local art scene and view new collections and artists' working spaces. Hundreds of artists from fibers, clay, paint, video, and of course jewelry will display their work for show and sale.

Stop by our studio in the Northrup King Building studio 435 to check out my new collection focused on asymmetrical elements and weights and balances. My studio mates Emily Johnson, Betty Jager, Rita VanAllen, and Susan Frerichs are eager to show you their new work as well. We will also host local coffee roasters Megan and Shawn Person of Public Coffee House who will hand out hot cups of coffee to keep you alert as you take in all the local art.

Art-A-Whirl
Friday, May 14 - 5:00-10:00pm
Saturday, May 15 - 12:00-8:00pm
Sunday, May 16 - 12:00-5:00pm

Busy, busy!

The snow is all gone, the birds are chirping, the grass is green... could it be... spring?! Along with the longer, warmer days spring also brings art show season. This year I will participate in three amazing shows: the Walker Art Mart, Art-A-Whirl, and close the summer with the Uptown Art Fair. I am ecstatic to join the ranks at these prestigious events and am working hard to bring a fresh new collection to show. Here's another sneak peek to jewels: layered blackened sterling silver chain with lustrous pearl accents. It is so delicate but still has a great toughness to it as well.

New Jewels!

Check out the new pieces focused on asymmetrical elements and gemstone accents. The above earrings are part of the "Tree Ring" collection with the outlines mimicking the year rings of a tree. The below necklaces are the starting points to a new collection. I love the contradiction of the white, lustrous pearl mixed with the bold, black silver.

Last Chance for Jewels!

Still need that perfect gift for the Holiday? Well we got you covered. Stop by my studio at the Northrup King today, Saturday the 19th between 12-5pm for a wonderful selection of handmade jewels from $48-$350. There will be collections from Emily Johnson, Betty Jager, Susan Frerichs, and your truly. Betty and Emily will be there to greet you all and represent all the pretty things. Shop local and support working artists this Holiday season. Happy Holidays!

Jewels, Jewels, Jewels…. (and Rita too!)

It's time to spread some Holiday cheer with, you guessed it, jewels!

Thursday December 3, 2009 we invite you to a very special event; Local goldsmiths Britta Kauppila, Betty Jäger, Emily Johnson, and Susan Frerichs welcome you to an open studio tour and Holiday sale at the Northrup King Building suite 435. All four ladies will be showing highlights from their collections of hand made finely crafted jewelry perfect for your Holiday gift!

There will be hand-made baked goods, new paintings, warm apple cider, live music and Jewels, jewels, jewels!!!

1st Thursday December 3, 2009 5pm-9pm

"Shoppe Local"

The owners of Patina will open the doors of their new venture, Shoppe Local, next week. This boutique will highlight local designers and artists of all mediums. Find your local jewelry, accessories and other novelties at this highly anticipated shop near their South Minneapolis Patina location-- 813 50th Street South Minneapolis. Stop by and see a collection of your truly, Britta Lynn, and my other studio mates, Emily Johnson and Betty Jager. I am excited to work with such an exciting store and can't wait to see a whole boutique dedicated to the amazing local artists.

New Designs

I promise to post new designs as soon as I have a photo shoot. I am working on a collection of tree knot inspired designs with granulation and winged friends with a newly learned technique called Keum Boo. In the meantime, enjoy these never before posted designs:

Custom Design

I had the privilege to create a pair of custom designed wedding rings for a couple in search of new rings to symbolize their commitment. They stumbled upon me at a First Thursday at the Northrup King and found a ring they both were drawn to for different reasons. I love to name my designs because they each have their own story, but I usually try to name them ambiguous enough so each person can interpret the design to their own experiences and not just fall into my interpretation- but I have not settled on a name for this design. I have called this reticulated sterling silver and fine silver granulation design "Nature's Crown", "Seedlings", "Wave" and the list goes on. This ring fit the couple so perfect for different reasons: He is a landscape artist and the swells and valleys of the silver reminded him of landscapes while she is a student studying agriculture and she preferred the seedling interpretation of the granulation. We oxidized the finished product to give them a very rustic, earthy feel. They seem as though they were just pulled from an archaeological dig. I was very excited about these rings and the meaning they both had for the couple. I hope they enjoy them for years to come.

3rd place People's Choice Award!

It has been a very busy summer/ fall that has kept me at my bench and off the computer but alas, I have found some time for the world wide web. The first big event this season was the WJA Designer Showcase in September held at Stephen Vincent's loft in the Warehouse District. This is an exclusive event where local and regional artists showcase their designs for local and regional gallery and boutique owners. Here you can find a wide variety of talent and technique all within your local area. This event encourages owners and retailers to shop local and discover new and rising talent. It was a great atmosphere to show off my new collection. I was honored to win third place in the "People's Choice Award" amongst the other talented designers. Here are some photos of the event!

Art Fair!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Park Point Art Fair. It was a great success despite the weather! It was a great weekend to get out and partake in the local art scene. There was a great attendance accompanied with fickle weather (as always expected in Duluth... if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes!) Check out photos from the weekend!
My new favorite piece! It's oxidized sterling sliver and 24 karat gold leaf with an 18 karat gold bezel set champagne rose cut diamond. The oval length chain is adjustable to a 22 inch or 18 inch length. This piece took me forever to create... but it was definitely worth the time!

Park Point Art Fair!

Well summer is finally here and it is already going so fast! This coming weekend is the Park Point Art Fair in beautiful Duluth, Minnesota on the shores of Lake Superior. I couldn't ask for a better backdrop for my first outdoor art fair. Come by and check out the array of artists, mediums, music and of course jewels! Hope to see you there!

New Jewelry for First Thursday!

This coming Thursday will be my first First Thursday at the Northrup King Building. Every first Thursday of the month all the art buildings in Northeast Minneapolis open their doors for open studios. Come check out my new studio space and new jewelry this Thursday May 7th 5:00pm-9:00pm. There are a lot of fun new designs for summer. Hope to see you there! 4th floor, studio 435.

Rings as Personal Statement

Rings are always one of my favorite pieces of jewelry to design and to wear. They are a very personal piece of jewelry as many times they have symbolic meaning: wedding rings, class rings, mother's rings. Rings are special because they are enjoyed not only by the spectator, but the wearer themselves.

I love to work in ancient techniques and antique gems. There is a close relationship the piece of jewelry and the handmade process. I choose to work in granulation which was a symbol of the Etruscan culture, and rose cut gems which were one of the first styles of polished gemstones in history. Here are some designs that blend these styles and techniques to create a story for each piece and its wearer.

Jewels, Jewels, Jewels!

So often when I start a piece of work, I have a sketch of my idea and I have thought about execution even before I begin the initial saw-blade cut or hammer mark. But as a I begin the process of the design the metal usually has its own intentions. I never create a piece exactly like the original sketch because as it evolves it becomes something of its own and helps direct me to the final design.