Angela Cohen — ARTIST

Angela Cohen

Interview with artist/designer Angela Cohen —

 
1. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Angela Cohen. I am an artist/jewelry designer who uses forgotten objects and all manner of vintage elements in my collection, From the Ashes. I like to give discarded bits from the past a new life in each of my pieces.

Guilt necklace

2. Why art?
I’ve always had an innate need to express myself creatively. The act of producing a one of a kind object satisfies my soul in a visceral way.

3. What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an artist?
I remember taking the crystals from my Grandmother’s old lamps and reworking them into a bracelet and earring suite. I was about ten years old at the time, and I still have the pieces.

Cathedral necklace

4. What are your favorite subject(s) and media(s)?
My focus is jewelry design and creation. My favorite materials to work with are bits and pieces of vintage jewelry and broken relics from the past. I love when a jewel has a history, a soul.

Our Lady Of Solace necklace

5. How do you work and approach your subject?
Once I come across a vintage treasure, I usually see a new purpose for it right away. I love looking at pieces and not seeing what they were, but what they could be and transforming them to their current incarnation.

6. What are your favorite art work(s), artist(s)?
Some of my favorite jewelry designers are Victoire de Castellane, David Webb and countless 19th century designers of unmarked pieces.

Tudor necklace

Ceylon necklace

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
One of the best responses I’ve had recently is that my jewelry reminded a woman who had majored in Victorian costume studies, of the antique jewels she had studied. The other was a message I received from a woman whose Mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer. It was a religious inspired piece and she purchased it hoping it would bring comfort to them both.

Chaste necklace

8. What do you like about your work?
I really like that my collection has a different look from a lot of the other jewelry that’s out there. I don’t follow trends. I let each treasure I find inspire their own outcome. I love the history behind each piece. The fact that each one has lived a former life and has risen from the ashes to its current incarnation, as so many of us have.

Reclamation bracelet

9. What advice would you give to other artists?
I don’t believe that I’m necessarily in a position to give advice to anyone, as I face self doubt and creative struggles every day. However, I would say try not to be too hard on yourself and don’t worry too much either, nothing good ever comes of that. Enjoy the victories, big or small. Constantly expose yourself to new art forms, different cultures, music, whatever inspires you and use that to advance your work.

Trinity earrings

10. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
In the next 5 -10 years I see myself continuing to pursue my art. Experimenting with different mediums and techniques, constantly striving to improve. I’ll probably own a jewelry boutique/tattoo shop with my husband.

Angela Cohen

LINKS —

 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FromTheAshesVintageJewels/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromtheashes13/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fromtheashes13
Website: http://www.fromtheashesvintagejewels.com
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FromTheAshesJewels