Michal Golan
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| Born: | |
|---|---|
| Haifa, Israel | |
| Lives: | |
| New York, USA | |
| Artist: | |
| Jewelry Designer, Ceramicist | |
| Description: | |
| A designer of elaborate and ornate jewelry following the Byzantium and Victorian traditions. |
Michal Golan is a jewelry designer and ceramicist who was born in Israel and now lives in New York. Her work is available world-wide.
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[edit] Background
Michal Golan was born and grew up in Haifa, on the northern Israeli coast, and like many women doesn’t like to reveal her age. Michal moved to the United States in 1976 where she studied graphic art at the University of Maryland graduating in 1980. In 1981 while she was studying for her MA, Michal began to make jewelry to support herself through college. Although she specialized in printmaking and etching, after graduating in 1984 from New York University, Michal Golan decided to turn her part-time jewelry design business into a full time one.
[edit] Jewelry
Having grown up in Israel, Michal Golan’s artistic sensibilities were attracted to the ancient civilizations that surrounded her, and she developed an interest in archeology from a young age. She still likes to visit museums for inspiration.
Many of Michal’s jewelry pieces are reminiscent of the ornate and rich Byzantium period, or the more recent Victorian period, but they all have a contemporary twist. Michal Golan’s jewelry uses brass or white metal electroplated over with silver or gold, studied with combinations of semi-precious stones, crystal, glass or pearls to achieve a rich, ornate design. Michal Golan’s jewelry pieces which ranges from earrings to rings, and broaches to necklaces, are extremely popular and Michal has an excellent reputation.
[edit] Judaica
Michal’s Judaica is also very elaborate and ornate. She makes Judaica jewelry like Star of David pendants and Hamsa bracelets, which are supposed to ward off the 'evil eye'. Golan produces other ritual Judaica objects in the same vein as her jewelry, like her menorahs and mezuzah cases studded with semi-precious stones.
[edit] Mosaics
Continuing her artistic development Michal Golan studied film and video, sculpture, bead making and ceramics in a variety of courses throughout the 1990’s. Since she began working in clay, Michal found that she was able to transfer and transform her etching skills and produce work that reflects her interest in archeology. Golan creates artistic and decorative tiles which create a feeling of wholeness and she will sometimes incorporate hieroglyphics and other symbols from ancient Middle Eastern civilizations in her work. Like Michal Golan’s jewelry, these mosaic pieces, with their individual parts and created fragments are often very ornate and elaborate and are artistic pieces in their own right.
Michal Golan’s work is available in good quality jewelry stores as well as online. She lives and works in New York, and travels regularly to Europe and Israel for inspiration.