shewantedtoproducejewelry Herlong-agodecisionabouthow

42 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012 W M demands disciplineandconcentration, been given.But,thankfully,visual artistslike other creators have we span istoooverwhelmedtofully appreciatethisgift attention have tobetoldthisoverand again;perhapsour of apersonallifetimeexperiencing theworld. Somehow we years and of thisever-presentfactaswelivethehoursand days species asmakers.Itisastonishinghowlittlewe are aware and areminderofthestilluntapped potential of our power ofhumanstocreate is anamazing accomplishment sentience developedsomanymillenniaagoonthisplanet. very seriousformofgaming,perhapssimilartohowhuman Hu provokestheresponsethatcreatingfromavoidissome jeweler andmetalsmith. aesthetic fulfillmentfornowapproachingfiftyyearsasastudio to do.Itwouldbeherlife’swork,asatisfyingwayofachieving discovered earlythatweavinginmetaliswhatshewasmeant unassailable beauty.Shehaskepttothispracticesinceshe A All jewelryphotographs byDouglasYaple,exceptcover photographbySusanDirk;courtesyofMary LeeHu. DETAIL OFBRACELET #60ofeighteenandtwenty-two karatgold;9.2x10.24.1centimeters, 1999. Her artworksinjewelryareevidencethattheextraordinary She saysthatsheisplayinggameswithwire;ifsothen

knits, andbraidsitslengthintowovenformsof in thehandsofMaryLeeHu,assheplaits,twines, simple lineofwireinsilverorgoldtranscendsitself and asure,steadyhandassheknits ORKING ARY wraps herwayalongthewire,fabricatingit into aninstrumentofwondrousadornment. L EE

H WITH events outsidethestudio’swalls. especially demandsherfullattention withoutdistractionby is tosuccessfullycompleteher jewelry,herwayofworking replenish andnourishoneself. Insuchanenvironment,ifshe personal spaceasaformofrefuge,safeandpositivewayto so inthismannercertainlyconjuresuptheimportanceofher introduced andHuquietlyengagesincreating.Thatshedoes life’s turbulenceandmoreoverwhelmingelementsarenot of wondrousadornment. wraps herwayalongthewire,fabricatingitintoaninstrument and concentration,asure,steadyhandassheknits about howshewantedtoproducejewelrydemandsdiscipline appropriate forthejewelryshedesigns.Herlong-agodecision naturally reticent,hermethodicalandcontemplativespiritis Hu’s casewiththeweavingofmetal.Self-describedasshyand individual’s natureandhowitisexpressedthroughwork,in endlessly variable. they do,creatingasortofinfinitythepossible,and are heretodemonstrateourcapacitymake,andmake U In thesolitudeofherstudiooverlookingPugetSound, Sometimes thereisacloserelationshipbetweenan

W Carolyn L.E.Benesh Collection ofElise B.Michie. IRE

and personalgrowth. importance oflifelonglearningasameasureprofessional shares hertechnicalknowledgeandpromotesthecritical at variousworkshopsaroundthecountrywhereshegenerously adornment aspartofthecurriculum.Shecontinuestoteach proposed andtaughtacourseintheworldhistoryofbody Seattle, whereshewastheonlyartistincountrytohave retired herprofessorshipinartattheUniversityofWashington, University, Carbondale,andconcludingin2006whenshe beginning in1968asaninstructorofartatSouthernIllinois various institutionsformostofherprofessionallife, being herbestandvocaladvocate.Shehasbeenaneducatorat and self-confidenceinthequalityofherartworksrequire nevertheless fiercecommitmenttosustainingacreativelife major publiccollections,notablytheArtInstituteof Mary LeeHuresearchcollection.Hu’sworkcrossesmany Archives ofAmericanArt,SmithsonianInstitution,fora them aninvitationtodonateherpersonalpapersThe tusks; 25.4x14.03.8centimeters,1973. NECKPIECE #8offinesilver,twelvekaratgold-filledwire,boar’s She hasreceivedmanygrants,awardsandhonors,among There isalsoapublicfacetoHu.Anunderstatedbut Collection oftheartist.

twenty-four gaugewireineighteenkaratgoldisusedforthe two karatgoldforrichcolorandflexibility.Additionally, itsreflective surfacebutalsoreveal mysterious inner glow. become adrivingpassiontodivulgehowshowcaseitssoothing workingSince discoveringhowmuchshelikes in , it has , andnowinhermetalofchoice,gold. in first unfolding dramatic statementintheartofpersonaladornment over thedecades.Andwhatafireworksofdisplayithasbeen, the visualarrayofherworkingroupandsoloexhibitions in whichsheisincludedorthesubject,butitalsoenumerates Art Gallery,Connecticut. Victoria andAlbertMuseum,London;YaleUniversity Washington, D.C.;TacomaArtMuseum,Washington; Renwick Gallery,NationalMuseumofAmericanArt, Houston; NationalOrnamentalMetalMuseum,Memphis; Museum ofFineArts,Boston; Hall, London;MetropolitanMuseumofArt,NewYork; Arts,Chicago; ColumbusMuseumofFine Ohio; Goldsmiths’ National OrnamentalMetalMuseum,Memphis. lacquered ;25.4×16.53.8centimeters,1978. CHOKER #40offineandsterlingsilver,twenty-twokaratgold, Hu chooseseighteenkaratgoldforstiffnessandtwenty- Her biographycontainsamultiplicityofbooksandarticles Collection of

43 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012 44 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012 3.5 ×2.50.6centimeters,1998. RING #90ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold; of theartist. lapis lazuli;7.0×8.31.3centimeters,1986. BRACELET #37ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold, funds providedbyAnnKaplan. of Arts&Design,NewYork.MuseumPurchasewith 7.0 ×8.9centimeters,2002. BRACELET #62ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold; Robyn Horn. Arkansas ArtsCenterFoundation,GiftofJohnand gold; 11.1×6.41.9centimeters,2009. BROOCH #32ofeighteenandtwenty-twokarat Collection oftheartist. Collection ofMuseum Collection of Collection some oftheheavierwireedges,butusuallyabrassscratchbrushtakes mill forflatteningwireframestwining.Aflexibleshaftpolishes the soldering.Shehasdrawplatestopullherownwireandarolling parts. Aborax-basedpastefluxandacetylene-airtorchtakecareof flat-forming) An8/0jeweler’ssawisforcuttingthroughtwined favorites arechain-nosed,followedbyround,flat,half-round,and obscure theprocess.Theycontainwire cutters and pliers (her and lackofdependenceonmaterialsthatmightonlycomplicate means, atipofthehattohernaturalinclinationtowardself-sufficiency her toolkitissimple.Andindeedsheworkswithgreateconomyof fit between medium,material. and technique quibble over.Howluckytohavefoundaperfect and discern to note are unfailingly,intuitivelycorrect.Thereisnofalse they deliberation, spontaneous. Eventhoughconceivedwithmuch and fresh something else entirely.Herworksvibratewithinherentenergy, types ofgold,thatisit,notmuchvariety,buttheresult different framing, thewiresarealleighteenkaratgold.Withthree For warp in twining andthirtygaugetwenty-twokaratfortheweft. incomparable, exactingbeauty,timelessandvibrant.Somehowshe toward thesingularachievementofmakingpersonalobjects have possessedaninnercompassdirectingherself,evermovingher travels andkeeninterestinobjectsofethnography,Huseemsto plaited jewelry,wiremeshfromChina.Influencedbyher world Thai twisted orbraidedwiretorques,chainsfromTibetandIndia, she drawsfromthetextiletraditionsofworld,usedbyVikingsin care ofthefinish. In delightfullylaconicwordsbutneverthelessaccurate,Husays The finalimportantimplementisherhands.Withthesetools of otherwires. Instead ofhavingtoknotthem, muchmore within thestructures, awirecouldbewrapped aroundagroup order torevealtheessentialdepth andplayoflightresiding vocabulary forthemanipulation ofwire,learningsoonthatin standing asidefromherowngeneration ofmakers. out tobethehighlyunconventional one,aniconoclast natural worldorwroughtbyhumanhands.Inthissheturned implicitly liesattheheartoftruecreation,whetherin personal questsoughttoexpressthesimplicityandbeautythat for herreflectivetemperament:puttingegoaside, much moreamorphousandenigmatic.Itwasagoodchoice and slappingaroundartisticconventionsbuttosomething attracted tothelastcentury’sconsciousmissionofroughingup American identity,unlikemostofherpeers.Shewasnot no oneelse;suchthatitdoesnotevenleavethemarkofher inspirational derivation.Hu’sworkissoundeniablyherand contemporaneous formswithoutleavingatelltaletrailof their creativecoreandtransmutesthemintofully senses, absorbsandextractsfromancientfolkcultures Bit bybit,analyzingeachstep of theway,shehasbuilta Schneier, 2007. centimeters, 1985. Left: McMahon BradyCuttingFund. centimeters, 1993. CHOKER #81ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;16.5×17.82.5 CHOKER#70ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;15.2×24.17.6 verdant sensuality amplifyingthesinewystructure ofthe lacquered copper, bringingintheirmany colorations a a touchofpearl.Inthe1970s sheexperimentedwith like aboar’stusk,orinotherworks adecorativebeadorjust across thesurface,anddiscretely incorporatedotherelements neckpiece depictingahanging bird’snest,lizardsdashing from achievingitsinnateelegance. challenges toresolvethehindrancesthat could prohibit a work self-imposed her fastidioussearchforperfectionand meeting potential forbothvariationandsymmetryisaccompaniedby jewelry’s traditionalconcernforcarefulprocessesand boring, apathtofailure.Hu’srespectfor and uninspiring repetitive processofweaving —withoutbeing the work could bebasedontheelementalact ofrepetition— necessary qualityofbeautytoapiece. surface patternandtexturesteadilyemerged,lendinga modifications—gaining confidenceovertime—hersignature control wasgainedoverthedesignandwithother It isasourceoffascinationthatsomuchremarkable

Early onsomeofthedesignsemulated nature,suchasa Collection ofTheMetropolitanMuseumArt;GiftDonna Collection ofTheNewarkMuseum,Purchase2007,Helen

45 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012 46 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012 strongly togold’s elementalqualityandwould henceforth transition wasirrevocably setinplaceforHu. She connected making marvelous,sophisticated artworksingold,another response. Withtheirdisplays oftheseancientsocieties Scythian gold,alsobroughton afarmorepersonallyvisceral new format.Buttheexhibitions, likethelandmarkoneon torque afteranother,eachone providingachallengetothe of ancientculturestothepublic,shebeganmakingone major exhibitionswhichwereintroducingthegoldentreasures she movedontodesigningtorques.Influencedbysome solely insterlingsilver,butthenanadvancewasmadewhen chokers fromthatera.Shecontinuedmakingchokers,often Private collection. karat gold;5.7×6.45.1centimeters,2004. BRACELET #64ofeighteenandtwenty-two centimeters, 1992. CHOKER #79ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;15.2×22.54.3 Aalund, Nanz. SUGGESTED READING life’s creativeforce—itsglory,universalityandcapacityforrenewal. power ofatrueworkart,andstepintothetranscendentalrealm jewelry, suchasadelicateflowerbrooch,youexperiencethebeguiling with abitofdangerandimpulsivity.Whenrespondingtopieceher eloquence. TheyarealsoplayfullikeBrooch32andRing90,resonating 70 and81,Bracelet37,evincinganaturalinclinationforquiet warm, gracefulandwelcoming.ItisalsostatelyformallikeChokers is thereattheheartofconsciousness.Hersanintimatebeauty,always masterpieces sherevealssomethingakintoaninnertruththatweallfeel mode ofartisticexpression. only workinthematerial—anotherseeminglyexcellentfitforHu’s Blauer, Ettagale. Benesh, CarolynL.E. Breckenridge, Elizabeth. DuPriest, Karen. Fisch, ArlineM. English, HelenDrutt,andPeterDormer. Halper, Vicki,andDianeDouglas,eds. Koplos, Janet. L’Ecuyer, Kelly. Liu, RobertK. Lewin, SusanGrant. Lynn, Vanessa. Mahler, Annette. Updike, Robin. Untracht, Oppi. She playsandpliesgoldlikeamaestro,distillingitsessence.Inher 1991: 54-57. 40-43, 65. Direction.” York: Rizzoli,1995:239,304-05. University ofNorthCarolinaPress,2009:48-50. 117, 145. Bellevue ArtsMuseum,2012. Collection. 1989): 24-29. 213-14, 216-219,228,230,cover. Collection ofCatherineMouly.

“Retrospective,MaryLeeHu.” “Hu’sWho?” Knitted, Knotted,Twisted&Twined:TheJewelryofMaryLeeHu. “MaryLeeHu.”

Jewelry by Artists in the Studio 1940–2000, Selections from the Daphne Farago Jewelry byArtistsintheStudio1940–2000,SelectionsfromDaphneFarago Boston,MA:MuseumofFineArts,2010:15,28,116-17,241,247-48,cover. “Weaving .”

Jewelry ConceptsandTechnology. Textile TechniquesinMetal. “CraftIntoArt:MaryLeeHuTakesGoldandSilverJewelryinaNew “MaryLeeHu:ThePurposeandPersistenceofWire.” Contemporary AmericanJewelryDesign. Connoisseur

One ofaKind:AmericanArtJewelryToday. × 2.5centimeters,2000. CHOKER #83ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;15.6×15.9 “Mary LeeHu.” “MaryLeeHu:HighontheWire.” Art JewelryMagazine 216(897) (October1986):138-41. American Craft Fiberarts Ornament

Choosing Craft:TheArtist’sViewpoint.

Jewelry ofOurTime:OrnamentandObsession. 24(1)(Summer1997):40-44. NewYork:LarkBooks,1996:41,55,67,68,114-15, Ornament 50(1)(February-March1990):74-75. Vol.6,No.3,(1983):2-5,11. Collection ofTacomaArtMuseum. 2(4)(May2006):29-34. Garden City,NY:Doubleday,1982:207,209, Vol.18,No.2(Winter1994):54-55. NewYork:VanNostrandReinhold, NewYork:Abrams,1994:48,120-21. Craft Horizons Metalsmith 37(2) (April1977): Chapel Hill,NC: Bellevue, WA: 9(1)(Winter New to theMuseumofFineArts,Boston. CHOKER #88ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;20.3×21.61.3centimeters,2005. Seattle, Washington. BROOCH #33ofeighteenandtwenty-twokaratgold;9.5×12.12.5centimeters,2010. Knitted, Knotted,Twisted&Twined:TheJewelryofMaryLeeHuisonviewthroughJune17,2012 from Hu’scareerfornearlyfiftyyears.Theexhibitionisaccompaniedbyacatalogofthe at theBellevueArtsMuseum,located510WayNEinBellevue,Washington. The retrospectivefeaturesoverninetypieces,drawnfrompublicandprivatecollections, Photograph byCarolynL.E.Benesh. same name,availablethroughtheBellevueArtsMuseumstoreinmid-April. Collection oftheartist. The DaphneFaragoCollection,promisedgift MARY LEEHUinherhome

47 ORNAMENT 35.3.2012