Berk brooch donated to Boston museum

August 1, 2007

Foster City, Calif.—The "S-Curve Brooch" designed by Barbara Berk has been donated to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by Elyse Zorn Karlin, the editor and publisher of Adornment, the Magazine of Jewelry and Related Arts.

Karlin, who is also the author of Jewelry and Metalwork in the Arts and Crafts Tradition and past president of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, said she wanted a piece of Berk's jewelry to be part of the important collection that the museum is building.

"I admire Barbara Berk's jewelry both for its aesthetic quality—the undulating lines and feeling of movement—and for its excellence in technique. Each piece is perfectly formed and executed," Karlin said in a statement. "It is an exciting time when jewelry is finally getting the recognition it deserves in the museum world."

Berk created the brooch by weaving 18-karat gold sheet and wire by hand, flat, off loom, in an "over 1, under 1" plain weave pattern, and then shaping the "fabric" into a 3-dimensional form. A separate stickpin that features a 14.2-carat citrine carved by Sherris Cottier Shank, enables the woven gold to be worn as a brooch.

"I'm delighted by Elyse Zorn Karlin's admiration of my handwoven jewels and very much appreciate the generosity of her donation," Berk said. "I am deeply honored to have my work represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston."

Berk added that she shares the honor with Arline Fisch and Mary Lee Hu, who taught her to weave with metal, and with family, friends, vendors, customers and others who encouraged her.

Berk's previous honors include a 2004 American Gem Trade Association Spectrum Award, the 2002 Award for Excellence in Design from the Women's Jewelry Association and a 2001 Saul Bell Design Award for jewelry design.

Her designs have been exhibited in museums and shows across the country. In addition, numerous publications and books have featured her jewels, and her writing on subjects such as textile techniques in metal has been published.

Berk also teaches her craft in weaving with metal at the University of California Extension, Santa Cruz, and offers workshops at art centers and schools across the country.

Her designs are available at select retailers and shows across the country. For more information, visit Berk's Web site, Barbaraberkdesigns.com.