New Work!
Small necklace with antique silver centerpieces from the Jugendstil period. Includes beads of silver, lapis lazuli, emerald, and amazonite. Shown at the Arts and Crafts convention 2023 Ashville, NC
Jugendstil was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of Art Nouveau.
About the Artist and her Art
Barbara Natoli Witt is a contemporary artist with the rare distinction of having created her own medium. Her unique necklaces blend tapestry techniques to form intriguing webs of colored threads, ancient beads, and gem stones which capture at their centers precious sculptured pieces, artifacts, and heirloom treasures.
Regarding Ms. Witt's art form: She became fascinated by cross-disciplinary research into the origins of the art of adornment, while studying the ancient ethnic artifacts used in her work. Witt has found inspiration for her designs within a variety of cultures and periods. She is drawn to the evolving, implicit meaning of symbols that are universally embraced and expressed in the material cultures around the world. More specifically, Witt is driven by a desire to explore the motives for adornment, the historical role of adornment within artistic expression, and the universal importance of the necklace in establishing female power, status, and spirituality. As an artist, Witt is dedicated to renewing an appreciation for aesthetics in our daily lives by recycling and reintegrating the classical ideals of beauty, art, and symbols of the past into our modern sensibilities.
