The Beverly Hills Fall Art Show drew many of the most talented painters, illustrators, sculptors, glass crafters, and other creative professionals throughout the Los Angeles area and beyond last weekend, October 17-18.
Featured among the list of more than 300 exhibitors was Santa Monica jewelry design specialist Sasa Blackoff, who stood out from this talented group of artists by winning a Third Place Ribbon. This isn’t the first time she’s been recognized for her outstanding creative skills; Blackoff has won many awards and accolades at other art shows around the state of California.
For Blackoff, though, creating fine jewelry is more than just a hobby. It’s her job. Working out of her own private studio, Blackoff carefully crafts together beautiful, intricate earrings, rings, and other jewelry pieces.
“Working for myself I don’t have a 9-5 mentality, but I am always working at my craft and I’m inspired by nature,” she said.
Blackoff finds Santa Monica an inspiring area to work on her craft.
“It’s a place where many artists live,” she pointed out. “I love the proximity of being at the beach and having the fresh air. I love all the green areas and parks. It’s a lot more walking-friendly than ever before.”
Santa Monica isn’t the only artistic area near L.A. As the Beverly Hills Art Show once again proved, many artists love going to that annual fall spectacle.
“It’s lovely,” Blackoff said of the Beverly Hills Art Show. “It’s really a nice venue and they do a fabulous job making all the artists feel welcomed. They’ve made an absolutely beautiful event out of it.”
As usual, there was a good variety of artwork at the show: large metal sculptures, superhero statues, colorful glass vases, and awe-inspiring paintings. Among this eclectic mix, Blackoff was able to still stand out with her classy jewelry collection. She describes her style as “simply elegant” and inspired by art-deco.
“I love a very linear, bold look and I don’t shy away from a lot of gold,” she said. “I’m not afraid to use colors in every combination I can think of. I also love using unusual stones that you don’t see all the time.”
Her favorite gems are moonstones and rutilated quartz and she most enjoys designing earrings and rings. She became interested in jewelry as a young girl and today she is a successful designer.
“My grandfather is from Europe,” she explained. “He used to go to auctions in Paris and buy my grandmother amazing pieces of jewelry every year. I would go to her jewelry box when I was very young and was amazed by the collection. So that’s where it all started.”
When she was in high school she took a class in jewelry design and she kept improving her craft throughout the years. Her jewelry has been featured at many art fairs throughout California and she also sells her products online.
“I’m from old school, old technique,” she stated. “The hand-made industry seems to be dying out a bit. So much is not taught in school anymore. I hope young people come back to understand that hand-made is such a wonderful tool to acquire. It’s something that can be passed on.”
For more information check out www.Etsy.com/shop/sasajewelry.
