Today, we are celebrating the superb design and artistry of two outstanding contemporary jewellery artists at Toronto Outdoor Art Fair. There is a beautiful sense of intimacy and preciousness that unites the artist’s imagination with one’s own when you carry around an exquisite and original piece of art — jewellery art — with you wherever you go.
Both Kayla Lim and Charlize Nhung Nguyen employ unusual materials that bring this cherished craft to the modern world. These exhilarating sculptural creations invite the viewer to join in the excitement of experiencing the form and texture, creating a tactile dialogue.
Kayla took home the Best of Jewellery Award, supported by long-standing donors Harry Enchin & Susan Friedrich, who have been committed to nurturing the art of Jewellery Design at TOAF for many years.
Charlize won Artscape’s Emerging Artist Award, consisting of a one-year membership to Artscape Daniels Launchpad, a first-of-its-kind creative entrepreneurship hub, where she can be a part of a vibrant and diverse community of creators, as well as engage in learning opportunities.
Enjoy getting to know them and their works! Consider giving yourself or a loved one a work of art if you are in the mood to celebrate a fresh new season.
| Kayla's work has a strong modernist design, great use of colour and unusual materials as well as traditional metalworking techniques. It has a very strong sculptural element and uses very simple but powerful forms which make the work stand out and give it significant presence. |
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| – Judith Tinkl, Textile artist, former OCAD U Professor and Assistant Dean, Judge of Best of Jewellery |
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Image: Angle One, Kayla Lim, sterling silver, 3D printed nylon, stainless steel, acrylic spray, 2019
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| Kayla Lim is a jewellery artist based in Toronto. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from South Korea, and continued her passion for design at George Brown College’s Jewellery Art Program, where she graduated in 2017. Kayla’s work focuses on creating movement and contrast by mixing different materials and colours. She strongly believes in the power of infinite possibilities by combining traditional ways of making with new technology. She is currently practicing her art jewellery journey as an Artist-in-Residence at Harbourfront Centre's Metal Studio. |
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Image: Kayla Lim, creating in her studio
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On winning Best of Jewellery in 2020…
It was my very first year, so I really did not expect to win an award at all! It was very surprising, and it also gave me motivation to continue on my work during the strange time of staying at home. Thank you TOAF for making me move forward in difficult times!
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On what TOAF means to her…
TOAF means community to me. My experience visiting TOAF in Nathan Phillip Square was always fun, exciting, and filled with laughter with people. Hopefully, we can meet each other at the show again soon!
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On taking part in TOAF this year…
Artists, you must apply! You will get all the support that you need from the team and get to meet lots of great artists. You will definitely enjoy the experience!
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Image: Cube Brooch, Kayla Lim, wood, acrylic, acrylic paint, iron pin backs, 2016
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About Charlize Nhung Nguyen
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| Artists whose works appear as a hybrid of different genres or disciplines are often the most interesting and best suited at showing off an exciting sense of imagination and originality. Charlize’s work falls into this category. It is jewellery that also reads as small works of sculpture. I’m especially taken by the rough edges and deceptively “unfinished” look of her work. It has the ability to challenge and question the very definition of jewellery and its more typical associations with preciousness, fragility and the conventional and all-too-predictable notions of beauty. |
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| – Rui Pimenta, Founder & Curator of Art Spin, TOAF59 Juror |
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Image: Object (hand), Charlize Nhung Nguyen, sterling silver, gold plated, 2018
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Charlize on her approach to creating…
At the core, my series focuses on the human body and its experience between material, form, and spatial. It is essential to my process to explore and experiment in a haptic manner. At the bench, my working concept is influenced by the source of "play" through research and experiment. My work has evolved to include abstract and philosophical ideas, emphasizing the human connection within the material world. My process carries out in a metal studio, exploring narratives with various mediums, reinterpret the result in the form of art jewellery, installation, and design object. Questioning the monetary value of material and its relationship to contemporary culture is a parameter I aim to carry as an ongoing art practice.
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Image: Object (neck, back view), Charlize Nhung Nguyen, sterling silver, gold plated, 2018
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Charlize on winning this year…
Since I won the Artscape Emerging Artist Award at the 59th Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, I've been striving to develop new approaches to continue my studio practice with Covid-19 restrictions. Like many artists, designers, and makers, the pandemic and its condition have a significant effect on how I make art. In September 2020, I had a tour at the Artscape Daniels Launchpad which houses multiple studios, offering a multidisciplinary opportunity. The space itself is meticulous, designed with community in mind. It just so happens that I have been working more on community-based projects, making Artspace Daniels Launchpad a good fit.
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| You can still purchase a limited number of Kayla's and Charlize's works along with thousands more by other artists on our website! |
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Image: Hope, Sepideh Kharazi, gouache and watercolour, 2017
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In honour of Spring's arrival, we've put together a new Featured Collection called Spring Forward, showcasing refreshing works from 22 TOAF artists that best display the spirit of the season.
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