Goss Design Studio

Andrew Goss and Sandra Noble Goss have been working together as artist-jewelers and metal workers in Canada since 1973, when they graduated from George Brown College's Jewelry Arts program in Toronto. They also studied jewelry for a year at Hornsey College of Art in London, England, and moved to the Owen Sound region northwest of Toronto, Canada, in 1976.



These are examples of Sandra's work:





Paisley Pendant

Sterling silver, etched bronze





Berry Branch Bracelet

Etched sterling silver



Andrew and Sandra share a studio and work in similar materials, but they design and work on their own separate pieces of jewelry. Materials they use include brass, copper, bronze, sterling silver, copper nitrate patina (a chemical heated onto the surface, also called 'verdigris'), 24k gold leaf, and more unusual materials such as concrete and cellulose acetate.



These are examples of Andrew's work:





Small Boat Concrete Pendant

This small (1.75" long, 0.75" wide, 0.5" deep) boat-shaped pendant is hung on a sterling silver chain, usually 16" or 18". I have done it in a variety of colors such as white, black, gray, some with texture, some smooth, some with gold leaf (as shown).





Pinched Leaf Earrings

These earrings are made of thin brass or sterling silver. The texture is from rolling the metal against textured paper. The ear hooks are sterling silver and show as a line in the front of the earrings. 1.75" long, 0.75" wide.



Their jewelry is made with traditional techniques such as sawing, filing, forging (with a hammer and anvil), fusing (joining silver together almost at its melting temperature), etching, soldering and casting. But they also use newer techniques such as roller-printing (where a paper texture is impressed in the surface of the metal), fold-forming, etching, and multiple-metal laminations (where several different metals are soldered together).



Sandra teaches some of these advanced techniques at Georgian College's jewelry program in Barrie. In her work, she looks for richness of texture combined with common symbols: spirals, circles, moon-shapes, hands. Her recent work involves fossils found in the area, and their references to memory and family. Some of the ideas are incorporated into wall pieces, etched bronze interpretations of fossils.



They also have a Techniques for Jewelers Page, where they have useful information about several jewelry techniques:

• Gold Leafing
• Rolling Mill Printing
• Etching Copper, Brass, and Bronze
• Using Photocopies as a Resist
• Multi-metal Lamination
• Concrete and Cement

Andrew's jewelry tends to be more geometric and simple, aiming to develop a pure form, where the parts form an integrated whole. A series of roof-top pins, and a series of wall-mounted rocket/fish pins, reflect these concerns. Like Sandra, he has also worked in a larger scale: his cast concrete and bronze drinking fountain can be seen in the Cycle Centre park across from the market building in Owen Sound. Andrew's recent work is in cellulose acetate and concrete.



Their work is sold across Canada: Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Waterloo, Calgary, Vancouver, and also in several cities in the United States. Their work has been shown in Canadian collections in London, Paris, and Germany. They are recipients of several Ontario Arts Council Awards, as well as awards from the Metal Arts Guild and the Canada Council for the Arts. They are also founding members of the Art Town Collective.



You can see more of their work at Goss Design Studio. It's a very interesting website, and well worth your time.

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