by Sloan Looney
Our era, undoubtedly, capitalizes on mass production, immediate gratification and a world of impersonalized procedures and products.Thus, meeting Tiana Wages was like a breath of fresh air and a glimpse into a trade that is rare and hard to find in today's market of craftsmanship. Her jewelry design philosophy focuses on a personalized product, a methodical and in-depth process and the age-old definition of a skilled craft, epitomizing her as a true artisan and exemplifying Tiana Wages as an exceptional piece of artwork in and of herself.
Sloan Looney: At what age did you begin designing jewelry and why?
Tiana Wages: I was around the age of 29 and it started as a hobby in Madrid. I remember thinking, I love to design things but in order to design something, I wanted to know how the stone should be set, how it can physically fit into that metal. Instead of using an artisan every time, which essentially means I'm relying on his interpretation of the look, I wanted to know how to make it, how to interpret it myself. That, to me, is the most important element of jewelry design, the hands on approach and the comprehension of the jewelry making process in its entirety.
SL: What medium comprises the majority of your jewelry?
TW: Stones are extremely important in my work because they are an amazing contrast to the metal. That's also why I choose 22-karat gold as my preferred metal, as it's an incredible material and texture. I also have favorite stones, but the range of color, quantity and price are vast.
SL: Is this hands-on approach, what do you believe differentiates you from other contemporary designers?
TW: First and foremost, artists who conceptually design any form of art, and then let someone else piece it together are still very talented. However, involvement throughout the entire process is tremendously important and it's a facet of design that's disappearing. For example, the designer and activist Yoehlee recently lectured at the Dallas Museum of Art on her retrospective called: Yeohlee Designs For Now, showing currently at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. She spoke on preserving the Garment District in New York City, the most physical manifestation there is of the manufacturing, hands-on method and more precisely, the root of all design. Sometimes the current generation cannot comprehend how important that part is.
SL: When you say "that part", what do you mean exactly?
TW: I'm referring specifically to the artisanship and knowledge of the materials any designer centers their craft upon. Actually making things with the raw materials used to be the most natural thing.To give you a better depiction, this generation often designs things with the aid of a computer, and does so very well.Yet, producing an image that projects a hand-made representation, which should be the artist's intention, must be connected with a real organic knowledge of how that piece was originally constructed.When that knowledge does not exist, the result is not always as organic, and the design then becomes a little bit more different, artificial, angular, unnatural.What's easiest to design does not necessarily mean the most beautiful pieces of work.
SL: What advice would you give to an aspiring young designer today?
TW: I always support any young designer or craftsmen, but I would encourage them to really understand the process as a whole, not just the conceptual portion.
SL: Who are your typical clientele and where can your collections be found in the Dallas metroplex?
TW: My pieces in Dallas can be found at Betty Reiter (also the only specialty store that carries Yeohlee's collection in the area). However, my clientele are not very typical, as I believe in not only knowing how my jewelry is designed, but also how my pieces work with certain people. Betty Reiter's philosophy of personal relationship with clients is the reason behind her success, which is precisely the reason I like to show there. However, this limits my trade to a more specialized audience as I build collections for individuals. I ask myself, how to capitalize on someone's personal taste and their wardrobe as a whole? I redesign a lot of things that people have. When you build a collection, you possibly change some things, have some new things, and you keep your collection fresh. That's really my specialty. I like to design what fits the person, that's what excites me, when I find something new that they didn't know would look amazing and wonderful.
SL: Does your hands-on approach design method enhance your ability to build a specific client's jewelry wardrobe?
TW: I think so. Because I know how something can be made, I can immediately say you need such and such, we can do this and this with this. If you don't know how to make it, and you're only designing, you have to consult so many people, the setter, the maker, etc. You can't really evaluate how things work and fit together and that's really the difference. Many times, the young designers do beautiful things but the product is limited in scope.The trade and design process is like a great talent that can evolve. There's so much more to it, and you have to know the materials.You can then apply that knowledge to each individual client.
SL: Tell us the basis and concept behind your latest collection, featured in this article?
TW: Everything is mix and match, everything can be taken apart and pieced back together in a totally different way. I create every first model of jewelry, there is no question about it. I then show it to someone for replication, and even then, I go over each and every piece with great attention to detail. I want to know my jewelry as a whole, the same way I want to know my clients, thus making it a fulfilling experience for each party involved.
Tiana Wages is a local designer, who has received several design awards, including the prestigious De Beers "Diamonds Today" campaign in 1999. She can be contacted through Betty Reiter (214)373-9990 or via her website www.tianawages.com.
