Jade Drakes is a Trinidadian jeweller with a fondness for all things craft and animal, especially the dog. She was born in Venezuela of Trinidadian and Italian parentage and moved to Trinidad at a very young age. In her early 20s, she set off to America to study stuff and work like a bitch. She studied Metalsmithing and Theatre at Slippery Rock University, where she learned to work with animal horn and bone under Professor Robert J. Bruya - 'The Road Kill King'. She went on to study Bench Jewellery and Stone Setting at North Benet Street School. When the economy tanked, she went off to her father's homeland to improve on her stone setting skills but instead found herself charmed by Alchimia, a contemporary jewellery school in Florence, where things were crazy (just the way she likes them.)
Jade draws her inspiration from nature, old shops that sell old things, old ladies, old men, museums, books - especially children's books, female contemporary artists, insects and conversation.
Education
Alchimia International Contemporary Jewellery School - (2010-2011) - Florence, Italy
North Bennet Street School - Boston, MA, USA - (2006-2008) - Jewellery
Metalwerx Studios – Boston, MA, USA - (2008)- Blacksmithing
Slippery Rock University - (1998-2001)- Pennsylvania - Metalsmithing/ Theater Department
St. Dominic's Convent- Trinidad and Tobago
Workshops
Ground Now- Ruudt Peters - The Netherlands- 2015
Electroforming - Pforzheim, Germany - 2011
Giovanni Corvaja Training - 2011
Christoph Zellweger - 2011
The Animal Inside You - Ruudt Peters- 2010
Stone Cutting and Cabachon - Mass Art - 2009
Exhibitions
More than Gold Exhibition - 2013 - Studio Huddle, Toronto, Canada
PinHat/HatPin, de Hoedenmaker, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Gallery Marzee – 2011 – Nijmegen, Holland
Alternatives - 2011 - Alchimia - Rome, Italy
Mangold Ring Exhibition - 2011 - Leipzig, Germany
Joya- 2011 - Barcelona - Spain
Inhorgenta, Alchimia - 2011 - Munich, Germany
NBSS Student Show- 2008 - Boston, MA, USA
Collaboration- Steven Hinds, NBSS Alumni - 2008 - Boston, MA, USA
Boston Craft Fair, NBSS - 2006-2007 - Boston, MA, USA
http://www.luna-artrising.com/
http://www.artzpub.com/content/draconian-switch/issue-
hthttp://www.guardian.co.tt/arts/2012-09-16/little-craft-shop-couldtp://www.luna-artrising.com/
http://designerislandlife.com/the-interview-saturday-morning-with-jade-drakes-pt-2/
A very big thank you to photographers...
Go on, click on their names to see more of their work!
