Cash Ring by János Gábor Varga

T’has imaginat mai com està fet un anell com aquest? La feina i les hores que hi ha al darrere? El nostre amic János ha fet un tutorial on ens ensenya foto a foto el procés de fabricació d’aquest anell. Una feina increïble digne d’un artista com ell. Felicitats!

Have you ever imagined how it’s made a ring like this? How many work and hours are behind it? Our friend János made a tutorial where teaches us photo by photo the production process of this ring. An incredible job worthy of an artist like him. Congratulations!


János Gábor Varga from Blind Spot Jewellery

Comença el Setembre, i des de 18kt seguim amb les entrevistes. Avui us presento un artista que segueixo des de fa uns quants anys per internet, m’encanten les seves joies rústiques i forjades a mà. No us perdeu el seu Flickr ni la seva botiga a Etsy.

Starts September, and at 18kt we’re back with the interviews.  Today I’m introducing you an artist that I have been following online for the last few years, I love his rustic and hand forged jewellery. You can’t miss his Flickr and his Etsy store.

Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Budapest in 1976. I have been always interested in nature and later in agriculture. I wanted to understand better the relation between human and nature, the way people find and use their sources of living how they face problems. So during my agricultural studies I spent 10 years of research on the traditional animal breeding and especially the traditional animal healing.
After the uni I left Hungary for England where I lived for nearly 3 years as a milker, later as a cheese maker. Then I moved to Italy where I live in a small village, near to Genova.

Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration came from the rusty and shiny tools I used on the fields or I saw hanging in old barns. I loved to touch them, play with them… I still love tools, old door knockers, coins and pots. In my mind, the most beautiful finish on metal is the scythe it has at the end of the summer. I try to recall these feelings in my jewelry.

What is your favorite place in your city? Why?
I consider this village where I live as my new home town. There are around 3000 residents here and it makes a nice, warm atmosphere. I like every angle of this place but I particularly adore the little labyrinth of the narrow lanes in the center.

When you decide to become a jeweller?
My first job in Italy was at a goats farm where I worked as a milker, cheese maker and generally I did all the things that is necessary. Forest work, hay making, feeding animals, etc. It could have been a nice job but I already had my passion for jewellery. So I built up my workshop and opened my Etsy shop. When I realized that it kind of works, I quited my job. Since then I mainly live from jewellery but it’s not always enough. So I still do occasional, seasonal jobs when there is a chance.

Name some books, movies or music you specially love.
As for music I like many different kinds.
I was grown up on the post punk/new wave and then I spent my youth on acid/ hip hop.
Recently I often listen to traditional sufi music like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or other Qawwali.
Some of my favorite movies are:
Fight Club, Closely Watched Trains, A Clockwork Orange, Zoo, Bitter Honey
As for books.. I used to read a lot more than I do now.. From Hungarian, Eastern Europian writers- one of my all time favorite is Bohumil Hrabal.

Name three jewelers you would like to see interviewed here.
Some of my favorites:
Dauvit Alexander (allias The Justified Sinner), a great jeweler and a very nice friend.
Lucie Veilleux the charming carpenter girl who makes fabulous metal jewellery too.
Victoria Takahashi the incredible talented jeweler of Seattle.