Jewellery - Jewelry

Tribal Necklaces - Tribal Victorian Chokers by Sonja Zytkow

Bijoux Africains - Afrikanischer Schmuck

Sonja Zytkow 1986

1972: Cardiff College of Art, Wales
1975: BA (FA), Sheffield College of Art, UK
1978: MA (FA) (Ceramic Sculpture), California College of Art, USA

Sonja Zytkow is an African ceramic artist whose work is displayed in many well known private and public collections. During the early 1990's, Sonja visited our gallery in Franschhoek South Africa. Without a jewellery background, she settled into a remarkable bead collection and began to create small, one-off art works. The encounter proved to be the beginning of what later became a calling. At the end of the holiday, she ran off with 100's of kilograms of  16th - 19th century Dutch and Venetian trade beads. Since then, aspects of her beaded wonders have been exclusive to our gallery and clients.

Today, Sonja uses much more to create these small masterworks then in the early days. She continues to incorporate seemingly endless variants of glass beads, while adding others made of bone, brass, clay, coconut shell, copal amber, ivory, pewter, sea shell and wood. Semi precious stones such as amethyst, carnelian, garnet, jade, labradorite, onyx, tigers eye and quartz are also used. Drawing from the past, a dash of old Dutch and /or Venetian trade beads still are included, as well as the odd Ekipa.

In Sonya's words:  I do not have the same constraints that trained jewellery designers might impose on themselves. I mix brass with pearls, glass with semi-precious stones and even gold with wood. This allows me an unlimited experimental approach to the design of any piece.

Galerie Ezakwantu's selection of Sonya's current work follows. Click on the thumbs for a larger resolution image. Quote the row number and the items position therein for prices.

 Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

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Tribal Necklace "A" - was not  made by Sonja Zytkow

Tribal Necklace "B" - was not made by Sonja Zytkow

 

 

Click this logo, to learn more about Sonya Zytkow and her innovations. 

 

Follow this link to visit our African Adornment page offers a small collection of trade beads. 

 

 Or follow this link to learn about Trade Beads - Slave Beads.

 

 

 Contact us for information on any necklace, larger resolution pictures and/or prices.

 

 

 

Sonja Zytkow 1975 - 1988 - 1975

 

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