Crocuses. 2004. Amethyst, citrine, nephrite, chalcedony, metal. Work by Ural stone cutter Viktor Vasiliev

Ural stone cutter Viktor Vasiliev
Born 10 April 1954, Viktor Vasilyev is a talented artist-stone cutter, master of stone cutting art, who works mainly in the genre of floristics. A former geologist, head of the Vasilyev Stone-cutting Workshop. Awarded the Order of Denisov-Uralsky.
According to the master, the world of stone is familiar to him since childhood, because Nizhny Tagil and its surroundings are a real natural treasure. Participation in the work of the club “Polyus”, classes in the geological club and art studio helped Victor understand the scientific and aesthetic value of minerals. And further study in the geological technical school and at the Geological Faculty of Perm University is quite natural.
Professional miner Vasiliev worked in mines and lovingly collected minerals. To discover and show the beauty of minerals, for example, variegated jasper, it was required to master the methods of its processing, which he later applied in the decorative composition “The island of Buyan” (1995)
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Mythological bird Sirin brooch. Silk of dark-blue color, decorated with embroidery, beads and sequins. Face – polymer clay, several layers of lacquer. Maria Knutova mythological jewelry art

Maria Knutova mythological jewelry art
Moscow based jewelry designer and artist of applied art Maria Knutova (aka Marisha) creates fabulous decorations based on Russian folklore and mythology. In her gallery – stunning embroidered brooches depicting a beautiful woman with the body of a bird. In Slavic and in particular, Russian mythology, these are mythological birds Sirin, Gamayun, and Alkonost.
According to Maria Knutova, she is a miniaturist artist by education, and a sham decorator by profession. In general, an artist of applied art.
Noteworthy, each work created by Maria Knutova is unique and can’t be repeated exactly. However, the variations of each item are no less beautiful. To create her brooches the master uses high quality textile, beads, sequins, freshwater pearls and thread. Also, she uses polymer clay, lacquer, watercolors and pencils.
According to the artist, she works in various techniques – jewelry, dolls and toys, papier-mache, plastic, painting, and applique.
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‘The wind of change’ brooch of polymer clay. ‘Tomorrow the wind will change, Tomorrow the past is over. It will come, and will be a kind, affectionate Wind of change. A miracle on the palm – Olga Ponomareva Miniature brooches

A miracle on the palm – Olga Ponomareva Miniature brooches

Chelyabinsk based young and beautiful artist Olga Ponomareva has been engaged in creativity since her earliest childhood. Designer by education, Olga has many hobbies. However, most of her free time the artist devotes to polymer clay. According to the master, she works with this material for about three years, but learned about polymer clay by accident. “Interestingly, the possibilities of this material are endless!”. In fact, before started creating jewelry, Olga experimented a lot. At the moment, she basically makes very refined and lovely brooches. First of all, everything starts with a sketch, and then comes time for the embodiment of the idea. In addition, according to the artist herself, she likes to work through each tiny brooch in detail. “It’s amazing to see how each piece of jewelry gets its character and personality.” Undoubtedly, each piece of a talented artist, designer and jeweler Olga Ponomareva has become a truly miracle on the palm of her hand. By the way, that’s the name of her online workshop.
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In the city yard. Desk decoration. Gold, silver, jasper, quartz, uvarovite. Sirin jewelry company miniature sculpture

Sirin jewelry company miniature sculpture
Moscow based jewellery company Sirin has about twenty years of experience in the jewelry art. In the gallery of their workshops – a priceless collection of jewellery art. In particular, exquisite destop decorations, fabulous miniature sculptures, not to mention jewelry decorations – brooches, earrings, necklaces and more.

According to the information on their website, the company began working in 1991. Creating their author’s products, jewelers use gold, silver, diamonds, precious and semi-precious ornamental stones, pearls, colored enamels, and enamel inserts. Also, they use sophisticated techniques. For example, transparent colored enamels laid along the guilloche surface, stained-glass and cloisonne enamels, chasing, filigree, and the technique of small plastic. And the result of their creativity – awards and recognitions of national and foreign art exhibitions, companies and museums.
Highly appreciated by the art critics of the Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund of Russia, specialists at the State Depository of values of the Russian Federation, Sirin collaborates with the largest companies De Beers and ALROSA. Works by jewelry company Sirin received numerous awards at international jewelry exhibitions in Russia, Switzerland, the USA, France and Austria.
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Portrait of a brunette girl on a yellow background. Brooch on the motives of the painting by the artist Sergei Smirnov. Hand Embroidery. Mulina cotton, mulina metallized, Japanese beads, natural leather. Ekaterina Barinova artful embroidered brooches

Ekaterina Barinova artful embroidered brooches
Belgorod based artist of applied art Ekaterina Barinova creates decorations in the technique of embroidery with beads. According to the master, she uses only high-quality materials in her work. In particular, genuine leather, beads made in the Czech Republic and Japan, rhinestones made of glass and crystal, Swarovski crystals and pearls, beads made of crystal, glass, ceramics and natural stones. As a true artist, Katerina likes to experiment and come up with something new, while not forgetting to constantly replenish her supplies of materials. Meanwhile, all the works created by the hands of a young Russian master are author’s and unique.
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Galaxy. Material – citrine, rock crystal. Alexander Levental stone cutting art

Alexander Levental stone cutting art

Born in 1959, St. Petersburg based jeweler stone cutter Alexander Solomonovich Levental is the founder of the Creative Union of Rock-cutters of Russia and Knight of the Order of A.K. Denisov-Uralsky (2010).
He grew in the family of a geologist engineer and got a love for a stone from his father and grandfather, a Petrograd jeweler.
Alexander studied at the Restoration and Construction School, specializing in stone carving. After graduation in 1977, he continued private studies in the workshop of Eduard Versudsky and his wife Alevtina Voronova. Then he worked as a foreman of stone carvers at the Monumental sculpture factory. However, wherever and whatever he would not work (a sailor, a fireman, a polisher, a caretaker, a watchman), he was constantly engaged in jewelry and stone carving.
In 1989, Levental organized “Plastic in stone” company, which existed until 1992. After 1992, he ran the stone carving workshop “Artes”, and in 2002 founded his own creative workshop.
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Aviator. Stone Carving Art by Altai master Yury Shumov

Stone Carving Art by Altai master Yury Shumov

Born in 1983 in the town of Berezovka, in 1998 Yury Shumov entered the Lyceum in Biysk, where he studied for four years, to become “Artist-Master of Decorative and Applied Art”. At the end of the lyceum in 2002 he entered the Biysk Pedagogical University the artistic and graphic department. In addition, the same year he got a job as an art teacher at the Major Secondary School in Charyshsky District. But the prospect of teaching and long studying at the university did not inspire him. The paper and routine work interfered with self-realization and development of his own creative potential.
So, in 2003 he moved to Kolyvan, to the stone-cutting plant, and worked there as a polisher of stone products. Six months later, he was engaged in bulk carving on the stone. And all this time he, along with his brothers, built a workshop in Berezovka, bought tools, manufactured machines, collected stones, and precious materials for work. By the autumn of 2008 the workshop was ready. The first success came in 2010, when they won the 1st place in Charyshsky and Solonshensky district among the participants of the exhibition in the nomination “Handicraft production”.
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