Video tour:

Public Opening reception:

January 2nd, 8pm on Zoom

About the exhibition:

intersection  noun
in·​ter·​sec·​tion | \ ˌin-tər-ˈsek-shən  , especially in sense 1 ˈin-tər-ˌsek- \

Definition of intersection
1: a place or area where two or more things (such as streets) intersect
2: the act or process of intersecting
3a: the set of elements common to two or more sets
especially : the set of points common to two geometric configurations
3b: the operation of finding the intersection of two or more sets

Da Vinci Art Alliance is proud to host a group exhibition of work by six emerging craftspeople from the Philadelphia area: Intersections. All of the artists in this show are current students at Tyler School of Art and Architecture’s Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM program in either the BFA or MFA program. The work, while distinct to each individual, is tied together through a common pursuit of innovation. Through technological exploration, material studies, and historical research each artist’s work seeks to push past the boundaries of contemporary craft. The exhibition will be on view at Da Vinci Art Alliance at 704 Catharine Street from January 2nd-4th, 2021 by appointment and as a recorded video tour on the Da Vinci Art Alliance website.

about the Artists:

Ellen Sisti is a contemporary artist and educator based in the Philadelphia area.  Currently, she is an MFA candidate at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, where she is concentrating in Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM.  Sisti received her BFA in Interdisciplinary Object Design from Towson University in 2019. While there, she also was selected as a Towson University Fellow at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She has exhibited her work nationally and was published in the 2019 SNAG Jewelry and Metals Survey.  For three years, Sisti has worked as a 3D printing technician, starting at Towson and continuing on at Tyler.

“As an artist, I am fascinated with the intersection of craft and technology. My experiences working in a foundry, as a 3D printing technician, and as a CAD modeler have shown me that industry, craft, and technology function in a symbiotic relationship. My work explores this relationship through the use of industrial fabrication techniques, traditional craft forms, and technological exploration. I utilize all parts of the fabrication process within my work, from the digital render to the support structures and debris that would otherwise be thrown away. In this way I highlight the process of making, elevating its importance to that equal to the final product.”

James Betts is an artist and designer currently living and working in Philadelphia. Pursuing an MFA in Metals/Jewelry/CAD/CAM at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, his current body of work utilizes digital technology to both illustrate psychological and visual phenomenon.

“As a maker I am drawn to natural and psychological phenomena. In my work, I address and analyze ideas of recognition, and curiosity, an integral part of our human experience. With this in mind, I create wearable and functional objects that convey a sense of ambiguity; suggested imagery and tactical sensations cause the wearer or observer to question; what could this be? This body of work in particular addresses the idea of pareidolia; the tendency for humans to perceive imagery or familiar objects in otherwise abstract forms. For instance, seeing shapes in clouds, seeing faces in inanimate objects or recognizing images in abstract patterns. Every viewer’s  response to the work will be different; prior experiences and memories affect the observer’s response, and create varying interpretations. Using materials such as silicone, reactive pigments, and electroformed metals, I create a three dimensional and multi-sensory experience, which is essentially my own interpretation of a Rorschach test. The end result is an engaging experience between the viewer and the object, which continues to raise questions long after the interaction.”

Julia Votto is a maker working towards her BFA in Metals/Jewelry/Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing with a Minor in Art History from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia, PA. She is on track to receive her degree in May of 2021. The main source of inspiration behind Julia’s work comes from the human body and her desire to explore what it means to bring the inside out. Julia hopes to bring attention to, and enhance, the precious and ornamental qualities that naturally occur within human anatomy. Her work has been exhibited in places such as The Clay Studio and Da Vinci Art Alliance in Philadelphia, PA, as well as the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in conjunction with the American Craft Council. Throughout undergrad, Julia has been the recipient of scholarships from Temple University, as well as the Society of North American Goldsmiths. She has also been an active member of the Metals and Art History Guilds at Tyler. Originally from Bucks County, PA, Julia plans on continuing her education and pursuing a masters degree in Medical Device Design and Production. 

“Throughout my life, the human brain has been a recurring theme. Those closest to me have faced difficulties brought on by neurological-related diseases, disorders, and injuries. I translate these stories through carefully developed pieces of jewelry, as a way to reflect and work on these traumas and challenges. My hope is that viewers and wearers bring this work into their own lives, finding a similar solace in the details of each piece. Like the brain, I explore other parts of the human anatomy, and what it means to bring the inside out. Through the format of jewelry, I can physically relocate a bone or organ, and in turn discern how an audience views or perceives the human body. It is my goal to bring attention to the preciousness and ornamental qualities of the human anatomy, which otherwise might go unnoticed.
My decisions regarding material usage are heavily influenced by the medical industry, relying primarily on computer aided design and 3D printing processes. When combined with an exploration of different materials, such as silver and/or dyed silicones and resins, the work is given an extra layer of preciousness. This juxtaposition of subject matter, context, and materials is all in effort to beautify and memorialize a subject in order to draw in viewers and evoke a notion of paying attention. As I respond to specific moments in my life and the lives of those closest to me, I hope to captivate my audience and bring attention to the anomalies of the human body.”

Merha Shahid, from Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is a Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM student and will receive her BFA from Tyler School of Art and Architecture in 2021. Merha’s work is inspired by her perspective and point of view from day to day experiences and interactions with specific interests in light, color, and reflectivity. Currently, Merha is a full-time student dedicating her time to her craft and exploration of materials and mediums. Merha has been working on integrating her photography with her jewelry and experimenting with the interaction between the two. She is also working in the Tyler Metals studio as a tool room and studio monitor. Her work has been exhibited at Tyler School of Art and was also featured in a collaborative show with Only Elite Matters in 2019.

“Every piece I make I consider to be a self portrait, as they are all inspired by my perspective. They reference the phenomenon I experience in my small day to day interactions, and are explored through jewelry. I experience these intimate moments when looking at reflectivity in my surrounding environments, as well as light and color interacting with the reflective surfaces. These moments often happen when I least expect them, while at home, going on walks, but for the most part, when I am a passenger in a car or in the train. I am interested in composing dynamic and balanced pieces, and accomplish this through the incorporation of different materials, textures, and colors. The interaction between the different mediums of each piece stimulates more inspiration for my future works. Jewelry as a medium brings intimacy with the piece and the wearer, similar to the intimacy I feel when experiencing the visual phenomenon. I aspire to continue translating the experiences and intimacy of my everyday life into pieces of jewelry. I hope to inspire the viewer or the wearer how I become inspired myself, in the moment or with the design, oftentimes both.”

Miranda Wagner

“This body of work is an exploration of the intersections between color and identity. Each piece explores a different part of my personal identity and the colors that I associate with it. The pop art aesthetic is made to disguise some of the darker tones explored within these pieces, along with instigating a psychological response. Each piece is paired with an illustration to further emphasize the playfulness and energy that’s trying to be captured.”

Sarah Montagnoli is a Jeweler & Metalsmith who is based in Philadelphia, PA. She is currently working towards her MFA at Tyler School of Art & Architecture (2021) following a short period of career exploration after receiving her BFA from Moore College of Art & Design in 2018. Her work is created utilizing the hydraulic press and traditional practices of hand fabrication, in conjunction with technology and programs like CAD, Water Jet Cutters, and Laser cutters; to create dimensional perforated metal forms. Through incorporating tactile elements such as furs, flocking, silicone, felt, and various other materials; tactility and moments of comfort or self soothing are created in the work. A continuing theme within Sarah’s work is the exploration of childhood memories and memorabilia, along with concepts of pleasure and comfort.

“My current research is interested in the response of metal, that is hand pierced or water jet cut with patterns of perforations, and its response to pressure in processes utilizing the hydraulic press. Pillowed metal acts as a container or cage, which houses alternative materials such as silicone, furs, felt, flock, and other textiles. Within this act of entrapping tactile materials with open portals that allow the inner material to spill or puff out, these objects offer a variety of ways to allow or restrict access to the tactile experience. Considering this along with concepts of interior versus exterior or permission versus restraint; I create wearable objects that open up to moments of touch, petting, grooming, and play. These objects can offer comfort and ways to fidget that are under the guise of “sophisticated” or at the least socially acceptable wearable objects, filling in for the toys and comfort objects we are expected to outgrow as children.”