Author Archives: Katias Treasures
CYPRUS WEEKLY – Golden Byzantine Era – 16 Years in the making by Athena Karsera
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
A fascinating exhibition of jewellery inspired by the Byzantine age is the latest offering by one of Cyprus’ top designer, Katia K. of Katia’s Treasures. Entitled ‘Golden Byzantine Era’, the show opens at K’s Nicosia store tomorrow, Saturday and will be on until December 6.
Speaking to The Cyprus Weekly, Katia said that inspiration for the exhibition began to spring 16 years ago, when she was exhibiting at the Levention Museum and was influenced by period jewellery on show there. ”A good customer told me how much my work then reminded him of Byzantine pieces but I did not think about it too much because they were modelled on the museum pieces”, she said. As the years went by, Katia began to familiarise herself more with jewellery from the Byzantine era, mostly by reading books on the subject and began to realise how comfortable she was with the style.
“I believe that people in this region, in Greece and even parts of Turkey feel a connection to Byzantine times”, she said K. also tried to find what she describes as “the common denominator” of styles from various regions during Byzantine times.
This genre has been recreated many times”, she said, “but I have tried to create something fresh and I think I have succeeded”. Most of the collection is made up of yellow gold although some pieces are of white gold. The two types of gold are unified by vibrantly coloured precious stones including diamonds and amethysts amongst many others. ”They are rich pieces but also very intricate”, she said. Fittingly for someone who has been long established as one of Cyprus’ most acclaimed jewellery designers, Katia’s fascination with the art began early.
“I spent part of my childhood in Africa and I remember visiting the markets and seeing the beautiful jewellery created by the local people”, she said. Later returning to Cyprus while her parents remained in Africa, she began to perceive their gifts of jewellery as bridges of communication with her family. Continuing visits to her parents in Nigeria and later Zambia in particular proved very influential in her choice of career. ”My father was very supportive but said that I should get some kind of degree in jewellery design and work experience too, to be sure that it was what I wanted to do”, she said. This summer she honored her father with a collection entitled ‘Out of Africa’, reflecting the continent’s vibrancy.
First taking a foundation course to be sure her path was the right one, Katia went to get a BA Honours in 3D Design ih Silversmithing and Jewellery from De Montfort University of Leicester. She also attended classes in gem setting and mounting at the Birmingham Polytechnic. On her return to Cyprus, she represented the country at the 1988 Bi-ennale for New Artists in Italy and her career has gone from strength to strength.
by Athena Karsera
CYPRUS WEEKLY – Talismans by Athena Karsera
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
TALENTED and acclaimed jewellery creator Katia K. is exhibiting her latest collection from Wednesday. Entitled Talismans/Katia’s collection is dedicated to her 10-year-old daughter Thalia.
“‘It’s been quite few years since this desire to create such a collection began,”Katia told The Cyprus Weekly: “It was as not clear within me but I would visualise objects that contained something, closed, three-dimensional, small. It emerged clearly through the journey of inner world.” One of Cyprus’ best-known jewellery designers, Katia said that her collection symbolised that something special inside every one of us and “the need to create something symbolising this was strong.”
Created in gold with a little silver and some decorated with diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies or other precious or semi-precious stones, the Talismans have also been created in a variety of designs. Some are see-through, many can be opened, others cannot. Pearls symbolise purity of the heart and I wanted this collection to be a challenge and an invitation for people to look for that something special inside themselves, “Katia said. She said that this something special was also what made us creative whether this creativity is expressed in creating beautiful objects, cooking or making a home for your family.
“All this is creative but we do not always realise it,”Katia noted. “So much is lost in negativity.” The collection is dedicated to Katia’s daughter as an expression of motherly love.
” When I look at her I see a remarkable person, and not just because l am her mother,” she said. “I always believe that if we realise how much we are loved by our mothers, we can get through anything that life throws at us.” Parts of the collection are also aimed at children, if not exclusively, because Katia believes that positive human qualities are more evident in the very young. “As we grow older and are not lucky enough to be in positive environments this can be destroyed, either at home or at school,” she said. ” We must urge our children to get in touch with their true selves.”
Katia said that positive encouragement and attention was more important to a child than material goods and yet it was often what their parents seemed most reluctant to give them.
“It may seem contradictory to create expensive objects for children but my ultimate goal was to make the adults more aware, “she said. Inspired by qualities of the heart such as patience, love and tenderness and the energies of angels, ‘Talismans’ is what Katia hopes will be the beginning of larger collection for children.
by Athena Karsera
CYPRUS WEEKLY – Retrospective Show by Glyn Hughes
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
ARTE Gallery has hosted a superb exhibition of jewellery – 15 Years of Creativity – by Katia K.
Here, all is gold, with some diamonds and also yellow sapphire! Katia is a sculptor who uses gold like Moore uses stone.
Gold smooth and shiny, mottled, rounded and soft-edged, sharp-edged even, or solid like an ancient relic found which only needs polishing to make it a beauty for all time. The ripple effect is from the creator looking into the sea and seeing the sand move. There are swirls of gold like a very precious wave. The shapes are so simple. Katia has always been ahead of the current minimalistic period. Forms enclose other forms belonging to each other in rarity and just waiting to be worn.
All this simplicity, of course, takes years of talent and needs a huge textural and technical background. ARTE did her proud, with tone poems by actress Nedie Demetriou and clarinettist Dusko Zarkovic. The humble brick-vaulted roof and natural stone walls of Arte made a perfect setting, while Katia’s art was waiting to be chosen.
ALL IS GOLD: Katia K. at ARTE.
Glyn Hughes: He is Arts Editor for The Cyprus Weekly and for the last ten years has conducted SYMPOSIART a series of lectures on British Art for The British Council and the Nicosia Municipal Centre.
STUDIO ELECTRUM – Levention Museum exhibition by Glyn Hughes
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
KATIA must design and make cuff-links for her next exhibition of jewellery.
Green with envy at those desiring and buying all those glorious earrings, necklaces and brooches – and I don’t go in for cross dressing — at her Leventis Museum exhibition, now at Studio Electrum, I realised how her pure form sculptures (for that is what they really are) would suit either sex.
Each one is a poem in silver or gold. The line, the curve, the filigree, all flow into some kind of minimalistic ‘piece’. There is a suggestion of Arp as if the great artists had been asked to make an adornment for a loved one.
These are jewellery you leave in your will with the fine art.
Glyn Hughes: He is Arts Editor for The Cyprus Weekly and for the last ten years has conducted SYMPOSIART a series of lectures on British Art for The British Council and the Nicosia Municipal Centre.
JEWELLERY AS ART – by Glyn Hughes
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
TWO young Cypriot designers and makers of jewellery, Skevi Afan-titi and Maria Kotsoni, have recently returned from Lisbon, where they participated in the Biennale for Young Artists of the Mediterranean. Maria’s exhibition has already opened at Opus 39 and continues until the 15 of the month.
Katia K’s work is so visually advanced as well as very wearable that she has exhibited at the prestigious Diaspro Arts Centre.
Today, tomorrow and Sunday, Katia exhibits her new pieces at her own place, Studio Electrum, 24a Kennedy Avenue, Nicosia. The visiting hours are 10am – 1pm and 3pm – 8pm.
Glyn Hughes: He is Arts Editor for The Cyprus Weekly and for the last ten years has conducted SYMPOSIART a series of lectures on British Art for The British Council and the Nicosia Municipal Centre.
CYPRUS SUN – Jewellery & adventure
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
Katia K., one of the island’s leading jewellery designers, is becoming more and more adventurous.
The proof is in her latest collection, Form and Colour, on show until Sunday December 11 at her shop on Nicosia’s Kennedy Avenue.
“I am much more spontaneous and yes a lot more adventurous now. Perhaps it’s because I am more confident in my work…I don’t stop and wonder every time I draw something different,” she told the Cyprus Sun. Inspiration for her 18 new designs came from a variety of images and colours she retained in her subconscious through the years. For example, a powerful wave breaking ferociously on the rocks. That shape is now embodied in a gold and silver brooch. ‘Form and Colour’ is only the first part of a cycle Katia hopes to conclude soon. Don’t miss it.
PHILELEFTHEROS – Eternal Cyprus
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
This summer jewellery collection by Katia K. in an offering to our beloved mother earth Cyprus.
Pieces handcrafted in both gold, silver or gold plated silver have being inspired both by the physical beauty and rich cultural heritage of our island.
Pebbles and shells on the beach, flowers blooming, buds, embroidery and crochet pieces, fabrics from national dress, wood carvings from our churches, icons, ancient pottery from museums.
The research has been done on a continual basis over the last 25 years since returning from her studies in England.
This collection is estimated to be one of her best creations so far.
CYPRUS WEEKLY – When craft becomes art by Glyn Hughes
By Katias Treasures on September 10th, 2012
BRIDGET RILEY, the British op-artist, is recognised for her hard-edged wonders, painted with detailed care. However, her original “ideas,” or sketches, for her final results are expressionist in the extreme.
Katia K., one of the country’s foremost jewellers, whose work is so refined, carefully executed and technically perfect, also draws her first ideas in a very free manner. These drawings are amazing as line travels and becomes form. Katia even writes prose while in her inspirational period.
“Quietly and irreversibly flows the river towards the sea. Marking its course and imprinting with caresses every stone that it carried with it.”
Her present collection is called Imprints and can be seen from Saturday 4-8pm, and then daily 12am to 1pm and 3-8pm, until Wednesday, at her Studio Electrum, in Kennedy Avenue, Nicosia.
I have seen this new collection and it is, as expected, real top draw stuff.
This jewellery is obviously only waiting to be worn by the very best.
Flecks of silver like sunlight on a stream pass over gold. And all so light! The “engineering” is very advanced and so full of imagination. A selection entitled Playful Pebbles has minute balls or disks which roll and turn within the general formation of the earring.
This exhibition puts most of the ‘pieces’ shows to shame. Taste, style and that superb wear-ability. Near flesh, near dress, these are adornments made by our very best. Class, readers, class.
Glyn Hughes: He is Arts Editor for The Cyprus Weekly and for the last ten years has conducted SYMPOSIART a series of lectures on British Art for The British Council and the Nicosia Municipal Centre.