Fan Club: Gregore´ Morin

Barbara Westwood lauds the minimalist, whimsical designs of Gregore´ Morin.

BY LORRAINE DEPASQUE

Published in the May2012 issue

Canadian native and current Santa Barbara, CA, resident Gregore´ Morin divides his creative pursuits between Silverhorn Jewelers (where he’s worked since 1993) and Gregore´ Joailliers, the collection he launched nearly a decade ago. Morin designs and fabricates all of his limited edition pieces by hand, using traditional tools and European-style techniques. The nature-inspired designs feature a signature sketch-like and “painterly” aesthetic, imaginative motifs, and detail-oriented workmanship. Morin compares his design process to that of a graphic artist, with the final pieces executed three-dimensionally but perfected first as 2-D drawings, with the gemstones providing the color. He’s received 12 design awards to date from the AGTA, MJSA, and World Gold Council, as well as The Mort Abelson New Designer of the Year Award and first place honoree in the American Jewelry Design Council’s New Talent Contest.

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BARBARA WESTWOOD ON GREGORE´ MORIN

• “As soon as I saw his work, it was like a sudden attack! His jewelry is unlike anything else out there. The delicate pieces remind me of ‘gesture drawings’ that an artist might do, capturing the essence of the subject with minimal lines. It’s difficult to do minimalism because with a simple piece, everything matters. Gregore´’s pieces are ‘drawings in jewelry’ — he ‘draws’ with the small stones. And his gem palette is very contemporary.”
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• “Gregore´’s jewelry is the perfect fusion of serious execution with nonserious whimsical motifs. His jewelry makes me smile. This sense of humor in design is one of the elements that gives his collection a strong cohesiveness. A lot of the titles of his pieces are yummy, too, with playful names, so it all works together.”
• “His jewelry designs are like Donna Karan’s clothing designs: so simple and beautifully made that one piece will look different on everyone. They’re delicate enough to enhance a woman’s style but not overpower the clothing. They’re great for self-purchase because he makes representations of things people like — birds, snowmen, cats — and that also makes them easy to give as gifts, too.”

ABOUT BARBARA WESTWOOD: Barbara Westwood has created a signature style for contemporary women with a flair for fashion and a desire for out-of-the-ordinary. Other signatures of her jewelry are rich bold colors, dramatic size and striking modern silhouettes. One of this designer’s passions is sourcing unusual gemstones and having them cut by renowned gem artists from all over the world. She’s also an innovator in incorporating raw crystals into her creations.

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