Lou Zeldis is an American who lived in Indonesia for many years, working with artisans to conserve jewelry and textile traditions (both batik and ikat). The attar vine used in his jewelry pieces is also used in weaving of baskets and other containers, and the tradition is especially well represented on the island of Lombok. He has been producing unique examples of modern handicraft in various mediums using ancient techniques and material, working with living treasure artisans for over a decade in wide-ranging cultural groups around the Indonesian archipelago. He attributes this maniacal need to invent to his theatrical background and meetings with remarkable men and women. Lou is known for his modern bold motifs both in his jewelry designs and his batiks, where motifs range from images of rice paddies and ivory beads, maps and numbers, to the dome of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In his collaboration on ikats we see the Tibetan Tiger Rug and Northwest Coast American motifs.
Sadly, Lou passed away recently, but has left a fairly large collection behind; thus, we can continue to enjoy his artistry in the near future. It must be noted, however, that another of our jewelry artists, Woodleigh Hubbard, who is a fan of Lou's, uses his hand-made components in some of her jewelry pieces. They may be viewed on her shop page.
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