BARBARA M. BERK

“A technically sophisticated adornment with bold, visual appeal, Barbara Berk’s “S-Curve Brooch” is one of the highlights of the Museum’s late 20th century holdings.”
Yvonne Markowitz, Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan 

Curator of Jewelry, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2007

The sculptural woven gold forms a “portrait collar”, framing the gemstone and returning light to the eye back through the gem. The carved citrine, topping the stickpin which is the attachment mechanism for the brooch, presents a monochromatic look, subtle, yet lively.  

In contrast, the carved Mexican opal is bright and fiery, lighting up the “portrait collar”, focusing the eye.  Both gemstones are carved by Sherris Cottier Shank, an international award-winning lapidary artist.