Babette von Dohnanyi

Jewellery maker

Statement geometric harmony

Babette likes to use the pentagram as a recurring pattern in her artwork
Seminars given by other artists have been essential for her training
Her works are decorative statement pieces

Even though Babette von Dohnanyi moved many times, her Walddorf education and craft activities remained constant throughout her childhood. On her father's side, her relatives include some well-known musicians and politicians, but it was her mother's side that influenced her love of craftsmanship and talent. Her mother also accompanied her in her travels across Europe in search of goldsmith training after high school. In Florence, Babette trained as a goldsmith, and fell in love with the city and its people. Neugablonz's renowned glass and jewellery school followed. As her career progressed, Babette attended seminars that were crucial to her artistic development. Workshops with Enrico Nagai, Nikolaus Kirchner, Giampaolo Babetto, and Barbara Seidenath were particularly transformative for her. The combination of colours and materials in Babette's jewellery designs is often the guiding principle for new results. To achieve a provocative yet elegant appearance, she strives for visual balance and technical precision.

Interview

How do the jewellery scenes of Florence and Hamburg differ?: To me, Florence and Tuscany represent classic avant-garde jewellery with a long tradition. Northern Europe is more likely to have the type of artistic author's jewellery that is more connected to my work. Florence is a good place for me to work. However, most of my loyal customers are in the north.
What do people often not know about your work?: People who see my pieces tend to think the graphic design is hard and rough. As a result, they assume that the jewellery will look unflattering when worn. I encourage them to put it on and try it out. Many people are surprised when they see it on and realise it looks great on them. My works are decorative statement pieces.
Could you describe your artistic development?: Classical education gave me a strong foundation in craftsmanship as a young woman. However, my greatest passion has always been finding my own design language. I see personal development as integral to artistic expression. Taking part in workshops led by other artists proved particularly effective for developing myself.
Why are pentagrams recurrent in your art?: Natural crystalline structures inspired me to discover this form. It has symbolism. For me, it is a very balanced, harmonious graphic form. In my career that spans almost 30 years, I have extensively experimented with it. The form was interlocked to create chains, alienated, stretched out, and used repeatedly to demonstrate different materials.

Babette von Dohnanyi is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1993