“Always stay naïve, because you can see more, you can hear more, you can explore more. Once you start to think you know what’s going on you tend to ignore things; you turn yourself away from a new experience.” (from Ornament Magaine)
David LaPlantz is an accomplished jeweler and sculptor. Originally from the farmlands of Northwestern Ohio, he has been designing and creating jewelry and metalwork since 1964. He earned his BS from Bowling Green State University and his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. He also taught jewelry making and metalsmithing for 36 years, primarily at Humboldt State University in California.
"Cartoonos Roundos"
David is well known for his 2" round brooches, which are created from industrially painted aluminum sheets. Each piece begins with a detailed sketch or by massaging an existing title that suggest a particular direction. He jokingly calls his brooches “Cartoonos Roundos” because he sees them as precise, image driven cartoons. Similar to a cartoon panel in a newspaper, David tells his story in an individual panel evidenced by the round brooch.
Some brooches tell a clear story while others require some translation with words or symbols. To tell his story David uses abstract images and/or recognizable forms, such as top hats, bowlers, arrows, hearts, windows, doors and archways. The round format may be divided into several vertical or horizontal parts or left alone as one flat image. David sets a two hour time limit to complete each piece to keep his ideas fresh and alive.