Spot the Designer - Tomáš Miškovič/ Austria

What did you want to be when you were a child? 

I don’t remember if I wanted to do some job. In my childhood, the Winnetou saga was very popular, and all children wanted to be Winnetou or Old Shatterhand. I remember how I used to wait with my toy gun next to the TV for the start of the next movie. I also wanted to be like them, to do the right things and fight against bad guys. I will have the soundtrack from this movie in my head until the end of my life. Here’s an even better picture of me than the one above. 

When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?

I liked drawing and my teacher encouraged me to look into going to jewelry school, which I had no prior connection to. She was right, this was the right choice for me, and I enjoyed learning how to make jewelry. However, my real passion for art jewelry came later, from some mentors around me who encouraged me to follow my desire to make a different kind of jewelry. I discovered the works of Anton Cepka and especially for rings, Jiri Drlik and Karel Votipka, which gave me a different outlook and inspiration. Over time, this turned into my unexpected jewelry label, with which I make new designs and try to push the boundaries of the jewelry craft.

What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?

That would be my ring “Aquatic Machine”. This was not the first piece of art jewelry I made, but it is one of the most significant. While I do not really make jewelry in a “natural style”, nature is an important topic in my work. With this ring, I broach the topic of nature and human intervention. I use a crystal as a symbol of untouched nature and a cut stone as a symbol of nature modified by human intervention. The crystal goes into the tube, around the finger and comes out as a cut stone. The ring tells the story of how we change nature and make it more refined, more precious, more valuable. And this raises new questions: What is precious? Should we leave nature untouched or change it to our needs and preferences? I am now coming back to this idea and turning this piece into a special collection for the Romanian Jewelry Week.

How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?

I really like hiking and biking. I enjoy having a destination and knowing that it is my single focus, it really helps me clear my mind. Another creative outlet is playing the bass guitar. I have been playing since I was a teen, so music is another big passion of mine. 

What does the connection between manufacturing tradition and contemporary design mean to you?

It is crucial. I think it's important to know how to make jewelry, how to work with materials and what you need to pay attention to, so that you make a durable piece. Once you have this knowledge, there will be no limits to what you can make – you have the power to bring to life any idea you may have. Of course, the creative aspect is very important, you should always have an open mind towards new designs. If you're coming to jewelry as an artist, but without goldsmithing knowledge, you're doing something very natural, but you don't have the tools to turn your ideas into reality. You end up making something that was not your plan, just what happened. Of course, this can also be an approach to making art jewelry, but not for me.

Is there a self-portrait piece that speaks most about you?

All pieces represent me and my ideas. For example, with Shelter, I just saw this picture of the chapel in Zillertal, I was attracted to its shape, and I started to wonder what is hiding inside this black building. I realized we are the same - we protect what is inside of us from the outside. We may wear black clothes and appear closed and opaque – because we are afraid to show who we really are, to show how colourful and full of life we are.

Which material have you not yet used is a temptation and a challenge for you?

For a long time, I've wanted to try niello as it is used by Gigi Mariani. I really like his jewelry and the structures he does in niello. I don't know yet how to use it, but I'm sure it would be a great addition to my pieces.

How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?

"Everything bad is good for something else". I had already quit my job as a jeweller, and I already wanted to focus more on my own jewelry. I moved with my girlfriend to Vienna, to start a new life. For a few months, I had a lot of time to think about new designs for pieces, which was a good thing. 

How do you see the future of contemporary jewelry?

All contemporary jewelry is very different, it seems there are as many approaches as there are artists. I hope there will be more focus on creating more of a connection between traditional jewelry and an artistic view. I think this is the key to innovation in the field. At a customer level, I am starting to see a bigger focus on the origins of their possessions – and I hope this will continue. I think owning an object is much more special when you see the people and the ideas behind it.

Find more about the designer Tomáš Miškovič