art & CUSTOM JEWELRY
To contact Kim about creating a custom art or jewelry piece, you can fill out a quick form right here.
K Ritt Jewelry works with individual clients, artists, businesses and more to create unique one-of-a-kind collaborations. For more information about each collaboration, scroll down.
For custom bridal jewelry click here.
SCULPTURE at vsop projects in the north fork (2022)
Kim Rittberg returned to her fine arts training to create “Adorned Crescent” a sculpture meant to subvert traditional notions of art classification. This sculpture’s base is fabricated from plywood overlaid with a cement finish, both of which have utilitarian associations with buildings and specifically, the home. The design components are interconnected and while there is dynamism and movement, each part has a place, a destination, a domestic sphere, if you will. The work exists on various planes, with some points intersecting, some nearly touching, but not quite, while others are permanently interconnected, much as we exist in our world, some relationships permanent and strong while others may pass in an instant like a passerby on the street.
The choice and placement of every element is intentional: glistening precious stones like ruby and emerald which adorned ancient royalty contrast with stones of varying textural elements. The design challenges concepts of geometry and weightlessness and creates a holistic balance of opacity and transparency. The sculpture’s elements interact with the viewer and world: as light strikes it, ethereal shadows shift, and different parts come alive, the wind and passing bodies create motion. The sculpture implicates the viewer.
Several necklaces that function as part of the sculpture but can be removed and worn as finished works independent of the sculpture to further challenge the notion of jewelry as wearable art.
Materials: Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst, Green Amethyst, Ruby Zoisite, Kyanite, Mother Of Pearl, Pyrite, Blue Chalcedony, 14 Karat Gold Filled Chains, Plywood With Cement Paint. To purchase contact info@vsopprojects.com
guild hall in east hampton - art jewelry Capsule Collection Collaboration with Artist Arlene Slavin
K Ritt Jewelry and acclaimed artist Arlene Slavin (ArleneSlavin.com) unveiled a limited edition jewelry line inspired by and using materials from Slavin's sculpture installation “Intersections” at East Hampton’s Guild Hall museum. Slavin’s work is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and she has exhibited at the Whitney Museum Biennial.
The limited edition line featured: "Painted Vinyl Necklace and Earrings," and the "X Necklace." Rittberg utilized translucent vinyl strips from Slavin’s work, which have been dipped in hand-mixed pigment. While Slavin crisscrosses the vinyl and stretches them across stainless, Rittberg overlapped the vibrant vinyl in the necklace, making conscious color choices to conceptually parallel Slavin's sculpture. Embellishments include wooden beads and colored metal ball chains.
Rittberg's “X Necklace" employs an asymmetrical design which she tops off with an antique brass chain and clasp. Slavin's and Rittberg's aim was to evoke both classic and contemporary aesthetic sensibilities and echo the “X” shape in Slavin’s sculpture.
“With bright colors and interesting designs, this jewelry line is sure to be a popular Hamptons trend this summer!”
“ASTOR LACE” TAPESTRY
Artist statement:
Some of my earliest memories include running my tiny fingers across the delicate threads of lace - otherworldly fabrics inside the lace store in which my grandfather worked in New York City’s garment district. These delicate fabrics had a weighty impact on my artistic growth as I studied fine arts and art history, and launched my own art-based jewelry design business. My jewelry opened conversations with strangers, pausing and uniting our separate worlds for just a moment and the textiles found their way into my jewelry art: poplin or leather were worked into my designs, always with an eye on their tactile, versatile and striking features.
This mixed media art weaving ties the past, present and future. I used vintage trims, ribbons, lace and fabrics from my grandfather’s store mixed with modern and sustainable ribbons and yarn. As we barrel toward our digitally connected future, what ties us more to the present than the tactile engagement of working with our hands?
jewelry-centric mixed media artwork at vsop projects in the north fork (2021)
K Ritt Jewelry Designer Kim Rittberg’s mixed media art work was exhibited at VSOP Projects in Greenport, New York (in the North Fork of Long Island). The 10x10 Wood piece featured mixed materials, all of which are jewelry components and precious and semi-precious stones. Mother of Pearl, Ruby, Iolite, wood and coral are strung across in a web formation with mixed metals, all meant to challenge the notion of what art is and reminding the viewer that jewelry can be - and is - art. (Image coming soon)
Blue Topaz + Diamond Mosaic Earrings
These custom bridal earrings were inspired by the ancient mosaics of the of Old World. Looking to create something feminine and magical, we hand selected blue topaz stones in a variety shapes and sizes, designed a convex mosaic in which the shapes fit perfectly next to each other - just like the originals. Small round diamonds accent the blue topaz and we felt the black setting perfectly complemented the topaz and diamonds, allowing the hue to truly sparkle and stand out against the black. The goal was to create a chic, cool earring that will also become an elegant heirloom.
As featured on weddingchannel.com.
Custom lei for restaurant staff at the hurricane club
K Ritt Jewelry worked with Quality Branded (the team behind Quality Meats) to design custom necklaces for the wait staff at The Hurricane Club, a tiki-themed high-end restaurant in New York’s Gramercy neighborhood.
Rittberg carefully constructed a piece of jewelry that represents the spirit of the "lei" combined with the modern aesthetic of Manhattan. The Cotton Batik fabric and wooden beads exude a nature-inspired, relaxed, island feel while the brassy gold sheen of the chains and transparency of the crystals and glass modernize the work. This cutting-edge, mixed materials necklace with a natural, organic feel is devised to work with the aesthetic and ideals of “The Hurricane Club,” whose design is by avroKO.
The project was featured in Daily Candy and Zagat.com.
“For the ladies [of The Hurricane Club], their black-and-white uniform is built around centerpiece “fabric lei” necklaces created by jewelry designer Kim Rittberg. Lillian Chan, our lovely model, confirmed that diners are a fan of the necklace.”-“For the ladies [of The Hurricane Club], their black-and-white uniform is built around centerpiece “fabric lei” necklaces created by jewelry designer Kim Rittberg. Lillian Chan, our lovely model, confirmed that diners are a fan of the necklace.”
Custom mosaic ruby ring
This custom ruby and gold ring is inspired by the mosaics of Ancient Greece. Reminiscent of the decorative mosaic walls and the shields used throughout history.
The bezel setting give a smooth impression: that no stone is situated in a superior or inferior position to another, they all work together to achieve the same goal. The monochrome contrasts with the mosaic patterns we often see which utilizes many colors and patterns, whereas here the the glimmer and varied shapes speak for themselves.