A beautiful heartfelt donation has arrived at the Harry Bertoia Foundation, in honor of the original recipient of the gift, Consetta Veraino Ross. Connie's father was in charge of security at Cranbrook Institute and his lovely daughters accepted gifts from Bertoia circa 1940. One was on Antiques RoadShow -https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisals/1939-harry-bertoia-silver-brooches/ - with Rose, who recently passed. Connie was her sister. This brass brooch is a full five inches wide and is more of a breastplate than a piece of jewelry! (fb)

Bertoia is well known for his Sonambient artworks, sculptures that are intended to produce sound. These sound-based sculptures include tonals, gongs, and singing bars. Alongside these three-dimensional artworks, Bertoia also made monotypes with Sonambient elements. Although these prints do not make any actual sounds, many contain intriguing techniques, like the print above. This monotype has multiple layers: a large piece of paper with wire-brushed forms that resemble the long, thin rods of tonal sculptures, a circular form pasted on top that resembles hanging gongs, and additional collaged, wire-brushed tonal forms. If you look closely, you can also see the thin pencil line that Bertoia added to indicate how the gong would be suspended. Images 1 & 2: Untitled, 1960s. Ink and graphite on Japanese paper, collaged and wire brushed. 19 1/2 x 24 in. Collection of Mara Lesta Bertoia. Catalogue Raisonné no. TDMO 230. (fb)