Artists have been trained in the techniques of working in metal in Estonia for around 100 years. In 2002, we marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Albert Hansen, the founding "teacher's teacher" in the field of jewellery. Each autumn we commemorate the birthday of another important forbear, Ede Kurrel (born 1909), with the presentation of an award in her honour.

The artists represented in our gallery have all graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts in the department of jewellery and blacksmithing, and most of them work in Tallinn. A-Galerii sells the work of around 60 different artists from a wide range of age groups. The gallery represents the work of Arseni Mölder who, although already quite elderly (born 1919), displays a youthfulness in his work. Vaida Suits and Aida Lippin are two older generation jewellers who make good classical filigree, and Õie Kütt uses a development of filigree using precious stones.

The next generation after these artists either prefer to use classical goldsmithing techniques to assemble jewellery pieces that focus on the stone (Tea Vellerind, Ive-Maria Ruus-Köögard, Maire Morgen-Hääl, Raili Vinn), or they like to work with silver to highlight textures and shapes (Kaie Parts, Aino Kapsta, Haivi Raadik). Some have developed their own personal stamp on an otherwise traditional foundation – Kaie Parts with baroque interweavings, Aino Kapsta with highly textured casting, Irene Jürna with lacy saw-pierced patterns, Ane Raunam with fine repoussé and engraving, Mari Schönberg and Krista Laos with "knitted wire" pieces, Harvi Varkki and Anne Roolaht with jewellery incorporating cast figures, Andrei Balaðov with cast fantasies and Adolfas Ðaulys with his subtle use of niello. Many artists with a design approach have established their own style using new technologies: Katrin Amos – laser prints on silver, Ülle Kõuts – use of married metals and galvanised ornamentation, and Anneli Tammik – steel jewellery made using photo etching techniques. New treatments and materials are provided by a number of younger generation artists (Kertu Vellerind, Katrin Veegen, Argo Männik, Merle Kasonen and many others).

Since students from Latvia and Lithuania have also studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts, contact with them has continued –– one of the more interesting and well-known Latvian jewellers, Guntis Lauders, exhibits his work with us and many Lithuanian artists (Adolfas Ðaulys, Viktorija Pileckaite-Lillemets, Juosaz Bertaðauskis) live and work in Estonia. Similarly, a number of Estonian artists now live and work in Sweden and Finland (Mari Schönberg, Ilona Treiman).

There are artists who only bring unique pieces to the gallery as well as those who work in series, although even these should be seen as unique since they are developed by the artists themselves. The gallery is also rather unique since as an exhibition venue it not only presents a cross section of the available jewellery, but also a survey of the various local artists working in the field –– functioning as a link between artist and museum and artist and collector.

Find out more about the artists by clicking here.