Button up!

 

On Saturday I was in North Berkeley and stopped for a quick lunch on Gilman. While I was there, I wandered into Ethnic Arts, which is a treasure trove of lovely (and expensive) handmade un-necessities. The place occupies that gallery space between shop and museum. Unlike some galleries, it's not so precious that you're nervous about touching things. The staff is friendly without being pushy, and they always have a bowl of Peruvian finger puppets down low where the kids can reach them.

This visit, they were hosting a trunk show for a local jewelry designer, Sarah Durling. The design approach is very straightforward and unvarying. Each piece consisted of one or more vintage buttons, set individually in silver frames, and configured into simple forms--pendant, bracelet, or paired as earrings or cufflinks. It was a stunning way to showcase these miniature works of art. The photos don't do them justice--they really were beautiful and had a great weight to them.

Images from Buttonist