Meet Andrea Magolske | Jewelry Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Magolske and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
When pursuing an artistic career there can be many roadblocks to success. It all comes down to whether you believe in what you are doing or not. What is the value to you? Is it adding to your life in a meaningful way? It can be very discouraging to create and not have a positive response to your work or know that there is a future place for your work to live. What keeps me going is that my work has a purpose. I use it to share meaning and move for change. I see art as a means of communication and connection. My work is not centered on ego and self. It starts with me, but it is ultimately about reaching out and finding connection to others.

With art you can’t give up if it is the conductor of your voice. You have to take work to its natural conclusion, complete the thought, end the sentence. This is why I keep going. I believe I have something to contribute and it would be a disservice to stop.
In creative endeavors if you find that they no longer serve or inspire you, that would be the time to change course, but also to keep persevering as an artist. I often reach inside for that voice that says “keep going”. At times you have to be your own support system. However artists will find support from their art community or in my case my art family. My mother, who was also an artist, used to tell me that she was so happy to finally have one of her eight children become an artist. Having that kind of support is immeasurable. She was always creating however she could, despite being short on time and resources. Her tenacious attitude inspires me to persevere. What it really comes down to is this: Do you believe you are on your right path? And is your work a part of you as an individual, without labels, accolades or comparisons? If the answer is yes, then keep going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is about the desire to encourage conversation and understanding and connection. Using copper and silver I form, connect, texture and shape objects that remind the viewer of the commonalities we all share. My work is meant to connect us. These aren’t just things of beauty, they are pieces with stories behind them, like each of us. My work also is not just one style or repeated design. The meaning directs the work.
The Pangolin earrings are centered around the vulnerable nature of one of the worlds most trafficked animals. They would need scales of metal to survive the abuse they receive at the hands of humans. With this piece I recreate a stylized Pangolin scale in copper with a red patina finish. The vibrant and earthen red cautions us of the path we choose when we do not care for the most vulnerable of creatures. The linking of these scales point to the interconnected nature of all life on this earth.
My Second Skin silver post earrings are made by compressing two small pieces of silver in a rolling mill with a piece of cotton gauze sandwiched between. Each unique pair is a imperfect mirror of the fabric. The impression leaves a front and back of the fabric on each piece of silver. Sourced from my mother’s fabric collection, this gauze has a specific meaning for me. With her gone, I cling to my half of our memories. When living shared moments, we are bound as imperfect mirrors of each other in that same instance with differing perceptions of it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There is such a range of activities for anyone to enjoy here in Long Beach. We have historical sites such as Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos. There are interesting museums like the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Museum of Latin American Art and the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum. I always enjoy an early morning walk on the beach at Belmont Shore with breakfast at Chuck’s on Ocean. I would also suggest renting bikes, available at stations across the city, and pick up sandwiches at Olive’s Gourmet grocer on Broadway and ride to the beach for a picnic. For decadent treats in the afternoon head over to the Long Beach Creamery on Long Beach Boulevard. It’s conveniently located in the same plaza as Bundts on Melrose and Handy’s Smoked Meats, two other shops serving delicious treats. If you like the outdoors, I would definitely take a trip of at least two nights on Catalina Island. There is wild life, hiking, zip lining, island tours, historical sites, dining and spas. Also worth checking out is El Dorado Nature center, then stop by Grounds bakery on Spring Street for lunch.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would dedicate my success to my mother Cecilia Magolske who gave up a scholarship for an art education in 1948 to help her struggling family, putting her art career on hold until 1987. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 1997 at the age of 67 with a Bachelors in Art. Art was always her dream. Through our trips to LACMA, the Norton Simon, the Huntington Museum and the Getty I was exposed to my love of art and design. I have also had the good fortune to study Jewelry Design and fabrication with Kristin Beeler at Long Beach City college. Her dedication to and encouragement of her students in unmatched. In her generosity she shares with her students all the wisdom and knowledge she has. During the pandemic she guided a group of students to revitalize our jewelry club, Straw Factory. In doing this we were able to keep each other sane and creative without knowing what the future of our craft could possibly be. Through this collective we have had a remote show, an in person event at the Craft Contemporary and made lasting connections that would otherwise not have been possible.

Lastly I would like to give a shout out to my family and friends who have encouraged me through every shift, pitfall and success of my creative career.

Website: https://thestrawfactory.com/home/andrea-magolske/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scinjewelry/

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/scintillate

Image Credits
Portrait: Kristin Beeler