Jeanet Metselaar is a designer.

Jeanet Metselaar

“Jewelry is a form of communication,” Winnie Sorgdrager, once spoke at the opening of an exhibition of special jewelry. Jewelry designer Jeanet Metselaar (Hollandscheveld near Hoogeveen, 1963) was one of the participants. It was as if the former minister characterized Jeanet’s work with her statement. Because communicating is exactly what her striking jewelry does!

After an internship at the Center for the Visual Arts, where she collaborated on an international jewelry exhibition, Jeanet was convinced: “I want to do this too.” That she succeeded is proven by her impressive list of national and international exhibitions. Enschede, Seville, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Texas, Zwolle, Paris, Hanover, Los Angeles, Eindhoven, Groningen, among others, are the locations.

Her personal choice of designing large, eye-catching necklaces proved to be a hit. It would become her self-created trademark. Colorful, creative, striking in form and always highly visible. She also developed the technique behind the organic structure of the jewelry with repeating forms. In her designs you always recognize one identical form. That is the basis of her work.

How to describe Jeanet’s jewelry? “Lyrically abstract,” says the art connoisseur. It certainly is. But also exuberant, unique, colorful, large and sustainable. Because sometimes she reuses different materials in her designs, like theater banners from Grand Theatre. And in her new collection of bags you will find used seatbelts, for which she visits car cemeteries together with a friend. From the material Jeanet then designs the shape of the jewelry. The jewelry of Jeanet Metselaar communicates independence. You really stand out with something, also because of the use of uncommon materials. You will not find gold and silver in her work. The jewel as a statement, that is what Jeanet Metselaar’s work makes it stand apart.

Jeanet pays a lot of attention to the proper presentation of her jewelry. She finds styling and presentation important and fun, so therefore she posts pictures almost daily on Instagram. That is striking. Her enthusiasm is evident: “With social media you reach new interested parties, which stimulates and inspires me.”

What does she want to achieve with her eye-catching jewelry? “To make the world a little prettier, more cheerful, and above all more colorful,” Jeanet says with conviction, “Even if you don’t wear it, it should create a beautiful image.”

In that, this Groninger designer, has fully succeeded.

Niko Beets