Ülle Voosalu (b. 1954 in Tartu)
1980 SAIE
Member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 1987. 1981–1995 I worked as an artist in the jewellery decoration studio of ARS in Tartu and 1995–2001 as a teacher in Tartu Higher Art School. Since 2001 I have been a freelance artist. I have participated in exhibitions since 1981.
The person who has most influenced my creative development is the painter and pedagogue Silvia Jõgever. In SAIE I acquired my professional knowledge and skills. Ellen Tamm introduced me the history of jewellery and the mystic world of precious stones. My diploma project was made of azure-cut material with filigree and bone engraving. My ambitions in jewellery have remained the same – lightness and airyness. Since 1992 I have been using mainly author’s technique with various strand braiding methods.
I am fascinated of the possibility to shape form and surface with my own hand, to use immediately the finished material and to see constantly the result, without intermediate phase. My main materials are silver, gold and titanium. As for quarrystones, copper is more suitable for them. I am fond of the power and beauty of different gemstones and cannot avoid using them abundantly. Maybe I am trying to paint my jewellery?
Our ancestors knew the magic force and power of jewellery; jewellery provided protection and strength. I also make jewellery with the best wishes to the wearer and enjoy this opportunity.- In the book “A-Gallery. Estonian art jewellery gallery for 20 years” (2014)
“Dedicated to my mother and grandmother with thanks. I began dealing with red stones in a more dedicated manner in 2016, when a ring, inherited from my mother and mother’s mother, turned 100 years old. In 2019, 70 years had passed since the March deportations and my ruby ring is the only thing in our family, which has survived from my mother’s childhood. Their family was spared the trip to Siberia, because (what a miracle!), someone dared to inform them of the upcoming raid. But they lost their home and material possessions. As a child, I couldn’t understand why my mother would walk between the fields to an abandonned farm with her eyes full of tears…” – Ülle Voosalu at the A-Gallery exhibition MEMORY CARDS (2019)
