Noel Yovovich

Noel Yovovich lives and works in Evanston, Illinois, but draws much of her inspiration from her childhood in rural Florida. She grew up in an area between Tampa and Sarasota in which wildlife was much more numerous than people, especially children. The locale was popular as an over-winter and retirement spot for traveling circus and carney performers, and among her nearest neighbors were a retired clown, a sword-swallower and his wife, a professional fat lady, as well as a "giant" and a family of aerialists. This colorful beginning was followed by study culminating in a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Chicago, and the professional pursuit of art ever since.

Landscapes and intimate still-lives predominate in intricate jewelry, much of which uses carefully-controlled anodization of titanium, combined with sterling silver, plus gold, copper, and/or stones, to produce works with surprising detail and illusion of depth. Many of these works are intended to suggest a glimpse into a private life, and a situation of dynamic tension in which the viewer is stimulated to provide the emotional content. Others, such as the "Dream Landscape" series, invite the viewer to share the artist's sense of longing for a setting of natural beauty which is not available in the here-and-now.