Rebecca Rose

Rebecca “Rose” Michelle Downin (born 18 September 1980) is an American sculptor.

Born Rebecca Downin, Rebecca "Rose" is a moniker used as a tribute to her deceased mother, Michelle, who tended to Roses in her hometown of Mesa, AZ.

It was the “first time [she] seriously realized [her] art was powerful.” In 1998 at age 17, Rose studied printmaking, metal smithing, and fine arts at Northern Arizona University ("NAU"), which she has described as one of the best experiences of her life.

When she attended NAU, her professor at the time handed her a block of wax and gave one direction: make a ring.

Without any more guidelines or restrictions, Rebecca envisioned that a ring “could be any size, any shape, and have any statement”.

It was at NAU that she saw the similarities between sculpture created in the foundry and cast jewelry and saw the only difference between the two being that one of the forms is heavier and more apt to be immobile and decorative, while the other form is smaller and more apt to be mobile and functional.

She began sculpting at age 19 and created her first Sculpturing in 1999.

She sketches, assembles, carves, invests, kiln fires, and casts her own work in her home studio (Art Attacks), but sometimes, as is common with many jewelry artists, Rose employs assistants in New York and Los Angeles for fabrication purposes, for example investing the wax, firing in the kiln, and casting the piece in sterling silver or bronze.

She received a full scholarship to complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts at NAU, and she served as student supervisor for the NAU Jewelry/Metalsmithing Department, Arizona for two consecutive terms from 1999–2001.

Rose is also known for her charity work and frequently donates original artworks for charity auctions, raising money to benefit HIV/AIDS charities, LGBT causes, breast cancer awareness, and children's charities.

Rose has often appeared in person on the charity night to help increase the highest bid.

She asserts that most of her work is influenced by political and current social events, with the works’ messages acting as "a narrative or allegorical observation".

She attended college under a full tuition art scholarship and received a BFA in 2001 from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ.

Rose currently lives and works between Los Angeles, CA and Orlando, Florida.

Rebecca Rose was born in Mesa, Arizona of American parents and her heritage can be traced to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Her behavior and art was often misunderstood by her family.

Rose's family suffered a severe decline in their stability as a unit, circumstances which have been featured in the 30’ x 15’ 8’ installation "The Unabridged Paper Doll Diner" (2001), which was the catalyst for her parents' near divorce.

In 2001, for her thesis at Northern Arizona University, she built an interactive, life-size, 30’ x 15’ x 8’ installation called "The Unabridged Paper Doll Diner" (2001) and after creating large, space-eating sculptures, she realized she had to go that large to go so small with her rings.

Much critical and popular acclaim has been garnered for Rose's sculptured jewelry known as Sculpturings.

They have been described as “tiny detailed sculptures that fit on your finger”, Her collections of small sculptures represent current world events or social issues in a miniature artistic sculpture bound to a finger ring.

Each piece interweaves a message or concept associated with the word or suffix “ring,” and are named to describe the piece in question.

Her work is cast in precious metals of gold, silver and bronze derived from the lost wax casting process.

Each ring is displayed in a hand blown glass cloche dome and is elevated by an engraved base and armature to appear as if the ring is floating in mid-air.

A magnifying glass accompanies each piece, allowing viewers to experience minute details and to create an intimate moment with the viewer and the piece.

She utilizes precious metals and found and burnable objects to create what she calls “functional mobile sculpture”, generally in the form of wearable art or art jewelry.

She sculpts on a small scale, so the viewer can wear and take the sculpture with them.

Rose's official definition of the Sculpturings series is: “an artistic collection of small sculpture on a mobile scale for fingers, with the intent to combine current social issues artistically represented in a physical sculptural form with language that contains the word or suffix “ring” precious metals of gold, silver and bronze derived from the wax casting process.

The three figures, ranging in age and gender, represent the majority view throughout the summer and fall of 2011.

They band together, pointing the finger of blame, responsibility, and caution to the government's “puppeteering” of the future.

Government is represented by the soldier who rides the back of a big baby, representing our future which, at times, can seem like a big bumbling baby that needs to be led around.

The pitchfork and hand trap the baby to symbolize the fine line between the evil actions of politics and the hasty actions of the public.

The piece was included in “The Master Blasters of Sculpture IV” show held annually at the Hive Gallery and Studios in Los Angeles, CA. The piece “Inspiring” (2011) is draws on the graffiti/street art movement.

The three spray paint nozzles mingled with the three brushes signify the birth of the [street art] movement.

Banksy is represented by the rat, Mr. Brainwash is represented by the brain, and Shepard Fairey is represented by the fairy wings on top of the spray can.

A skateboard and ribbons on the side of the band signify their victory in making the genre bona fide in the fine art world.

Rose's piece “Puppeteering” (2012) depicts her views on the Occupy Movements from 2011.

The series is best known under her registered trademark Sculpturings, officially registered in 2012.

Her piece “Triggering” (2009) was included in “A Call to Arms: The Newtown Project”, held at Charles Krause Reporting/Fine Art Gallery in Washington DC, on Inauguration Day January 21, 2013.

The show drew much critical and controversial attention as a response to the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in Newtown, CT.

Rose has often made use of found objects in her work, and creates each detailed ring out of a myriad of random items and toys from the large collection of found objects accumulated in her studio before she begins creating a cast out of wax.