Featured Member: 2Roses

2Roses
Anaheim, California

Tell us a bit about yourself.

2Roses is a life-long artistic collaboration between Corliss Rose and John Lemieux Rose. We have been working together for 42 years. In that time we have traversed a wide range of artistic disciplines and media.

Describe your work in one sentence.

Our work is highly eclectic by design, which reflects our many interests in life.

What pieces are you most proud of?

We don’t think of our work in that way. Each piece is an expression, an idea, which takes on a life of its own. Some are humorous, others serious, or political, or deeply personal. Even so, the pieces are imbued with different meanings by the people who own them. We recognize that we are not in control of how our pieces evolve once they arrive in the bigger world. We also recognize that ideas have consequences, and that is the power of art.

What are you favorite materials to work with?

We are known for working with a highly varied palette of media and are always looking to for new materials. We have incorporated everything from body parts to missile components in our work. 

What direction do you see your work going in next?

We continue to explore and experiment within the framework of functional ornament. The real medium that we work with is the intangible space between the wearer and observer of our work.

Who or what is your biggest artistic influence?

Influences on an artist accumulate through time. There is never a single source of inspiration or influence, only that of the moment. Over time everything becomes mixed, blended and restated in your own unique voice.

If you could have your work critiqued by another artist who would it be and why?

Our work gets critiqued by lots of other artists every day. And museum people, gallerists, publishers and the general public. The only real critique that matters is the one being made by the person considering purchase of the work.

What is the best advice you've ever been given?

Art is a business and business is an art.

If you could add one tool to your collection what would it be?

As profligate tool junkies we have indulged ourselves to excess in this area. We are probably working our way up to a laser welder. 

What do you listen to in the studio?

Very eclectic mix of latin, jazz, pop, reggae, afrobeat, blues, brazilian electronica.

What is your most prized possession?

Each other.

Do you collect anything? If so, do you display your collections?

We collect everything. We are a big one-way sieve passing through the universe.

People have likened our home as a cross between the Victoria & Albert museum and the Adams Family house.

How do you spend most of your free time?

Our time is devoted 100% to working on our art and business. This entails spending a lot of time in the studio, but also incorporates travel and a wide variety of social events as well. 

What do you wish you were doing with your free time?

We’re doing exactly what we want.

If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

We would bring back the original recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken from 1950. This always impressed us as a major loss to humanity.

Where can we see your work? (shops, blogs, upcoming events, installations, etc)

Type  “2Roses Jewelry” into your browser. We’re all over the place.