Profile
Claudio Pino | Jewellery Designer and Goldsmith
Award-winning master jeweler, Claudio Pino, is world-renowned for his breathtaking sculptural and kinetic rings. His intricate designs appear in mainstream films such as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.
Since earning his Master Jewelers Diploma in 1995 from the EMSOM Jewelry School of Montreal, Pino is exclusively dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind, contemporary fine jewelry. From concept to design to piece-by-piece fabrication, along with stone cutting, faceting, and setting, he executes his creative process with passion and dedication born from an extensive study of jewelry design through varied cultures and societies.
Pino has studied the origin of jewelry with the First Nations of North America, deepening his artistic talent as he melds his own modern aesthetic with ancestral techniques he learned from artists of different First Nation communities. Furthermore, to gain a better understanding of the significance of engagement rings, Pino ventured to Egypt to examine the largest collection of ancient Egyptian jewelry in the world at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and at The Great Library of Alexandria. This collection includes one of the earliest engagement rings in history, owned by Queen Aah-Hotep, the mother of Ahmose I. The experience of personally viewing the jewelry of the Pharaohs, combined with illuminative meetings with well-known antiquities specialists, has inspired Pino’s worldview on ancestral customs and symbolism in relation to love, all for which he incorporates into his work. These studies were made possible thanks to The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Awarded The Steele Trophy for Best Jewelry Design in Canada in 2009 from the Metal Arts Guild of Canada, Pino has earned the distinction of being a master of all metal. Yet he finds his greatest joy in manipulating platinum, palladium, gold, argentium and silver to evoke their poetry. Whether exploring systems in motion, metamorphosis of insects or the pace of urban life, his passion awakens first in the transformation of the raw material.
In 2011, Pino received a long-term grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to attend Holt Academy Jewelry in London England, where he pursued a master’s degree in the study of platinum under the guidance of Master Jurgen J. Maerz, former director of Technical Education for Platinum Guild International, USA. Later, in 2013, he completed professional training on stone faceting at the Ashton Gemstones Studio in California.
Pino’s collections have appeared in such museums as The Carnegie Art Museum; The Houston Jung Museum; Museum of Vancouver; Santiago Decorative Arts Museum; and in prestigious galleries, including Aaron Faber Gallery and The Forbes Galleries, both in New York; Reinhold Jewellers, Puerto Rico; Mobilia, Cambridge; Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco; 18Karat Studio+ Gallery, Toronto; Bertin Toublanc, Paris; Elegance, Taipei; Noel Guyomarc’h, and Galerie de la Guilde Canadienne des métiers d’art, Montreal; L.A. Pai, Ottawa; and Für Schmuck Meister und Margarita, Frankfurt am Main. He’s participated in international fairs since 2000, including SOFA Chicago, SOFA New York; JOYA OFF, Barcelona; Cheongju International Craft Biennale; Hong Kong International HKIJMS; and at juried exhibitions during The SNAG Annual Conferences, namely the Ring Show in Savannah and Innovation Show in Denver, as well as Putting the Band Back Together: The Ring Show in Savannah.
His rings are featured in numerous publications, including the books Lark Jewellery Books : 1000 Rings: Inspiring Adornments for the Hand, 500 Wedding Rings: Celebrating a Classic Symbol of Commitment, 500 Gemstone Jewels; as well as in the book New Rings: 500+ Designs from Around the World by Nicolas Estrada; Steampunk Jewelry By Spurgeon Vaughn Ratcliffe; Such Capable Hands by Pat Robinson Schmidt ; Masters of Jewellery Design in Canada by Cora Golden; The Art of Soldering for Jewellery Makers: Techniques and Projects by Wing Mun Devenney.
In 2013, he unveiled his first book, “The Power of the Rings”. This hardcover includes an introduction by Maegen Black, Administrative Director of Canadian Crafts Federation.
Also in 2013, Pino’s rings were chosen to be worn for characters played by Stanley Tucci and Lenny Kravitz in the blockbuster Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He worked with the Lilian Raji Agency and collaborate with the world stylist Trish Summerville. And in 2017, his rings again were chosen to appear on the big screen with the movie, The Dark Tower.
Claudio Pino’s work is always recognized by the Pino-esque way of transforming raw materials into kaleidoscopic works of fluid art.
The transformation of raw materials into something portable is limited only by our imaginations. During the creative process, I never forget that someone will be wearing the ring. Therefore, rings first need to be very comfortable and belong to the hand. My rings come alive only when they find their owners. – Claudio Pino
(click on press clips to enlarge)
More information: ”Claudio Pino’s rings are worn by Stanley Tucci and Lenny Kravitz in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” movie. Pino is known for his sculptural rings that showcase colored gemstones in mixed metal with mechanical moving parts.”http://claudiopino.lmrpr.com
Artist’s Statement: Claudio Pino
Interview on Klimt02: http://www.klimt02.net/forum/index.php?item_id=35601
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In addition, in 2008, he obtained a grant in research and creation from the Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec in order to study the origin of the jewellery within the First Nations of North America and to create a collection melding traditional craftsmanship in jewelry with contemporary aesthetics and techniques.
In 2009, to deepen his knowledge of the history of engagement rings, Pino went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which contains the largest collection of Ancient Egyptian jewelry in the world. Seeing the Pharaohs’ jewelry and meeting with well-known specialists allowed him to better understand the ancestral techniques and to learn more about the symbolic importance and origin of the engagement ring. This project of research and creation was made possible thanks to the Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec.
Education
- 2013, Gemstone Faceting Training Certificate,
Ashton Gemstones Studio, Petaluma, CA, USA. - 2011, Platinum Jewellery Master Certificate,
Holt Academy of Jewellery, London, UK. - 2011, Professional Platinum Bench Technician Diploma,
Platinum Expert Consulting and Educational Service,
Professor: Jurgen J. Maerz, USA. - 2003, Advanced course lapidary faceting
CMAQ, Conseil des métiers d’arts du Québec, Montreal, Canada. - 2001-2002, Research internship in Mineralogy & Gemology,
Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, USA. - 2000-2001, Certificat, Lapidary
École de Joaillerie de Montréal, Montreal, Canada. - 1993-1995, DEP, Professional diploma in jewelry
École des métiers du Sud-Ouest de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
Membership and Implications
- 2014 -Today, Member of the Board of Directors,
Conseil des métiers d’arts du Québec, CMAQ, Montreal - 2014 -Today, Member of the Commission for Cultural Diversity,
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. - 2013 -Today, Professional Member, Klimt
Klimt – Barcelone, Spain. http://klimt02.net - 2012 -Today, Member of the Board of Directors,
Collectif 14 Joailliers, Montreal. - 2012 -Today, Member of the Board of Directors,
Galerie CRÉA, Montreal. - 2010 – Today, Platinum Member – Metal Art Guild of Canada.
http://www.metalartsguild.ca/profile/ClaudioPino
- 2009 – Today, Professional Member, Crafthaus, USA
http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/ClaudioPino
- 2005 à 2010, Professional Member, Metal Art Guild of Canada.
- 2001-Today, Professional Member, SNAG,
Society of Northern American Goldsmiths. http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/ - 2000 -Today, Professional Member, CMAQ,
Conseil des Métiers d’art du Québec. - 1999 -Today, Director, Claudio Pino Design, Montreal, Canada.
Awards
- 2014 – EIP Best Design. Jewelry: Chameleon Ring.
Metal Arts Guild of Canada. National Contest, Canada. - 2014 – 2015 NICHE Awards Finalist. Jewelry: Ring Mystical Flowering
Floraison Mystique. NICHE, Rosen Group. International Contest, USA. - 2014-2015 – Grant Research and creation (1 year). Crafts. Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. A research project on the contemporary lapidary and the creation of an exclusive collection of rings with gems that I cut sculpturally exploring the theme: Winter in Quebec – an ice crystal garden.
- 2014 – Travel Award in Germany. Crafts. Conseil des arts
et des lettres du Québec. Participation in the solo exhibition at Galerie Für Meister Schmuck und Margarita, Frankfurt, Germany. - 2013 – Israel Pearl Design Contest, Océanne Ring. Best design.
Unity Group. International Contest, Tel Aviv, Israel. - 2013 – Travel Grant in Chile. Craft. Conseil des arts du Canada.
Participation in the international exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Santiago. - 2013 – Travel Grant in Chile. Craft. Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Participation in the international exhibition at the Centro Cultural Scuola Italiana. - 2012 – Travel Award in the United States. Crafts. Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Participation in the Québec exhibition at Galerie Aaron Faber Gallery, New York, United States. - 2011-2013 – Fellowship, Research and creation – long-term development (2 years) Contemporary Crafts. Canada Council for the Arts. Through this fellowship, I obtained a Master in Platinum Jewellery from the Holt Academy in London, England and received intensive training from expert master M.Jurgen J. Maerz, director of education techniques of international Guild platinum and Jewelry Industry Consulting LLC in United States. Also, I realized my first exclusive collection of sculptural rings in platinum.
- 2011 – EIP Best design, Bague Tactus.
National Contest. Larger than Life: Metal Arts Guild of Canada Exhibition in Print 2011. - 2011 – Special Prize “Jewelry Design Special Award”, Golden
Shadow Ring. International Contest. Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Korea. - 2009 – The Steele Trophy Award. 1st place – Best jewelry design.
Infinité Ring. The Metal Arts Guild of Canada. - 2009-2010 – Fellowship, research and creation (1 year). Crafts.
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. A research project to deepen my knowledge of the history of engagement rings in the Cairo Egyptian Museum and the creation of a collection of contemporary engagement rings. - 2008, Honorable Mention. Metamorphosis Ring.
Zilberschmuck, Toronto, Canada. - 2007, Prize of Excellence. Ocean Bloom Ring,
Metal Arts Guild Exhibition. Canada - 2007, Best Design. Special Award. Cheongju International Craft
Biennale, Korea - 2007-2008 – Fellowship and creation (1 year). Crafts. Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. A project whose main objective was to study the origin of Men jewelry among First Nations of North America and create a collection combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary techniques.
- 2005, Honorable Mention in Jewellery Design. Extravagenza 4 fingers Ring. International Award
Cheongju International Craft Biennale, South Korea.
In Collaboration with SODEC.