Summer 2010: Jewelry Project

Intro to Jewelry and Metalsmithing: cuff made of 2 soldered pieces of 18g nickel and riveted 12g nickel wire.

Artist Statement:

Inspired by 10th to 13th Century jewelry designs, I chose to create a piece that reflected the stylization of the period while remaining modern and wearable. The piece rests on the hand and wrist as it twists up and around the arm to end in a spiral that stretches outward. The whimsical twists and turns and the engraving reference Celtic knot designs in addition to nature, which is just as important to people today as it was millennia ago. The knot design at the center roughly creates an image of two leaves intertwined, echoing the two ivy leaves on both ends of the piece. Ivy was chose specifically as inspiration for this piece of jewelry, since it covers manmade structures, reminding us that the natural world will ultimately conquer the artificial.

This piece of jewelry is made from two soldered pieces of 18g nickel and is finished with oxidizer to give it an antiqued appearance. The middle of the piece is solid with an etching emphasized by chasing as well as areas that were selectively painted darker with the patina. As it extends on either side, the piercings gradually increase in size and detail, giving the piece a light, open feeling. The delicate curves and spirals lead the eye through and beyond the jewelry. 12g nickel wire attached by two raised rivets extends in a sculptural spiral away from the main piece, which adds to its feeling of depth. The piece rests on a simple stained and painted wooden stand that warmly contrasts with the cool gray tones of the jewelry and punctuates its circular shape and organic inspiration.

This summer class was a lot more work than I expected. What was supposed to be a four-hour class 4 days a week for only 3.5 weeks turned out to being anywhere from 6 to 9 hours of work with only Saturdays off. This was the first (and coincidentally last) summer class my teacher taught, and it felt like she tried to cram in too much work for the time we had. In addition to two projects, we also had to make 12 samples on 2" x 2" squares of metal of each metalsmithing technique we were taught. I did not post the second project because it did not turn out so well, which was partially the instructor's fault. It's just a little soldered nickel and brass box that looks like a treasure chest with wood grain etched into it. It was conceptually designed to contain a seashell, but I use it to hold jewelry. I'm just glad I was able to pass with a B+ and get one of my two 3-D studio requirements out of the way.