Gemstone Topographies

Steel, Glass, Sterling Silver, Gold, Gemstones

2” x 1 3/4”
Total length 2 1/2” w/Sterling Silver Ear Wire

As a goldsmith and enamel artist who studied interior design and architecture, I think of myself as both an artist and designer, however, design is my worldview; the lens through which I view, evaluate and understand the world around me. Jewelry blends art and science, form and function, creativity and innovation. For me, the process of creation from researching to sketching, selecting materials and fabricating, is inspiring. Curiosity, problem solving, and my search for identity, motivates me to continually reimagine what is possible,

I love to travel, meet people and hear their stories. I am passionate about history, and the connection I feel to past civilizations when using the ancient and revered techniques of enameling and metalwork. I am intrigued with the boundary between civilization and wildness. Mythology and folklore, mysticism and superstition, and the corresponding symbols, characters and stories that exist in every culture in every era, suggest the profound roots of our collective effort to come to terms with the world that surrounds us.

My work combines drawing and painting with texturing and patterning, in a process of fusing thin coats of specially prepared ground glass to three dimensionally formed metal in a kiln, using high, controlled heat. I strive to create depth and luminosity with hand drawn designs and multilayered finishes that reveal different aspects of color and metal as they move. I also use three dimensionally formed metal, ink, pencils, Limoges paints, mason stains and decals