“Puka Earrings”

Sterling silver, stainless steel

2” x 1” x .25”

Viewing jewelry as public art, these small sculptures are 'on tour'– hitching a ride via their shine and sparkle, and your generous support! This collection of unusual wearable objects is designed to turn heads and make people smile. Lighthearted jewelry that does not take itself too seriously, yet obsessively engineered to serve cutting edge. Drawing upon his industrial design background, Stefan Gougherty creates jewelry that's both a celebration and critique of human ingenuity. His previous career designing wearable technology informs his metalsmithing process– where practicality, ergonomics, manufacturability and more are synthesized to create highly functional (yet weird) art-objects. With content mined from opposing forces such as trash/treasure, past/future, natural/artificial, etc. these unusual/familiar objects reflect the paradox (and humor) of this strange world we inhabit.

Artist bio:
Born in 1986, Stefan Gougherty is a designer, jewelry artist and teacher based in Richmond Virginia. With a BFA in industrial design from RISD and an MFA in metalsmithing from SUNY New Paltz, Stefan is the recipient of international design awards and relentlessly tinkers in hopes of discovering something “new”!