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Repurposed beads, Polyolefin tubing, sterling silver

~1 ¼ in x ¾ in x ½ in

I combine materials such as silver, rubber, repurposed beads, and common industrial and automotive parts to create jewelry inspired by traditional forms, especially the pearl earring.
I break apart familiar jewelry forms and reconnect them with unexpected materials. The different pieces layer and transition into one another, creating a sense of movement and cohesion.

The work asks us to look at familiar objects in a new way. It creates a tension between what we see as precious and what we see as ordinary, between tradition and the unexpected.
At stake is the idea of value—why some materials are considered beautiful or precious while others are overlooked or discarded. By bringing these materials together, I explore how their meaning can change through connection and context.

Artist Bio:
Jim Charles is an artist and educator who lives and works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He focuses on jewelry design, sculpture, and material explorations of memory. At the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts, he teaches Jewelry and Metalsmithing and leads the BA Capstone course. He is the Program Co-Coordinator for the UW–Milwaukee and Hubei University of Technology partnership in Wuhan, China, where he also teaches as a Visiting Assistant Professor.