As a lover of games and surprises, my work has a whimsical nature to it. Each piece begins with a positive emotion or mood and then adds a touch of nature ( human or animal) to create jewelry that does more than adorn, but lifts your spirits too. Through the use of metal clay I create three dimensional pieces that invite the observer to look closer and understand the message in the piece and see how it relates to their own experiences.
My miniature sculptures layer a simplicity of design with an appreciation of human spirit and nature. My hope is that my pieces will make you smile.
I make my jewelry using metal clay. Metal clay is a product comprised of very small particles of pure silver suspended in a clay binder. The clay-like properties enable me to sculpt, mold and form the piece in many different ways. It is then dried, filed and fired in a kiln which burns off the clay part. Then I sand, polish, add patina and assemble the parts. The result is a piece of fine silver (99.9%).
What I enjoy most about this product is all the different stages - the wet clay stage, the dry stage and then the fired silver stage for finishing. There are different techniques involved in each part and room for creativity at every stage of the process.
I live in Northern California. If you live locally, I am happy to arrange a time for you to come and see my work at my studio. Just email me to arrange a convenient date and time.
Periodically I do shows at my home or local wineries. Many of these I do to benefit the non-profit organization Nest. For these shows, 20% of what I take I donate to Nest. Nest offers micro-financing opportunities to women artists in developing countries. I also sell some of my items on their online store and make a 25% donation for every item I sell through them. Please be sure to visit their store and website at http://www.buildanest.com