Modern Art Jewelry designed and hand made in the U.S.A. by Contemporary American artists.
Free shipping to all points in the U.S.A.
Encoded Earrings
Regular price $68.00Morse coded words are pierced into oxidized or bright sterling silver discs by the artist. She uses two sizes of holes to represent dots and dashes. Discs are suspended from sterling french wires. Are you "done/well" or "hot/damn"? Choose below.
2.5" L x .625" diameter
Ships within 5 days.
STATEMENT
I am excited by the energy and tension found at the edge. I am mesmerized by the power of ocean waves and the amazing beauty of rocky coasts and sandy beaches and expansive vistas spreading away as far the eye can see. When we travel, we generally take the road less traveled and find ourselves at the end of that road. These views, textures, and energy find their way into our work.
BIOGRAPHY
Lisa grew up in a family of makers and has been designing and making since she was a little girl. She learned to sew on an old treadle sewing machine, and remembers with some fondness playing with all of the strange attachments, trying to get the leather band back onto the wheel, and pumping away to see how fast she could get the machine to go (and only sewed through her finger once or twice, thankfully). Since then, she has moved on to more complicated devices and has learned to thread countless numbers of machines. Her jewelry work was inspired by her love of texture and unusual materials and is a direct complement to her wearable art.
She has a diverse creative and professional background, including theater, dance, project management, costume design, graphic design, and painting. She has traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and Central Asia, and has been very influenced by the landscapes of these journeys.
Lisa has a degree in Russian language from Georgetown University. She is a member of the American Craft Council, the Surface Design Association, and the Dare County Arts Council. Her work can be seen at fine art and fine craft shows throughout the year and at numerous boutiques and galleries.
Tension Earrings
Regular price $70.00A graceful sterling ellipse curve intersects curvaceous sterling ear wires in these artist-made earrings.
2" L x 1.25" W
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
I consider my work to be architectonic. That is, a type of perceived sensibility to form and design that prefers the simple over the complex, and the well-built over the mass-produced. I adopted the Bauhaus name for my jewelry because the Bauhaus aesthetic utilizes economy of method and severe geometry of form. My metalwork, hand-fabricated in sterling silver and 18k gold, achieves this through experimentation with the figure/ground relationship. The creation of mechanisms and clasps unique to my designs unites the spirit of both fine artist and craftsman. I often use oxidation to create contrast within a piece. Contrast and opposition combined with repetition are the building blocks of my design. The Avocado group, although organic, still adheres to the Bauhaus principle with its clean lines and minimalist sensibility. This group was inspired by a massive avocado tree on a farm in Hawaii.
BIOGRAPHY
Admirer’s of Hilary Hachey's work frequently inquire if she studied architecture. Often they are architects themselves, drawn to her clean lines and minimalist designs. Her background, however, is not in architecture.
Hilary first became interested in jewelry making as art while attending a scholarship program for high school students at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She then received a liberal arts degree before studying metalsmithing at The Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Hilary currently lives and works in Baltimore where she creates each of her pieces by hand.
Admirer’s of Hilary Hachey's work frequently inquire if she studied architecture. Often they are architects themselves, drawn to her clean lines and minimalist designs. Her background, however, is not in architecture.
Hilary first became interested in jewelry making as art while attending a scholarship program for high school students at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She then received a liberal arts degree before studying metalsmithing at The Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Hilary currently lives and works in Baltimore where she creates each of her pieces by hand.
MORE
Publications
Hot Connections Jewelry:
The Complete Sourcebook of Soldering Techniques , 2011
500 Bracelets, Lark Books, 2005
American Art Collector, Alcove Books, January 2005
1000 Rings, Lark Books, 2004
Orbit Small Drop Earrings
Regular price $85.00Three nesting discs make up the pattern. This striking pattern is handmade in sterling silver that is first oxidized, then satin brushed. The smallest disc is inlay with rosewood. The discs hang from sterling silver ear wires.
1.25” x .5”
Ships within 3 days.
by Matthew Smith
STATEMENT
I create modern jewelry that merges my graphic design and furniture making backgrounds, with my interest in mid-20th century design.
BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Smith began his creative career as a freelance graphic designer. Through his years in this field, he developed what he terms a “visually concise” design language. He also maintained a long running hobby as a woodworker and furniture maker. When a move to a new city required a dramatic downsizing of his studio, Smith began to focus on jewelry as a compact way to merge his diverse interests. He found inspiration from the jewelry designers of the mid-20th century who’s work emphasized strong design and alternative materials, over precious metals and gems.
Smith’s pieces begin as a graphic design which is worked and re-worked to develop the most concise expression of the concept. Design elements such as line weight, color, and pattern are translated into silver thickness, resin tint, and wood grain. Recently Smith has begun working with a new non-toxic casting resin made from soybeans and peanuts, which he tints with non-toxic painter’s pigments.
Matthew Smith received his BA in Fine Art from Wake Forest University. While there he focused on printmaking and sculpture. His education in silversmithing began by taking classes at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio as well as a jewelry class at the Penland School of Crafts. He has combined traditional silversmithing techniques with his woodworking skills to create a hybrid method of jewelry making.
MORE
Matthew's work can also be found at the following museum stores and non-profit shops:
Asher Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
Open Rectangle Earrings
Regular price $85.00These drop earrings feature sterling silver squares framing 3 discs of red coral.
.5” square x 1.25" long
Ship within 5 days.
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Rough Aqua Rectangles
Regular price $85.00Handcrafted sterling silver rectangles frame rough Aqua stones. Sterling French wires.
.5” x .375 x 1.25" overall
Ship within 3 days.
by Ashka Dymel
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Red-Pink Silver Drops
Regular price $90.00Handcrafted vertical sterling rectangles frame garnet and pink tourmaline semi-precious faceted beads. French sterling wires.
.25” wide x 1” long x .125” thick
Ship within 5 days.
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Square Stock Circle Earrings
Regular price $95.00Loose circle forms are hand fabricated by the artist in oxidized sterling silver stock with a square profile. They hang from oxidized sterling silver wires.
.75" x 1.875"
Ships within 7 days.
STATEMENT
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light and shadow.
Two of the primary influences for this body of work were The Modern or New Jewelry Movement, which began in Europe in 1970, and the Constructivist Movement, which took place during the early part of the 20th century, primarily in Russia. The influence of these two movements, coupled with my interest in architectural structures, form the basis for this body of work.
For me it is important that the work exist both on and of the body. When not being worn the pieces are to be displayed as a three-dimensional drawing either on the wall or in some other appropriate space, where they can be enjoyed and not locked away in a jewelry box.
The work is hand-fabricated using steel, sterling, and sometimes 18K gold wire. To add a bit of color, I use Plasti-Dip or powder coating.
Donna D’Aquino was born in Newburgh, New York. She received her BS in Design from The State University College of New York at Buffalo in 1989; and her MFA from Kent State University in 2000. She taught at three schools in Ohio: Kent State University, The Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at the University of Akron, and The University of Toledo.
She has won numerous awards including an individual Ohio Arts Council Grant and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the American Craft Council.
In 2007 she was selected to be included in both the traveling show and the book that accompanied the “Craft in America, Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects”, series done for PBS. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Museum for Contemporary Crafts in Portland, Oregon, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum in Racine, Wisconsin.
Hammered Washer Earrings
Regular price $95.00Hand-hammered sterling discs frame semi-precious beads of iolite, amethyst, blue zircon, tourmaline, peridot. Sterling French wires.
.75” dia. x 1.6” tall x .125” thick
Ship within 3 days.
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Wood Drop Earrings
Regular price $110.00Discs are hand fabricated in sterling silver and are then inset with rosewood. A small satin brushed asymmetrical disc completes the design. They hang from a sterling silver ear wire.
1.5” x .5”
Ships within 3 days.
by Matthew Smith
STATEMENT
I create modern jewelry that merges my graphic design and furniture making backgrounds, with my interest in mid-20th century design.
BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Smith began his creative career as a freelance graphic designer. Through his years in this field, he developed what he terms a “visually concise” design language. He also maintained a long running hobby as a woodworker and furniture maker. When a move to a new city required a dramatic downsizing of his studio, Smith began to focus on jewelry as a compact way to merge his diverse interests. He found inspiration from the jewelry designers of the mid-20th century who’s work emphasized strong design and alternative materials, over precious metals and gems.
Smith’s pieces begin as a graphic design which is worked and re-worked to develop the most concise expression of the concept. Design elements such as line weight, color, and pattern are translated into silver thickness, resin tint, and wood grain. Recently Smith has begun working with a new non-toxic casting resin made from soybeans and peanuts, which he tints with non-toxic painter’s pigments.
Matthew Smith received his BA in Fine Art from Wake Forest University. While there he focused on printmaking and sculpture. His education in silversmithing began by taking classes at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio as well as a jewelry class at the Penland School of Crafts. He has combined traditional silversmithing techniques with his woodworking skills to create a hybrid method of jewelry making.
MORE
Matthew's work can also be found at the following museum stores and non-profit shops:
Asher Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
Mini Spinners
Regular price $110.00Oxidized hand hammered sterling silver hoops spin on bright sterling wire drops. Limited edition.
1.125" L x .5" diameter
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
There is something so satisfying about moving metal. Through fabrication and forging, I am able to manipulate my materials to create form and space, capturing movement in a solid form.
I love the engineering challenges of putting each piece together. Piercing, bending, forging, pounding to create such intimate sculptures. I am drawn to the inherent obsessiveness of creating these minute compositions, all the while seeking a balance of precision and chaos in each design.
BIOGRAPHY
Melle Finelli studied technical Jewelry making at North Bennett Street School, followed by an eye opening year of sculpture at School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Melle currently lives and works in Boston.
Mini Spiral Earrings
Regular price $115.00Miniature handcrafted sterling silver spirals feature iolite, topaz, zircon, tourmaline and peridot semi-precious stone beads.
.6” wide x 1” long x .1” thick
Ship within 7 days.
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Labradorite Rectangles
Regular price $115.00Small handcrafted sterling silver rectangles frame 5 citrine beads. Two larger labradorite beads dangle below the rectangle. Sterling French wires.
.5” x 1.5" overall
Ship within 5 days.
STATEMENT
Interest in structure, geometry and modular designs has originated in my background and study of architecture. Jewelry-making provided me with instant gratification and sense of creative freedom and control that the architectural process was lacking.
In recent years raising a child had a profound effect on my creative process. My work became more playful and intuitive, and less serious, symmetrical and controlled. I allow unexpected elements of chance to play part in the process. After many years of creating monochromatic work, I also started using color. I feel more like a painter now than an engineer, creating impressionistic compositions, with fields of color broken up into small elements. I use translucent semi-precious gems to create the most luminous effect. Each gemstone bead is like a drop of paint becoming part of the color field.
I always shied away from traditional stone setting techniques, and use of beads allowed me to employ a unique way of capturing gems within metal frames. I use very thin silver wires threaded through the holes and balled up on both sides using high heat. Frames or outlines are fabricated out of sterling silver, some are partially cast. All the work is produced in my Brooklyn studio with the help of one assistant.
Ashka Dymel was born in Warsaw, Poland, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. After studies in liberal arts and foreign languages in Poland and Czechoslovakia, she moved to the United States where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. After several years of working in the field of architecture, Ashka began to design small objects and jewelry and founded her own design studio in 1990. From 1988 through 1995 she was an Adjunct Professor, teaching Design and Design History at Parsons School of Design. From 2006 through 2008 Ashka was a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Rectangle Earrings
Regular price $120.00Slim and sleek rectangles are hand fabricated in oxidized and bright sterling silver, with sterling silver wires.
1.75” x .25” x .125”
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
I consider my work to be architectonic. That is, a type of perceived sensibility to form and design that prefers the simple over the complex, and the well-built over the mass-produced. I adopted the Bauhaus name for my jewelry because the Bauhaus aesthetic utilizes economy of method and severe geometry of form. My metalwork, hand-fabricated in sterling silver and 18k gold, achieves this through experimentation with the figure/ground relationship. The creation of mechanisms and clasps unique to my designs unites the spirit of both fine artist and craftsman. I often use oxidation to create contrast within a piece. Contrast and opposition combined with repetition are the building blocks of my design. The Avocado group, although organic, still adheres to the Bauhaus principle with its clean lines and minimalist sensibility. This group was inspired by a massive avocado tree on a farm in Hawaii.
BIOGRAPHY
Admirer’s of Hilary Hachey's work frequently inquire if she studied architecture. Often they are architects themselves, drawn to her clean lines and minimalist designs. Her background, however, is not in architecture.
Hilary first became interested in jewelry making as art while attending a scholarship program for high school students at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She then received a liberal arts degree before studying metalsmithing at The Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Hilary currently lives and works in Baltimore where she creates each of her pieces by hand.
Admirer’s of Hilary Hachey's work frequently inquire if she studied architecture. Often they are architects themselves, drawn to her clean lines and minimalist designs. Her background, however, is not in architecture.
Hilary first became interested in jewelry making as art while attending a scholarship program for high school students at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She then received a liberal arts degree before studying metalsmithing at The Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Hilary currently lives and works in Baltimore where she creates each of her pieces by hand.
MORE
Publications
Hot Connections Jewelry:
The Complete Sourcebook of Soldering Techniques , 2011
500 Bracelets, Lark Books, 2005
American Art Collector, Alcove Books, January 2005
1000 Rings, Lark Books, 2004
Pinwheel Drop Earrings
Regular price $150.00Solid bright sterling silver pinwheels with contrasting oxidized edges, hang from oxidized sterling chain. Handmade by the artist.
2.75" long x .5" wide
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
The foundation of my jewelry design is based on the idea of organic themes mixing with machine inspired motifs, the interplay between these two extremes, and the beautiful and interesting mathematical patterns that occur in nature. Using sterling silver, gold and gemstones, typical combinations include: stars, fur, flower petals, pine needles and bird's wings, alongside machine parts and perfect geometric shapes. Kinetic movement plays an important role in the designs, concentric circles spinning inside hexagons or a stairway of silver folding like a puzzle. Techniques used to create the jewelry include metal forging, intricate soldering, bezel fabrication, gem setting and wire wrapping. The themes are complex and original, but the jewelry itself is very simple and stylish.
BIOGRAPHY
Jennifer grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and studied studio arts at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. While there, she experimented with various media, from photography and film to steel welding and mixed media sculpture. There was a freedom working with precious metals that Jennifer could not find in other media. The malleability, textures, and unlimited possibilities of raw metal continue to excite her creative impulses. Along with the flexibility and natural beauty of metals, the idea of metal as industrial material was an intriguing concept that inspired much of her early pieces, and continues to today.
In 2011, Jennifer's first book, Hot Connections Jewelry (Random House) was published. Hot Connections Jewelry is a complete sourcebook of jewelry making techniques using a torch.Jennifer lives and works in South Boston's Fort Point Channel neighborhood. There, she enjoys a very supportive community of artists and friends.
Node Drop Earrings
Regular price $165.00Simple and graphic, three grouped circles make up the Node pattern. These handmade drop earrings are fabricated from sterling silver with a lightly oxidized, satin brushed finish. They feature a sterling earwire.
The largest circle in the pattern is inlay with rosewood or ebony, with an oil and wax finish. The other two circles are inlay with resin.
1.875” x .5” x .5”
Ships within 5 days.
STATEMENT
I create modern jewelry that merges my graphic design and furniture making backgrounds, with my interest in mid-20th century design.
BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Smith began his creative career as a freelance graphic designer. Through his years in this field, he developed what he terms a “visually concise” design language. He also maintained a long running hobby as a woodworker and furniture maker. When a move to a new city required a dramatic downsizing of his studio, Smith began to focus on jewelry as a compact way to merge his diverse interests. He found inspiration from the jewelry designers of the mid-20th century who’s work emphasized strong design and alternative materials, over precious metals and gems.
Smith’s pieces begin as a graphic design which is worked and re-worked to develop the most concise expression of the concept. Design elements such as line weight, color, and pattern are translated into silver thickness, resin tint, and wood grain. Recently Smith has begun working with a new non-toxic casting resin made from soybeans and peanuts, which he tints with non-toxic painter’s pigments.
Matthew Smith received his BA in Fine Art from Wake Forest University. While there he focused on printmaking and sculpture. His education in silversmithing began by taking classes at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio as well as a jewelry class at the Penland School of Crafts. He has combined traditional silversmithing techniques with his woodworking skills to create a hybrid method of jewelry making.
MORE
Matthew's work can also be found at the following museum stores and non-profit shops:
Asher Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
Red Circle Earrings
Regular price $165.00These medium - large circles are hand fabricated by the artist in red powder coated steel. The circles pivot 180 degrees, adding to the fun. Oxidized sterling silver wires.
1.75" x 2.875"
Ships within 7 days.
STATEMENT
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light and shadow.
Two of the primary influences for this body of work were The Modern or New Jewelry Movement, which began in Europe in 1970, and the Constructivist Movement, which took place during the early part of the 20th century, primarily in Russia. The influence of these two movements, coupled with my interest in architectural structures, form the basis for this body of work.
For me it is important that the work exist both on and of the body. When not being worn the pieces are to be displayed as a three-dimensional drawing either on the wall or in some other appropriate space, where they can be enjoyed and not locked away in a jewelry box.
The work is hand-fabricated using steel, sterling, and sometimes 18K gold wire. To add a bit of color, I use Plasti-Dip or powder coating.
Donna D’Aquino was born in Newburgh, New York. She received her BS in Design from The State University College of New York at Buffalo in 1989; and her MFA from Kent State University in 2000. She taught at three schools in Ohio: Kent State University, The Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at the University of Akron, and The University of Toledo.
She has won numerous awards including an individual Ohio Arts Council Grant and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the American Craft Council.
In 2007 she was selected to be included in both the traveling show and the book that accompanied the “Craft in America, Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects”, series done for PBS. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Museum for Contemporary Crafts in Portland, Oregon, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum in Racine, Wisconsin.
Square Stock Heavy Oval Earrings
Regular price $165.00Elongated circle forms, on a straight stem, are hand fabricated by the artist in matte sterling silver stock with a square profile. A small round dot marks the top. They attach with a simple post.
1" x 1.5"
Ships within 7 days.
STATEMENT
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light and shadow.
Two of the primary influences for this body of work were The Modern or New Jewelry Movement, which began in Europe in 1970, and the Constructivist Movement, which took place during the early part of the 20th century, primarily in Russia. The influence of these two movements, coupled with my interest in architectural structures, form the basis for this body of work.
For me it is important that the work exist both on and of the body. When not being worn the pieces are to be displayed as a three-dimensional drawing either on the wall or in some other appropriate space, where they can be enjoyed and not locked away in a jewelry box.
The work is hand-fabricated using steel, sterling, and sometimes 18K gold wire. To add a bit of color, I use Plasti-Dip or powder coating.
Donna D’Aquino was born in Newburgh, New York. She received her BS in Design from The State University College of New York at Buffalo in 1989; and her MFA from Kent State University in 2000. She taught at three schools in Ohio: Kent State University, The Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at the University of Akron, and The University of Toledo.
She has won numerous awards including an individual Ohio Arts Council Grant and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the American Craft Council.
In 2007 she was selected to be included in both the traveling show and the book that accompanied the “Craft in America, Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects”, series done for PBS. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Museum for Contemporary Crafts in Portland, Oregon, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum in Racine, Wisconsin.
Square Stock Long Circle Earrings
Regular price $165.00Loose circle forms, on a straight stem, are hand fabricated by the artist in matte sterling silver stock with a square profile. A small round dot marks the top. They attach with a simple post.
.625" x 1.75"
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light and shadow.
Two of the primary influences for this body of work were The Modern or New Jewelry Movement, which began in Europe in 1970, and the Constructivist Movement, which took place during the early part of the 20th century, primarily in Russia. The influence of these two movements, coupled with my interest in architectural structures, form the basis for this body of work.
For me it is important that the work exist both on and of the body. When not being worn the pieces are to be displayed as a three-dimensional drawing either on the wall or in some other appropriate space, where they can be enjoyed and not locked away in a jewelry box.
The work is hand-fabricated using steel, sterling, and sometimes 18K gold wire. To add a bit of color, I use Plasti-Dip or powder coating.
Donna D’Aquino was born in Newburgh, New York. She received her BS in Design from The State University College of New York at Buffalo in 1989; and her MFA from Kent State University in 2000. She taught at three schools in Ohio: Kent State University, The Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at the University of Akron, and The University of Toledo.
She has won numerous awards including an individual Ohio Arts Council Grant and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the American Craft Council.
In 2007 she was selected to be included in both the traveling show and the book that accompanied the “Craft in America, Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects”, series done for PBS. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Museum for Contemporary Crafts in Portland, Oregon, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum in Racine, Wisconsin.
Orbit Drop Earrings
Regular price $165.00Four nesting discs make up the pattern. This striking design is handmade in sterling silver that is first oxidized, then satin brushed. The smallest disc is inlay with eco-friendly, turquoise soybean-based resin. They hang from sterling silver ear wires.
1.75” x .625”
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
I create modern jewelry that merges my graphic design and furniture making backgrounds, with my interest in mid-20th century design.
BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Smith began his creative career as a freelance graphic designer. Through his years in this field, he developed what he terms a “visually concise” design language. He also maintained a long running hobby as a woodworker and furniture maker. When a move to a new city required a dramatic downsizing of his studio, Smith began to focus on jewelry as a compact way to merge his diverse interests. He found inspiration from the jewelry designers of the mid-20th century who’s work emphasized strong design and alternative materials, over precious metals and gems.
Smith’s pieces begin as a graphic design which is worked and re-worked to develop the most concise expression of the concept. Design elements such as line weight, color, and pattern are translated into silver thickness, resin tint, and wood grain. Recently Smith has begun working with a new non-toxic casting resin made from soybeans and peanuts, which he tints with non-toxic painter’s pigments.
Matthew Smith received his BA in Fine Art from Wake Forest University. While there he focused on printmaking and sculpture. His education in silversmithing began by taking classes at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio as well as a jewelry class at the Penland School of Crafts. He has combined traditional silversmithing techniques with his woodworking skills to create a hybrid method of jewelry making.
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Matthew's work can also be found at the following museum stores and non-profit shops:
Asher Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
Craft Alliance Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
Floating Circles
Regular price $170.00Hand hammered matte sterling discs serve as the backdrop for oxidized sterling crescents. Bright sterling drops, overall length about 3". Limited Edition.
3" L x 1.25" W
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
There is something so satisfying about moving metal. Through fabrication and forging, I am able to manipulate my materials to create form and space, capturing movement in a solid form.
I love the engineering challenges of putting each piece together. Piercing, bending, forging, pounding to create such intimate sculptures. I am drawn to the inherent obsessiveness of creating these minute compositions, all the while seeking a balance of precision and chaos in each design.
BIOGRAPHY
Melle Finelli studied technical Jewelry making at North Bennett Street School, followed by an eye opening year of sculpture at School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Melle currently lives and works in Boston.
Fauna Earrings
Regular price $180.00Handmade shimmering drop earrings of half bright, half oxidized sterling silver.
5" long x .5" wide
Ships within 3 days.
STATEMENT
The foundation of my jewelry design is based on the idea of organic themes mixing with machine inspired motifs, the interplay between these two extremes, and the beautiful and interesting mathematical patterns that occur in nature. Using sterling silver, gold and gemstones, typical combinations include: stars, fur, flower petals, pine needles and bird's wings, alongside machine parts and perfect geometric shapes. Kinetic movement plays an important role in the designs, concentric circles spinning inside hexagons or a stairway of silver folding like a puzzle. Techniques used to create the jewelry include metal forging, intricate soldering, bezel fabrication, gem setting and wire wrapping. The themes are complex and original, but the jewelry itself is very simple and stylish.
BIOGRAPHY
Jennifer grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and studied studio arts at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. While there, she experimented with various media, from photography and film to steel welding and mixed media sculpture. There was a freedom working with precious metals that Jennifer could not find in other media. The malleability, textures, and unlimited possibilities of raw metal continue to excite her creative impulses. Along with the flexibility and natural beauty of metals, the idea of metal as industrial material was an intriguing concept that inspired much of her early pieces, and continues to today.
In 2011, Jennifer's first book, Hot Connections Jewelry (Random House) was published. Hot Connections Jewelry is a complete sourcebook of jewelry making techniques using a torch.Jennifer lives and works in South Boston's Fort Point Channel neighborhood. There, she enjoys a very supportive community of artists and friends.
