Inspired by this 1915 WWI Rene’ Lalique “Orphans of the Armies” medal, respectfully held in place with cold connections. The vulnerable figures of woman and 2 babies are bound together by fear and compassion. My piece is designed to shelter…
Using the power of sound and music, my work becomes activated by not only the wearer, but the audience. Wearable objects that emulate surreal depictions of my own body are integrated with Bluetooth speakers that can be paired with a…
Presenting a stunning necklace that draws its inspiration from the captivating allure of African ethnic culture. The necklace features gracefully carved colored wooden horns, beautifully polished with beeswax for an authentic touch. At the center of the necklace, a glass…
Memento Mori Pendant Translated literally as “remember death,” a memento mori serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death, in order that life is then lived to its fullest. I carved this coffin-shaped amber to evoke a meaningful memory,…
I make work that focuses on macabre subject matter without sacrificing beauty and function, creating couture jewelry that caters to unique aesthetics in the market. My designs speak in terms of eccentricities and incorporate unsettling visuals. I am inspired by…
As a designer and metalsmith I am inspired by our natural world. In this piece I wanted to showcase the grace of two pisces fish and the sparkle of bubbles through metal and diamonds. Using the technique of chasing and…
In my artistic practice since 2014 I have used repetitive mark making comprised of lines and dots to alter the metal substrate combined with vitreous enamel to give a tactile delicacy inferring surfaces and textures from my environment. Walking, observing,…
The concept behind this piece is rooted in the deep longing that many immigrants feel for the freedom to live life on their own terms. The suitcase shape represents the journey they individually embark upon, leaving behind familiar surroundings and…
Throughout all of human history, there has been a fascination with the idea of self. Whether it is crudely rendered with pigment and animal fat smeared on a cave wall or snapped on a phone and augmented with the latest…
Brooch, Etched aluminum, lacquer, sterling, 18k. A folded letter that looks like it could have been at the bottom of a purse for months has been carefully set in precious metals reflecting a difficult relationship with care and intimacy. We…
Viking ships were known for their intimidating silhouette of a monster. Arriving by sail or by oar, the dragon head on the ship’s bow and tail on the stern must have appeared monstrous indeed. I see the forms of vessels…
This is a mental image of a scene created by the brain through the process of combining two images received from both eyes. The finger sausage is the silliest yet easiest demonstration of this stereo-vision which brings into play perception…
Once thought of a weed by the wayside, the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is now recognized as a vital link in our increasingly fragile ecosystem. Entire species depend on this humble yet beautiful plant. Its decline due to current wide-scale…
“Hyperbolic Adornment (Implant Series III)” Artist Statement This series focuses on medical implants, the body, and embodied experience. These hand-fabricated objects glorify the highly individual and personal nature of prosthesis and surgeries, while evoking notions of memento mori and the…
I explore the use of industrially made products to create jewelry that is simultaneously manufactured and handcrafted. I bridge the gap between these seemingly disparate modes of making in order to consider the role material, process, and people play in the production of things.
As getting old, I found a gap between my ideal world and the reality. The more time passed, the bigger the gap became. I am changing to be a pessimist from an idealist. This is disappointing and depressing…
My work is a combination of the rigid rules of stone setting and the idiosyncratic expansion of growth. It is a juxtaposition between control and the chaos of nature.
Jim Cotter handcrafts each piece of work, from start to finish, in his Minturn, Colorado studio. Specializing in the lost wax casting process his designs are full of movement, fluidity, and texture. Jim is known as a maverick and pioneer…
I have been working in metal since graduating from SIUE over 30 years ago. Teaching at Craft Alliance St Louis for over 20 yrs. has given me the joy of seeing others awaken to the art of metal. I work…
This work detail is from a series comprised of 90 wooden brooches in unique boxes that serve as reliquary-like vessels to honor and house the wings of Monarch butterflies that were collected by Oklahoma State University scientists researching the Monarch…
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, face masks have become essential to our daily lives to stop the spread of the coronavirus. However, thousands of disposable masks end up in the environment daily, and they have now become an environmental issue….
The natural world is my starting point. Whether in New England, the Adirondacks, or the Midwest, I watch the motion of the waves at the beach, the swaying grasses in the river, the connection between the tree trunk and its…
These earrings were created architecturally, consisting of sterling silver hollow forms and freshwater pearls. This type of designing and fabricating appeals to me because I am able to use a seemingly random shape but build it in a way that…
The division between fiction and reality can be a struggle to distinguish. From Cabinets of Curiosity of the past to deep fakes that flood social media, people feverishly consume these fictional narratives and are often duped into believing in their…