I first encountered the magic of being able to turn raw metal into jewelry when I was 15 and a student at The Putney School in Putney, VT. An expensive habit, I left metalwork behind when I was no longer connected to a school that could provide me with a studio. About 18 years ago I started taking metalwork classes at The League of NH Craftsmen in Hanover, NH. Thus began a renewed passion for creating jewelry. I have continued to take classes and workshops from some of the top metalsmiths and jewelry artists in the country.
I find inspiration in the work of my teachers and other jewelry artists, but then it boils down to just what happens between me and the materials. I tend not to draw my designs on paper and when I do, the outcome will bear only a slight resemblance to my drawing. The designing happens in my imagination and the image I wake up with in my head becomes a different piece entirely when I get into the studio.
I love the synergy between the metal, my ideas and the tools. Some of my favorite pieces are the result of serendipity such as how a particular piece of copper responds to the heat of a torch on a particular day and acquires a one-of-a-kind patina. I’ve been working mostly in silver, copper, and niobium and am currently exploring steel and a little bit of gold. I’m always looking for ways to add to color and texture. In 2020 I began using colored pencils on copper, which adds a new dimension to y work.
The best part for me is seeing someone wearing my work and being told they wear it every day. It’s a wonderful feeling to have something that arose out of my head, become a piece of jewelry that someone finds a personal connection to.
