Artist Statement
Most of my work focuses on the shapes found in life, with both literal and abstract interpretations. From the swirl of a fiddle fern to the contours of a face or the repeated spheres of bubbles, each piece follows the principles I value most: shape and balance. I am an artist first, and a jeweler second. My concept has always been to adorn with my jewelry, however most pieces are not casual or everyday wear. Rather, to wear my jewelry is to adorn the narrative I have fabricated.
Now, going into my senior year of college, I’m combining the bubbly fun with strict design. In the near future, I hope to sit bubbles along side clean shapes that flow in harmonious pieces. In my mind, I see lines and shapes that represent precision and sophistication, with the blend of granulation and texture that show “mess” and growth.
Bio
I have been working in metalsmithing and jewelry since 2014. I started as a student of Cheryl Evans. She is an amazing teacher that would chew you up and spit you out, an experience for which you’d find yourself oddly grateful. With Evans, I learned saw piercing and fabricate with a precision and an eye to design that would launch me into university life. At the University of North Texas, I learned an appreciation for mechanics, function, and technique. My new mentor Ana Lopez helped me to develop and appreciate this new level of discipline. Combining the mechanical structure of Lopez with the natural fluidity of Evans has helped me to hone and define my own personal aesthetic.
In the fall of 2018, I studied a semester abroad in Dundee, Scotland at Dundee University with Sandra Wilson. In that foreign (to me) environment, I rediscovered casting with wax, and I found my current inspiration … bubbles (a.k.a granulation). The natural fluid forms they tend to create helped me to have fun with jewelry again, creating intricate bubble constructions like a child plays with mud after a long day of school.