Selected Artist for the 2018 American Craft Week Showcase!!
American Craft Week selected 24 artists for its 2018 showcase, focused on the theme of 'Metamorphosis', fine crafts made from recycled materials. I'm very honored to be one of the selected artists!
Here's my statement, along with some of the photos I submitted to depict my materials and pieces:
The raw materials for spoon rings and so much more
I believe in the possibility of transformation, both for individuals and for a world in need of healing. My artwork with recycled materials allows me to celebrate and promote this idea. I’ve learned to salvage old metal objects, which were largely forgotten and irrelevant. I reshape them for new meaning and luster. My creations inspire people to look deeper into the world around them. Where we might initially see waste, decay and triviality, we can also surely discover innovation, growth and beauty.
I create metalwork jewelry & accessories from reclaimed materials, mostly vintage silverware. I reshape and adorn the flatware through traditional metalsmith techniques of sawing, forging, soldering, engraving, stonesetting, polishing, etc.
Although I transform the materials, I also work to ensure that the original recycled objects remain recognizable. I stop short of processing them beyond identification. The finished creations showcase the mundane artifacts in lustrous, often surprising new forms, inspiring the viewer to look for other hidden possibilities in the world around us.
I design and produce all my creations at my workshop in Silver Spring, Maryland. Each and every piece is diligently handmade.
