Artist Statement

Drawing inspiration from the organic forms, textures, and colors of nature, I create wearable art. Many of my pieces are abstract representations of plants, which inspire me because they are forms perfected over millions of years. Plant forms are complex in their functions, but simple and efficient in form.  Despite taking millions of years to evolve, most natural objects are transient.  The heart of my work is drawing the fleeting natural elegance of nature and crystallizing it into art that will last for generations; merging transient and timeless in a single work of art. 

The time and understanding of the process of creating art, especially wearable art is significant to me. Most jewelry is mass-produced. However, handmade jewelry is beautiful because it is unique. Every step of the process, the artist leaves their mark, giving character to the final product. The link then between artist and wearer becomes more personal. In a time where technological interaction is more prevalent than direct human interaction, wearable craft represents a more personal connection between individuals. While I appreciate the role technology plays in our lives, I hope to create art that represents simple human interaction. 

Currently, I work with natural faceted and cabochon cut stones set in sterling silver. From these elements, I create pieces that showcase the stones by highlighting their geometry in silver.  Silver is a material that is widely used in mass-produced jewelry.   This enables me to create something new and unique from jewelry that was copied millions of times.

About

I graduated from  Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a BFA in Crafts with a concentration in Fine Metals under the instruction of James Malenda in May of 2015. I also have a BS in Biology that I received in 2008 from Kutztown University. I currently reside in Northeastern Pennsylvania.