Jewelry

The following pieces were created as part of a high school junior and senior level jewelry course. Techniques used included stone inlay, riveting, patina with heat, patina with salt and ammonia, and Cabochon stone setting. Most pieces were assembled using torch soldering.

Title: Strawberry K
Date: 01/2004

Dimensions: 2.5" H x 2" W

Materials: hammered copper
Technique: a design was sketched onto newsprint and then used as a stencil on thin copper sheet; the design was cut, sanded, buffed and then textured

Goal: Students were asked to incorporate their initials into a design (note that the stem of the strawberry is a "K"); to learn the basics of cutting, sanding, and buffing metal

Title: Spiky Winged Comb
Date: 03/2004

Dimensions: 3.5" W x 2.5" H

Materials: copper, brass, crushed colored stone
Technique: The bottom wing pieces were cut. A backing was soldered to the copper wings. The top piece was then soldered to the bottom wings, and finally, the handle and prongs were attached. The piece was brushed with dilute acid, darkening the handle and prongs, then sanded. Crushed stone, mixed with resin, was added to the piece, and finally, the piece was sanded and buffed.

Goal: to learn about working with different temperature solders; explore line and form; practice stone inlay technique

Front View

Back View

Title: When It Rains, It Pours

Date: 05/2004

Dimensions: 3" H x 2.25" W

Materials: copper, silver, and brass

Technique: Layers were cut using different metals and subjected to different treatments: heat treatment (outside frame); acid patina (front figure), and ammonia +salt treatment (back copper layer). These layers were then riveted together using silver wire

Goal: to explore different metal treatments; work with different metals; create a multi-layered composition; practice riveting technique

This piece, created for a senior-level high school jewelry course, won a Scholastic Arts Award Silver Key in the fall of 2005

Title: Autumn Leaves

Date: 09/2005

Dimensions: 3" W x 2.5" H

Materials: copper, brass, silver, and Cabochon stone

Technique: pin base, backing, leaves, mesh, and wire were soldered together, sanded, buffed, and patina-ed; Cabochon stone was set by burnishing a silver frame around the stone

Goal: to explore line, form, and texture; combine different metals into a composition; explore metal treatments; practice Cabochon stone setting