Metalsmithing

For Me. Brass, clay, yarn, copper. 2025. 

Hollow-formed. 

Oftentimes, I find myself imbued with thoughts that are unwarranted and unwanted, intruding into my daily life. They come by in a flash of a moment and test the limits of the question ‘what if I did this?’ even if I know for certain that it would not end well. Sometimes, they include me, sometimes they include others. They tend to be annoying and often distract me from other, more important tasks. 

This doll is hollow-formed with brass and showcases moveable joints and a hinged face. The clay hands, feet, and face create a framing around the brass center. My face is depicted in a serene way, though I am asleep, because why would I want to see myself in a distressing situation. I  am treating this doll as though it has feelings and so, to treat it correctly, it will be set in a ‘white-cube’ type of area. It is on view for the audience to be tenderly held. The torso is a skeletal form, as much of my other work depicts the abdominal organs of the human body. In this form, I am missing what is necessary to my practice. The skull is symbolic of how these thoughts tend to revolve around death, as well as my general fear about dying. This doll, while it does represent personal, intrusive thoughts, it also represents a calming presence that I desire within my life. 

Shiny, Bright, and Pearly White. Bronze, copper, sterling silver wire. 2025

Lost wax casting. 

Shiny, straight, and pearly white. Dental hygiene has been engrained into everyone’s brain since childhood, and is a noticeable aspect on one’s appearance. There is time and money and a small obsession when it comes to taking care of those ivories. What else is the best way to show them off then wearing them front and center on your body? The earrings and its strand of casted teeth have a specific way to be worn to avoid discomfort, just as there are specific ways to take care of your own teeth. As with many, I find myself often thinking about the way my teeth look, studying them from all possible angles. They are not straight, symmetrical or perfectly white, but they hold history. The crown and root are specific to the individual, allowing a window into their life: age, diet, location. Special enough to one person but a constant among living creatures. 

Open Your Heart. Copper, brass, spring steel. 2025. 

Chased and repoussed. 

With a heavy heart, I formed the chambers and vessels. As I open my heart, I am exposed to the outside world. With an open heart, I can connect to my loved ones. This concept of ‘opening your heart’ to someone is something that I have always had trouble with. It is hard for me to tell friends and family that I care and love them in verbal words. Even in my thoughts, there is an aversion. Instead, I often show this with handmade, personalized gifts to show my dedication to them. With this chased and repoussed copper brooch, the wearer can physically open and lock the brooch depending on who they are with. When the brooch is closed, it is in the form of an anatomical human heart. When it is opened, it reveals a heat-patina insert of the heart’s inside. This reimagined cross-section of a heart represents the vulnerability I personally feel when faced with showing my affection. 

A Commemoration for Cows. 2025. 

Photo 1: 

Raised copper with chased details and soldered rim. 

Photo 2-3: 

Raised brass with chased details and soldered rim, feet, tail. 

Buttons Galore. Brass, plastic buttons, mother of pearl, cotton thread. 2025. 

21.5 inches (fabrication length), adjustable length. 

Columns (set of 3: Corinthian, Doric, Ionic). Copper, brass. 2024. 

Hollow-formed rings. 

Love Your Gut. Copper. 2025

A collection of repoussed copper brooches and pendants. Show your love for your gut. 

Pedal to the Metal, Metal Club Sale at the Murry N. DePillars building. November 19-21, 2025. 

My Parents to Me. Bronze, cotton thread. 2025.

Once upon a time, two Noses fell in love. They came from different backgrounds but that was okay. They were both a protuberance to a face whose role was to smell. The Mother Nose was tall and defined. The Father Nose was large and round. 

Eventually they had offspring. The first offspring was a girl Nose. A few years after that, they had me, the second born Nose. A few years after that, they had a third offspring, a boy Nose. The offspring Noses, products of their parent Noses, were all similar Noses. 

The characteristics of the parent Noses were transferred to the offspring Noses, who are the new generation of Noses in the family. They carry with them the image of their parents and those from before them. The offspring Noses may one day pass down their own Noses and so the cycle continues.