frame bracelet with garnets and smoky quartz

here is further attempt to bring the loose, unconcerned and imprecise quality of my line drawings into my metalwork. i also experimented with mixing the stones and a dark patina. a few more lessons learned, and overall i am very happy with the sense of confidence that working "off the cuff" is bringing to my work. the last piece was very carefully measured and planned, but this one was created in a very spontaneous way. i am learning to skip the drawings and sketch directly into the metal.

frames bracelet with swiss blue topaz

in this piece my goal was to capture a line quality more related to my drawing style, which is kind of quirky and irregular. my tendency in jewelry is to work with geometric forms, and i am often frustrated that my forms are not of manufactured precision- but after i have sanded and polished every mark of my hand from the process, i am often disappointed. here, i tried to move in the opposite direction and bring in a more soft, painterly quality to the silver. i love the swiss blue topaz and i will definitely be working with it again in the future.

chain maille centipede necklace

here is an example of the chain maille designs i have been playing around with recently. i've really enjoyed mixing steel, rubber and silver in these. this one has hammer set garnet trillions forming what i call the "head" and "tail" of the centipede. the trick to making this pattern work is the very specific aspect ratio of the sterling rings compared to the steel and rubber; they are very snug, so as to allow some movement and flex but otherwise keep the triangular formations nice and tidy. next i will try introducing more color.

in addition to these chain maille designs, i have a number of new directions in mind; i prefer to work this way, because too much of the same thing begins to drive me crazy! i have given up the notion that this is a negative trait. i am moving toward embracing all of the different ways i enjoy working, seeing the ways they relate to one another and observing the themes they tend to return to, instead of worrying about consistency or lamenting disparities. i find that the more loose and relaxed i get about this, the more i can submit myself to the process. It is in this place of being open that whatever i am working on will start to take on its own direction, and lead me towards its own conclusions. it is an extremely gratifying journey for me.