Many patrons ask how I create my artwork. Each piece is unique and has its own intricacies and methods. Here’s a quick overview of my creative process.
Once I’ve envisioned a piece, I cut everything by hand with a jewelers saw (with a super-thin blade and tiny teeth). I painstakingly guide the blade to fashion curves and twists. Next, I use small files to smooth any bumps and craters made by the blade. From there, it is lots and lots (and lots and lots) of sanding with varying grits to create a smooth, rounded finish. The work is slow and meticulous, but the results are worth every step. After the crafting is complete, I clean and coat the pieces with an acrylic sealant for long-lasting colors. The final step is riveting —literally! The riveting process connects two or more pieces of metal with a tiny piece of wire that I’ve flattened on each end with a ball-peen hammer. It makes a nice, tight connection and adds to the overall detail of the artwork.
Each piece takes me anywhere from 5-12 hours, depending on the design and detail, but I enjoy every minute of it. I hope you enjoy the results!
(Using the jeweler saw in my outdoor workspace to cut out the details of a leaf pendant)