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ABOUT

Meghan Patrice Riley jewelry was founded in 2008 by metalsmith Meghan Riley to create light and wearable sculptural wire jewelry. With a background in math and geometry, each piece is inspired by volumetric forms and is crafted by hand in her New York City studio.

Mixing metals with textile techniques, she creates unique pieces with a feminine elegance and a industrial touch that are still light and dainty. Using thin, lightweight silver and nylon-coated steel wire as "fiber" she forms small line segments to create geometric shapes and then eventually forms that are lightweight, flexible, and adapt to the wearer. Geometric shapes were chosen as the foundation because they are simple, basic, and elementary but can be expounded on to create multi-dimensional forms. Each form acts like a link to interconnect with other forms creating an even larger volumetric structure.

In 2010, Meghan Patrice Riley held her first solo jewelry show titled "Capacity" exhibiting a series of jewelry built upon the idea of exploring the capacity of constructed wire structures on the human form. Additionally, she exhibited her work in fundraising efforts for the Orange County Food Bank, the community arts organization Root Division, and to raise awareness of art jewelry for the Bay Area Metal Arts Guild.



BIOGRAPHY

Meghan Patrice Riley set a foundation for her classical and eclectic aesthetic among the sunlit beaches of the California coast. A rambunctious child carrying an ever-present Hello Kitty purse, her first forays into jewelry design included miniature sculpted animal beads strung on necklaces for her friends. Realizing potential as a designer while attending UC Berkeley, her studies brought her to Toulouse in the south of France where she expanded on her creative endeavors by constructing abstract paper maché installation pieces on a large scale. Upon returning to the bay area, Meghan's creative drive channeled her into a new direction combining her love of jewelry, mathematics and geometry. Attending many of the surrounding schools (i.e. The Crucible, CCA, Revere Academy), Meghan was selected to apprentice with a working professional jeweler specializing in major metalsmithing techniques including casting, fabrication and production. Moving to formally create her independent line, she joined an art studio in San Francisco's emerging Mission district where she held open studios and art shows from the collective studio space on Valencia Street. Pursuing her love of the geometric aesthetic, Meghan has recently moved her studio to New York City to further explore her work's relationship with the thriving art and fashion scene.

More information:
www.meghanpatriceriley.com
http://www.facebook.com/MeghanPatriceRileyJewelry
on twitter at: megpriley