AngelaGerhard's Profile

Bio

I like to think of the jewelry I create as small and personal works of art which are designed for wear. Vibrant and lively, each finely crafted piece quickly endears itself to its wearer with its expressive color, design, and alluring combination of enamel and metal. Whether bold and saturated in color, or more subdued in design, it is quickly noticed and admired.

My work is created through the fusing of vitreous powdered enamel directly onto metal, either in a furnace or with a torch, at temperatures up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Each piece starts as a sheet of copper which is then cut, pierced, formed, and filed using a combination of both ancient and modern metalsmithing techniques. Enamel brings each piece to life with the dynamic effects brought by its color, texture, and surface design. Layering, drawing, sgraffito, etching, and under and over-firing the enamel are techniques I use to achieve the look and personality of each piece. The working process is lengthy, with several stages to complete most pieces. The transformation of raw materials through the application of heat and force is endlessly fascinating to me, and properties inherent to both enamel and metal present several design and construction challenges. The formed metal with its brilliant glass surface is both incredibly durable yet delicate, and will survive for centuries when properly cared for.

I am a person who has always enjoyed the close examination and inspection of things, from objects of the natural world to the magnificently engineered mechanisms and objects of our built environment. This tendency to dissect things lends itself well to the work I do, as it informs my sense of what is visually interesting as well as the explorative manner in which I work. I seek to bring the same sense of discovery to my jewelry. It is my intent to craft that *something* that pulls you back, that catches your eye and begs you to stop and look closer. Color, proportion, pattern ~ these things come together in a sort of dance ~ and the result is jewelry which is balanced, but full of character and movement. Each piece is designed to be wearable and versatile. At the end of the day, it is my desire to have created something that will become a favorite friend and compliment the unique personality and vision of the individual who wears it.

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*All jewelry is entirely hand-fabricated in my private metalworking studio in the hills of Western Massachusetts*

Female, Born on March 14

Favorite Materials

Enamel, copper, glass, silver, gold