About me ~

I began jewelry making very early in life, learning bead stringing and weaving techniques at the age of 7. This combined with an eye for color and design, earned me several commissioned pieces from family and friends. After being introduced to silversmithing by local jeweler Dave Morgan at the age of 14, I was excited to take my love of stones and metal to a new level. The following year I began working as a repair jeweler at Krivanek Jewelers in Salida, CO. At the age of 16 I attended the intensive jewelry program at the highly respected Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco, CA. I was one of the youngest students ever to attend the program and had a keen interest in every subject offered. I fine tuned new skill sets by continuing work as a bench jeweler at Krivanek Jewelers. Further education at Western State Colorado University concluded in 2014 where I received a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree with an emphasis in Jewelry.

Attendance at advanced seminars further opened my eyes to the possibilities of incorporating finely made hinges and granulation in my work. The melding of these elements with the organic texture of cuttlefish allows me to express my creative impulses and deep connection to nature. Hand-casting cuttlebone in fine silver and gold provides an element of surprise and pure organic patterning that is impossible to create otherwise. I allow the inspiration of the waves and swirls that emerge to guide my placement of stones and the shaping of the final pieces. Those who wear my jewelry swear by the durability and comfort.

I have a passion for utilizing local Colorado gemstones in my work and have been specializing in designing metal to complement the natural beauty of Colorado aquamarines for over 15 years.

My studio is located in historic downtown Buena Vista, Colorado. I have benchside views of several 14,000 ft peaks and an expanse of wild terrain to keep me both inspired and grounded. Being able to take an hour or two each day to hike with my dog, rockclimb, or cross country ski in beautiful wilderness helps me maintain balance and perspective.




Artist Statement ~

I am fascinated by the idea of metal and stones having existed in some form since the beginning of geologic time. My current work investigates the ideas of permanence and intransience and how they relate to the brief human lifespan. The exploration of these concepts takes the form of jewelry intended to endure beyond the lifetime of a single wearer. Geology and the theory of deep time has brought a strange comfort to my philosophical musings; the concept that the earth will carry on its complex processes long after human civilization has crumbled into dust. The staggering amount of time that has come before us and the inference that a similar amount of time will elapse after we are gone has brought me new perspective. Since this world view has crept into my consciousness, the minutia of modern life grows ever more trivial, nonsensical and fleeting. Only the solid bones of the earth seem to have any real meaning or permanence.
Shaping stone and metal into representational and abstract adornment is my way of examining these ideas. I use the interplay of texture and pattern to hint at the activity of natural forces deep within the earth as well as those at work all around us. Dynamism through the use of implied movement, negative space and the interaction of separate elements also plays a key role in my work. Casting directly from cuttlebone, twigs and other natural objects provides me with an opportunity to explore the dichotomy between nature and man. Ancient Greek and Etruscan jewelry fascinates me and I incorporate early alloying, granulation and chain making techniques in my jewelry. I often craft tubing, wire and sheet for use in fabrication to meet precise specifications. Lapidary work allows me to achieve exact color, shape and texture for more cohesive finished pieces. The transformation that occurs when rough metal and stone is shaped by hand has always seemed magical to me, in a way paralleling the processes which occur at the geologic level. ~ Alexandra