Barbara has been creating fine jewelry for more than 18 years. Her work reflects her interest in the natural forms and textures that surround her. She seeks to capture some of that nature when she creates her unique jewelry.

Artist Statement

The desire to create three-dimensional objects led me to explore a variety of artistic mediums including sculpture, ceramics and metalsmithing. Through this exploration I eventually discovered that metalsmithing, more specifically jewelry making, is the medium in which I feel most able to create the objects that I envision. The jewelry designs stem from interests in natural organic forms and geometric shapes that are combined to create unique outlines that I than use as a basis for my work. Surface texture is also of great interest to me when I am designing. I attempt to develop new and intriguing patterns and textures to enhance and embellish the basic forms of the jewelry. It is my hope that by combining different shapes and outlines with various textures and patterns I can create jewelry that is interesting as well as innovative.

Processes

The majority of my jewelry is fabricated from 18k gold or sterling silver sheet using a process called die forming. This process involves pushing the metal into either wooden or steel dies using a variety of methods that include dapping and hydraulic pressing. The dies are simply pieces of wood or steel with specific shapes cut out of the center of them. The outline of the piece is dictated by the shape of the die but the depth can vary since the metal is actually formed over air. Additional techniques are employed both before and after forming to embellish the design. These techniques include various methods of texturing and piercing of the metal.

Résumé

Education

Exhibitions