Artist Statement

The objects that I make are inspired by my past and historical references. Jewelry as wearable art has always been important to me because it plays with the personal relationship to the body and the nostalgic connection it has created between people throughout history. The styles and ideas of the Victorian Era greatly influence my jewelry. I am drawn to the ornate embellishments found on all objects as well as the social acceptance of death, mourning, sentiment and nostalgia, which were conveyed through the use of much symbolism.

I have always collected obscure objects throughout my life that hold sentimental value to myself while others may find them curious such as bugs, fur, hair, old family photos, letters, jewelry and linens. Basing my jewelry on these personal objects allows me to create something permanent that can be passed on through generations creating a new history of its own. Developed in the tradition and styles of the Victorian Era my jewelry focuses on ornamentation, symbolism and sentiment of my life. As jewelry, these pieces are universally viewed as ornamentation for one’s body. When viewed on the body, my work is seen as an obsessive ornamentation of oneself.

These pieces are predominately created by using traditional metalsmithing techniques such as lost wax casting, fabricating and enameling. These age-old traditions are linked back to the historical time periods that highly influence the conceptual aspects of my work. The repetition of historical connections between the processes and the aesthetics of my jewelry is an important aspect used in creating it.

I have become fascinated by the collections found in cabinets of curiosities. These collections often encompass an entire room and are now seen as the precursors to museum collections. In my work, I am continuing to explore similar ideas of collection, repetition and categorizing. I use objects that are new and old, they are often common and mundane to others, i abstract them in order to create a curious hybrid. I create these objects to wear and conjure up the ideas of familiarity, curiosity and nostalgia.

The notion of death has also been a repetitive underlying theme throughout the pieces that I create. The obsessive mourning process observed after a death of a loved one during the Victorian Era creates a celebratory feeling of reverence. Death was an accepted fact of life; however, strict traditions were followed as to not belittle the life of the beloved deceased. I find this acceptance of death fascinating. In the recent years, I have lost close family members. The pieces that I create serve as a nostalgic collection to commemorate their life and death while reminding myself as well as others that death is inevitable. Although sometimes heavy; the weight is a constant reminder, it is important to me that the pieces are somewhat wearable. Often the jewelry that I create serves as a container to hold objects belonging to these people or objects symbolizing my feelings towards them. The collections often seem obscure and random to the outsider but are sentimental to myself.