About the artist

My work expresses my love for the infinite variety found in the natural world. One source of inspiration is my garden, both the plant forms and the creatures which inhabit it. I try to capture the graceful forms and rich colors which I observe there. Recently, I spent a year living by the sea in Ireland. Long walks on the beach, peering into tidal pools, sparked my current series of marine life.

The jewelry is made of high-karat gold, sometimes combined with sterling silver. Enamels, glass powders fused to the metal in a kiln, allow me to incorporate the vibrant color found in nature into my work. I use the cloisonné process in my one-of-a-kind pieces, and the champlevé process for limited edition work. Diamonds, precious stones, and pearls are combined with these materials.

My metalwork draws from a broad palette of techniques, including reticulation, granulation, forming with hammers and the hydraulic press, fold forming, carving the metal with files, chasing, piercing, and fabricating.

I work from photographs or specimens, and try to observe closely and capture my subject in detail. After many years in which my designs concentrated purely on form, composing with color has given me a new excitement about my work.

photo by Robert Roper