Tuesday, August 18, 2009

artist statement in progress

Input is appreciated...I've been working on this for ages!
_______________________
I was surrounded by collections as a child. The primary colors of the old fiestaware in the kitchen, the muted tones of the antique oil paintings in our living room, the colors and textures of vintage rugs and fabric. All of these things formed within me a love of design. From my first childlike trophies of bottle caps came a career in professional jewelry design.

My favorite style component is to make metal appear as liquid or ribbon creating a sense of movement beside the quiet nature of a stone. This procedure assures that the beginnings of my jewelry are rooted in natural materials; metal, stones and fossils.

Jewelers must be extremely sensitive to quality. At the same time we are asked to be tougher than the metal in our hands. The rules are not as one would expect. Mere strength does not master metal. Training, patience and an understanding of chemistry is the path to metalsmithing and jewelry making. I have traveled this path for almost ten years.

While I am inspired by natural materials, I transform them into my own style derived from an eclectic mix of modern fashion, 1930's glamor, art deco and abstract expressionism. The resulting works are hard to place in time. They seem modern and antique, still yet moving. My hope is all who wear Layne Designs feel a sense of freedom, a sense of history and a connection to the natural. These are wonderful qualities in heirloom jewelry, a treasure to be passed from generation to generation.

No comments:

Post a Comment