Silver and Gold

Pieces in the silver and gold collection represent sterling, fine silver, gold or a combination thereof. A variety of time-honored silver-smithing techniques were used to create distinctive surfaces and designs. Generally, in my work, you will see texture and a contrast of colors through stones, gems, and various types of metal. You will also see plenty of swirls as I am driven by nature and life is rarely straight and narrow.

• Keumboo – an ancient art form of applying pressure and heat to fuse pure gold foil to the surface of silver. I apply heavy gold foil to fine silver.

• Granulation – the application of intense heat to fuse small metal balls of silver and gold to the metal surface. I use .999 fine silver or argentium to create tiny balls. I then fuse them to the sterling with an acetylene torch.

• Texturing – to create interesting surfaces with various hammers, wires and impressions. I use a variety of ways to create textures. I pattern metal with leaves, string, wire, etc. by running these elements through a rolling mill with the metal. I also pattern metal by using dies and a hydraulic press to press the form and/or pattern into the metal. Finally, I use a variety of different sizes and types of hammers to create texture – sometimes alone and sometimes with another tool such as sandpaper.

• Fusing – the process of joining metals, such as fine silver and gold, with intense heat. Fusing is a way to join fine metals through heat rather than soldering them together. I like to fuse argentium to other sterling, particularly.