Artist Bio

I create contemporary fine craft jewelry — limited editions and some one-of-a-kinds — in a spirit of spontaneity and a connection to nature. I am particularly drawn to abstraction, color and water forms. My creative impulses are influenced by the work of midcentury modernists and the abstraction of patterns and shapes that are evocative of nature.

My Water collection is 100% sterling silver, sometimes oxidized for contrast. My other two collections, Groove and Bebop, involve juxtaposing precious metal with polymer clay. I enjoy the contrasts between these elements — the shiny, reflective quality of the silver against the colorful, patterned, matte polymer — bridging the organic with the man-made, with one foot in the natural world and the other plastic, immediate and whimsical.

I received a BFA from the Art Institute of Boston with a concentration in painting and sculpture. I have come to jewelry design later in life after having spent 30 years as a self-employed graphic designer. The years of fine art and graphic design experience have sufficiently prepared me for this joyful challenge to create handmade, wearable art for people who enjoy self expression with a unique and playful style.

 

Main Subject

Fine craft silver and polymer contemporary jewelry

 

Materials and Techniques

I begin my design process with drawings to create patterns and initial forms. I use a variety of ways to then create a prototype of those designs. I either sculpt (using silver metal clay) or fabricate (using traditional metalsmith techniques) each original piece by hand. I then cast the pieces to which I often add more shape, texture, additional silver elements, oxidation, and polymer. I use a type of sterling silver called Argentiumâ„¢ because it is bright and tarnish resistant.

 

nancy@nancymarland.com

https://www.nancymarland.com