Rock Solid Bodies

Betty’s Backbend Cuff Bracelet; 3 x 1.5 x 2.15 in.; sterling silver, pink opal, hematite, rainbow obsidian, sodalite, chrysocolla, lepidolite, and amazonite; 2020

Curled Toes Cuff, 2.75 x 2.25 x 1 in., amazonite, onyx, rhodonite, and sterling silver, 2020

Turquoise Inlay Figurative Deadlift Pendant

Deadlift Stance, 2.6 x 2.6 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 25 pieces of Number 8 turquoise, petrified palm root, petrified wood, obsidian, thunderstorm jasper, Bruneau jasper, and porcelain jasper, 2020

Medicine Ball Squat, 1.9 x 2.75 x 0.4 in., sterling silver pendant with 34 pieces of flowering tube onyx, aventurine, peach and charcoal petrified wood, jasper, and petrified palm root, 2020

That Booty, 2.8 x 2.5 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with hand-cut pink opal, chrysocolla, petrified wood, amazonite, and jasper, 2019

Power Stance, 1.5 x 2 x 0.75 in., Pasco agatized coral, tigers eye, dalmatian jasper, sodalite, petrified wood, and sterling silver, 2020

Rosie the Flexer, 1.5 x 1 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 13 pieces of banded onyx, Mt. Apatite graphic granite, lepidolite, and obsidian, 2020

Crunches on Mat, 2 x 1.55 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 31 pieces of yellow dendritic opal, pink common opal, Indonesian agatized coral, lepidolite, petrified wood, and obsidian, 2020

Half-Shoulder Stand (Knee to the Face), 1.5 x 1.6 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 21 pieces of chrysocolla, petrified palm root, tigers eye, jade, and rainbow obsidian, 2020

oga Triskelion, 2 x 1.8 x 0.35 in., sterling silver, jade, epidote-magnetite Pochuck gneiss, and ocean jasper, 2020

Hannah’s Tight Hamstrings; 2 x 1.35 x 0.45 in.; sterling silver pendant with 17 pieces of jasper, petrified palm root, serpentine, and hematite; 2020

Splits Toe Reach, 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.5 in., Indigo gabbro, porcelain jasper, rhodonite, purple opal, and sterling silver, 2020

Yoga Balance Scale, 2.5 x 1.75 x 0.35 in., chrysocolla, blue lace agate, snowflake obsidian, and sterling silver, 2019

Yoga Warrior (Eagle Stretch), 1.3 x 1.35 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 16 pieces chrysocolla, lepidolite, tigers eye, and rainbow obsidian, 2020

Sprinter; 2.5 x 1 x 0.35 in.; sterling silver pendant with dinosaur bone, Pasco agatized coral, and onyx; 2020

Sprinter 2; 2 x 1.2 x 0.35 in.; sterling silver pendant with yellow dinosaur bone, petrified palm root, and rainbow obsidian; 2020

Runner; 1.75 x 1.75 x 0.35 in.; sterling silver pendant with agatized coral, quartz, and agate; 2020

Runner 2, sterling silver pendant with script stone, obsidian, and red jasper, 2020

Ohh La La Oolite Runner 3, 1.9 x 1.2 x 0.35 in., approx. sterling silver pendant with 8 pieces of pink onyx, oolite, and Pasco agatized coral, 2020

Leapin’ Lizzie, 2.5 x 0.75 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 7 pieces of chrysocolla, tanned petrified wood, and Belfast marble, 2020

Pop a Squat, 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 9 pieces of indigo gabbro and blue lace agate, 2020

Kettle Bell 1, 1 x 0.75 x 0.3 in., sterling silver pendant with pietersite, blue lace agate, and obsidian, 2020

Hinging off my Gym Series–an investigation of this peculiar, stage-like environment where there is a hyperawareness of our bodies in a private yet public space—Rock Solid Bodies is an offshoot of wearable sculptures that allows my paintings to be brought to the streets. Unrestricted by conventional gallery spaces and large canvases, I aim to play with the absurdity of having a “rock solid” gym body by making one out of it.

Channel inlay is a form of metalsmithing akin to collaging with hand-cut stones with strips or “channels” of sterling silver set between each stone. Another technique used in many of my works is a pillow inlay, where each stone is rounded and polished separately, instead of cut flush all at once. With these works, I want to reshape what wearables can have the potential to do, serving as a conversation piece outside of traditional contemporary art spaces.

Body Language Collection (and other Figuration)

sterling silver inlay pendant with shattuckite and Hubei turquoise

Melancholy 1 (Head Lean), 1.6 x 1.45 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 14 pieces of Hubei turquoise, shattuckite, and lepidolite, 2020

Melancholy 3 (Elbow on Knee), 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.35 in., sterling silver pendant with 24 pieces of white Mexican grape opal, Australian boulder opal, chrysocolla, variscite, and moonshine jasper, 2020

Sterling silver figurative crying inlay pendant with black petrified palm root

Curled, Crying, 1.5 x 1.4 x 0.25 in., sterling silver pendant with 21 pieces of Indonesian petrified palmwood and chrysocolla, 2020

Figurative Pillow Inlay Pendant with Desert Rose variscite and Lucin variscite

Curled, Crying, Headless, 1.35 x 1.1 x 0.25 in., sterling silver pendant with 14 pieces of Desert Rose variscite and Lucin variscite, 2020

Over-the-Shoulder Glance (Swimsuit Edition), 2 x 1.6 x 0.25 in., sterling silver pendant with Horse Canyon, Chicken track, and red jaspers, 2020

Over-the-Shoulder Glance, approx. 1.5 x 0.5 in., sterling silver pendant with hand-cut black and tan petrified wood, jasper, and brecciated agate, 2019

Power Worm, 1.35 x 1 x 0.5 in., sterling silver with 19 pieces of yellow dendritic opal, 2020

With semi-abstracted figurative elements, my Body Language Collection explores the nuances of non-verbal communication in how we express emotions like melancholy, grief, irritation, or happiness.

While I’ve always been intrigued by the figure, body language has become more important now more than ever in a masked-up post-COVID world where we have to resort to expressive eyes and body language to read into each other’s emotions.

Share this:

Like this: