I first got into making Steampunk jewelry as a casual admirer of the subculture, but annoyed by the lack of creativity I was seeing in the realm of jewelry. Here were these amazing costumes and props, but people were stringing a gear on a chain and calling it a necklace. "I can do better than that!" I thought, but didn't persue it immediately.
In a direct departure from my previous work with gemstone beads, I started experimenting with found-object pieces. I had accumulated a lot of components and broken chains that I wasn't comfortable using in talismans because I wasn't yet familiar with the energetic qualities of metals.
And then I found a book called Steampunk Style Jewelry. I decided to go for it. While the book showed a big step forward from a gear-on-a-chain, and some real talent like Catherinette Rings, I had ideas that hadn't been touched on.
A lot of my inspiration comes from the Moss Mansion Museum in Billings, where I worked as a tour guide from age 14 to 21. I had a lot of time to study the various facets of Victorian-era styles, culture, and technology up close. I strive to replicate the kind of richness and detail that made me fall in love with the era.
My work is still evolving as I learn new techniques and processes. It's possibly the most creative art form I've ever worked in, combining jewelry arts with a science fiction ingenuity and Victorian whimsy, which may be why it's one of my favorite pastimes.
Every jewelry piece or prop I make is One-of-a-Kind. Occasionally I will be inspired to make similar pieces, but none are identical. This blog is intended to collect the stories behind some of my art pieces.
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