18" chain

The work in this series is the tiniest I have made, as the mixed-media painting set into this sterling silver charm is less than a half-inch square. The picture is an original. It is not a print. It is deeply-layered work comprised of tiles of antique paper, glazes and gold leafing, and the drawing, based on a medieval engraving, is transferred to an upper layer before the final glazes are applied. The completed work is suspended from a fine silver toned necklace chain with a lobster-claw type clasp. Dangling at the bottom of the piece is a patina'd silver coin. The necklace was handmade using professional grade jeweler's materials, jump rings, clasps, chain, and silver bezel. The hand stamped coin is vintage and is from my private collection.

My work in jewelry combines the same processes I use to make my mixed-media paintings with the materials and process used in adornments. As the work evolved over the years, I became fascinated with working small. My main body of miniature works seemed perfect displayed in frames, but as I created ever smaller works, I had to explore new contexts for presenting them. The surfaces I create have often been compared to amber or described as a small artifact or icon. Jewelry became the natural and obvious answer, and it also opened up an opportunity to learn about and work with metals, and to explore the synergy between my pieces and their settings

The pisces charm and other works are available on etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21601606