I have been exploring knitted metal for more than a dozen years. I like the directness of knitting metal freehand, using pliers and fingers. I’m exploring knitted structures on their own and in combination with fabricated elements. The hollow, almost weightless knitted forms and the massive solid ones both echo and oppose each other.
The materials play with the convention that jewelry be glittery and precious. Silver is blackened, the “gems” are copper, pyrite, or empty space: precious stones play a supporting role.
I want my work to blend an almost primitive handmade feeling with a refined sense of design. I’m not especially interested in technique for its own sake or in perfection. If I could, I’d abandon tools altogether and just work the metal with my hands.
But my jewelry really isn’t cerebral. These materials and techniques seem rich and beautiful to me - something I want to wear. All of these pieces are meant to be worn. Someone once told me that my jewelry only “wakes up” when a woman puts it on. That seems right to me.
Knitted silver with Lake Superior agates and pyrite crystals.
Photo: Rod Slemmons
