Forest Treasure Bowl - Holding Place

Materials: bronze, copper, brass, sterling and fine silver, chrysocholla
Dimensions: 9" x 8" x 6.5"

Using actual leaves as patterns, the individual leaves were sawn from bronze, copper or brass sheet, formed using chasing and repouse, and cold-connected using silver rivets. The sterling and fine silver stone setting was fabricated and the silver vines forged, twined and formed.

Photo credit: Tommy McNabb

Susannah Ravenswing
Jewels of the Spirit
Germanton, NC. USA

A childhood spent growing up in the wilderness of a state park imprinted me with a profound love for the wonders and magic of nature. For the past four decades I have created unique fabricated jewelry, containers and regalia, much of which has been inspired by the colors, forms and textures of the natural world.

I am self-taught and enjoy the problem-solving process involved in design and creation, whether the work-in-progress is a commission or simply something my heart compels me to make. Many of my pieces combine wearability and the intimacy of small sculpture.

In the case of the Forest Treasure Bowl, I wanted to explore a sense of volume and movement using positive and negative space, as if the leaves were being swirled by the wind, along with the challenge of constructing a complex form using only cold connections.


These containers and vessels definitely hold their place in the world of stunning art objects as well as in the world of metalsmithing.

Since the dawn of time humans have created containers to hold things that were important to them, from large vessels to hold food and harvests to intimate containers for small precious things. They might hold memories, ashes, medicine, beverage, fruit or food - but all spring from the imagination and skill of the maker. Some have specific religious functions, some are meant for everyday use. When one thinks of a vessel or container the inclination is to think of something with solid walls - yet many of these works involve the exploration of positive and negative space, and the use of negative space to help create the illusion of the wall of the vessel.

As the world’s largest jewelry related internet site, Ganoksin strives to develop exhibitions showcasing work from around the world. This exhibition was open to all metalsmiths, professional and amateur, advanced and beginner. Participants are from The Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Australia, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Colombia, Romania, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and Denmark. While most of the pieces are by an individual metalsmith, some are collaborations, one of three artists spanning 50 years.

In total 319 artists contributed 729 show pieces for the permanent online exhibition.

Objects in the exhibition include boxes, lockets, urns, ash containers, bowls, wine cups, reliquaries, match holders, vases, teapots, pitchers, sugar bowls, baskets, nests, pillboxes, clutches and a range of sculptural forms. A variety of techniques are showcased covering a wide range of metalsmithing techniques. Materials used include everything from gold and silver to less expensive metals. Ornamentation includes the addition of enamel, chasing and repousse’, gemstones and found objects.

The exhibition was curated by Beth Wicker, President of the North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths in the United States, and Adjunct Instructor at Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina. Director of the exhibition is Hanuman Aspler, founder of The Ganoksin Project, the world’s largest internet jewelry site.