Artist: Paul D. Reilly - David’s Pendant
Email: pmreilly AT pcisys.net
Orchid Gallery: http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/reilly.htm
I have been working in the jewelry field since taking courses in
college while pursuing a degree in Veterinary Science (1975). Since
1979my only source of income has been doing independent custom work
and restorative repairs for retailers who either don’t have the time
or the expertise to create or restore jewelry forcustomers who want
something different than the mass-produced offerings and rushed
“fixes” they normally have in store. I also offer casting,
finishing, and setting services to other jewelers on a
piece-by-piece basis, as a way to upplement my income.
In most of my designs the major elements are wax carvings cast into
14 or 18 karat gold and/or platinum, with fabrication following to
complete hinges or to add embellishments and stone settings. The
stones I choose to work with are usually custom cut (or at least
unusually cut or unusual types). The forms I use are taken from
microscopic life forms or from some of the most intriguing (to me)
portions of macroscopic life forms (flower parts, eyes, etc.)and
from jewelry of antiquity. I like to combine texture with high
polish to achieve surface contrasts that keep the eye moving around
the finished piece rather than focusing on the center stone; I also
like to combine elements that produce real motion in a piece
whenever possible and practical.