Background
I am a classically trained artist, who just happens to love jewelry and working around the human form. Before college, I was all about being a painter and creating surrealistic portraits that aspired to convey the way emotional states impacted the physical body. While I really enjoyed painting, and still do when time allows, I always felt there was something missing. Paintings were just depictions of my ideas, and I found myself craving something more tangible, something that could be a part of our reality.
It wasn't until college, when I took my first metalsmithing class that I became aware of the world of art jewelry. An art form that can become a part of our lives, we can live in it and it can become a part of our personal story.(Plus, who doesn't love creating beautiful things while playing with fire!) After graduating, I pursued my career in jewelry by working for various fine jewelry masters in the Houston area. I learned so many practical skills about the jewelry business from them, but I missed the more artistic side of the work, so after a few years I went back to college to get my Masters of Fine Arts in metalsmithing. During graduate school and afterwards I worked as a college instructor of various introductory level art classes. Teaching is a great and satisfying experience, but at the end of the day I would find myself creatively drained and less motivated to create my own works. So after a few years of teaching, I decided take the leap and devote myself entirely to creating my own designs and custom work.
These days I am busy finding the balance of running a business, being an artist, and living the mom life. Admittedly things can get a little crazy sometimes but it is never boring, and I enjoy the challenge of doing what I love each day.
Inspiration
Typically, the main inspiration behind the look of my designs is the transitional flow of natural forms. All things interconnected and flowing into one another to create a mesmerizing balance of form, function, and beauty.
Production
All work is handmade by me as one of a kind or limited series. Work is produced with the most environmentally respectful processes possible with quality reclaimed precious metals , with natural, responsibly sourced gemstones, and minimal waste. In the special case of custom work, I also encourage clients to remake old or heirloom jewelry into something new whenever it is appropriate.
If you would like to learn more about me and my works, please visit some of my other sites:
https://www.facebook.com/amandajfraziermetalworking/
