This camellia blooms each year around Christmas and is a beautiful rich red color with an explosion of bright yellow stamen at the center. I picked a nice bloom early in December to use as my example because later flowers grow smaller and smaller.
The petals are made of 20 ga. .999 fine silver and the stems, stamen and leaves are made of sterling wire and sheet. This piece measures ~2-3/4" by 3-1/2" and is totally hand-hammered and fabricated.
The old oak trees in my yard inspired this beautiful pin. It was not cast, but rather I crafted it by fusing melted silver together. I worked it with steel tweezers to texture the trunk and leaves while the metal was molten. It measures 2-1/2"x2-3/4".
I roll-printed a sheet of silver with a design that I cut from heavy pasteboard. I then added the gracefully curving sterling silver wires that followed the lines of the sheet to create a fish image moving through water. Pin measures ~ 2"x3".
The dogwood is a flowering tree that I look forward to seeing each year in early Spring. As it's snowy white blooms are seen all across my state, it is obvious why it was officially recognized as the North Carolina State Flower in 1941. I am inspired and challenged by it's simple beauty as I try to capture the details of it's form.
I make several of these pins in the Spring, when the dogwood trees are in bloom in my yard, so I can pick a blossom to use as a template. This one has petals made from .999 fine silver and leaves & stems of sterling silver. It measures 3" x 3". I also have a slightly larger one in stock that sells for $375.
There are photos of the construction of this piece here.
The Trillium is a favorite flower of mine that is found growing wild in the NC mountains in the Spring. It ranges from brilliant white, to yellow, to deep red in color. The parts of the plant grow in "threes"; three petals, six stamen, series of 3 leaves on the stem. As with all of my flowers, I hand-fabricate all the parts of the flower. The petals and leaves are sawn out of 20ga. sheet and then textured with "chasing" tools and hammers. Then I solder the parts together with 2 solders that melt at 1325 & 1250 degrees F. Finally, I hand polish with 2 polishing compounds and buffs. This pin can also be worn on a chain or choker as a pendant. It is about 3" on a side.
This petals and buds of this orchid are made from fine silver (.999) and the stems are made from sterling silver. I bought a potted live flower to use as my pattern so I could better capture the details of the real bloom. I combined the overlapping hammered smooth texture for some of the petals with a mill rolled lacy texture on others. This pin measures 3"x4".
This pin is another in a series of designs that were inspired by the beautiful wrought iron gates and fences in the Battery section of Charleston, South Carolina. A pair of these formed the pediment over a gate. It measures 1-3/4"x 3-1/2".
During a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, I noticed many beautiful iron gates and fences that had been crafted by local blacksmiths. I gathered a collection of photos of some of my favorites. This pin design was part of a gate to a cozy back garden. I crafted it from square sterling stock, similar to the iron that was used for the gate. It measures 1-1/2"x3".
This pin combines the beauty of textured white sterling silver with contrasting yellow gold and a black Asian pearl. The piece measures 1" x 2-3/4". It also has a loop on the back that would accept a chain or a choker so it can be worn as a pendant.
I picked a branch from a tree in my yard to use as a template for this pin. The seed "wings" form during the summer and help the tree disburse its seeds more widely.
These cufflinks have hinged swivel backs that make them more comfortable to wear. The stones come from Afganistan and contain pyrite (also known as "Fools Gold").
This handmade Sterling silver nail measures 3-1/4" long and is patterned after a 16D framing nail.
This handmade Sterling silver tie bar is 3-1/4" long and copies the design of a 16D spiral masonry nail.
I made this tie bar to symbolize my golf game. It is ~ 3-1/4" long and is handmade from Sterling silver and is a "driver".
This whimsical fellow sports a faceted red garnet nose and measures ~1-1/2" x 1-1/2"
A variation of my popular Christmas tree ornament, this Santa pin has a red faceted garnet as his nose. Approximate size is 1-1/2" square.
I picked a camellia blossom from a bush in my yard to use as a model for the petals and leaves of this pin. Second photo shows a close up of the camellia flower with the pin. Size is 4" x 3 1/2"
I made this using a real Phalaenopsis orchid blossom as a model to capture the details. Petals are .999 fine silver. Size is 3"x4".
This started out as a custom design, but I've had enough demand that I've made it part of my regular inventory. Petals are .999 fine silver. Approx size 3" long
Available as a custom order. I use a real sand dollar from the beach in North Carolina to model the size, shape & placement of holes. The hammered surface mimics the dappled appearance of this beach treasure. Size approx. 2" x 2 1/4"
size is 2 3/4" x 1 1/2"
This pin is seasonal, just like the flower. I prefer to make these in the Spring when I can pick a fresh dogwood blossom from a tree in my yard in North Carolina. I put the stem in a vase of water and use it as a pattern for the petals and leaves. I am better able to capture the details of a real dogwood flower this way. Petals are .999 fine silver while the leaves and stems are Sterling silver. Available as custom order in all-silver for $375
This is an example of my free-form designs
size is 3 1/2" x 1"
Modeled after the iris growing in my yard in North Carolina. Petals are .999 fine silver. Stem and leaf are Sterling silver. Length 5" x 2 1/2" width, a lovely piece of art to display or wear
Custom made for a friend whose wife loves pansies. Petal are .999 fine silver.
I used a rolling mill to press fine lace into the wings to give them a feathery texture. Approx size 2" x 2"
