April 16, 2023 | Permalink
September 19, 2022 | Permalink | Comments (0)
September 19, 2022 | Permalink
November 01, 2021 | Permalink
I have trillium blooming in my garden now in piedmont N.C. and was inspired to make this pin in order to "preserve" one. Trilliums usually grow in the mountains or in Northern states, but I bought these from a local nursery & they have done well. This sterling piece can also be used as a pendant with a converter that I made from a piece of sterling tube.
April 08, 2018 | Permalink
I am back from a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico where I stayed with friends and visited a favorite small town named Cerrillos. There I buy local turquoise, mined, cut & polished by Andy Brown (pictured). He laid out an amazing collection of turquoise that he had mined from 4 different areas for me to choose from....my only problem was not buying all the stones! Now I will be making new jewelry from these stones. If you see a stone that you want a custom piece made with, please let me know quickly!
June 22, 2016 | Permalink
April 09, 2016 | Permalink
It is Spring-time in NC and my dogwoods are in bloom. This is the time of year that inspires me to make one of my dogwood pins. My challenge is to try to capture all the details of the actual plant. As with all my work, nothing is cast, all pieces are totally handcrafted from sterling sheet and wire. This pin measures just under 5" x 5".
April 01, 2016 | Permalink
March 22, 2016 | Permalink
Springtime will be here soon and in the effort to hurry it along, I have just finished this Calla Lily necklace. We have them growing in the front yard at our home in Raleigh & I love the beautiful trumpet shape of the bloom. This piece fits gracefully and comfortably around the neck and will certainly attract attention from all who see it! --- November 2018 --- It now belongs to a stylish lady in Charlottesville, Virginia!
February 04, 2016 | Permalink
This is my latest two-sided pendant that features a beautiful Pietersite cabachon from Namibia, Africa. that was cut and polished on both sides by my friend, Chris Whitley. It can be worn on your choice of a chain or a choker. The pendant measures about 2" high and hangs from a camouflaged loop at the top.
November 01, 2015 | Permalink
This Pietersite cabachon was cut and polished on both sides by my friend, Chris Whitley and inspired me to make this reversible pendant. The stone has a combination of dark blue, black and golden brown hues that shimmer like a cat's eye. I hand fabricated the individual components and soldered each into it's position. Then I sawed out the spaces between the flowers and did a thorough 2-stage polish. The finished pendant is 2" in height.
October 05, 2015 | Permalink
It is April in NC and dogwood trees are blooming now. This always inspires me to make a dogwood pin. Each one is slightly different in shape and the one that I picked last week to use as my template is different than the flower that is in this photo. I form my silver flowers from fine (.999) silver & the stems & the leaves are made from sterling (.925) silver. Note: in July 2015, this pin was bought by a smart husband & he is giving it to his wife for their 25th anniversary!!
April 13, 2015 | Permalink
I made this sterling silver napkin ring for my wife, Nancy, as a gift to celebrate Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day 2015. We had our first date on Friday the 13th in June,1969 and got engaged on Friday the 13th in November, 1970. Our wedding day was Saturday, August 14, 1971. Consequently we celebrate every Friday the 13th. Nancy loves roses and I gave her 13 for our first Valentine's Day together in 1970. They have long since turned to dust, but this piece will last for generations!
February 13, 2015 | Permalink
This hair pin was custom made from Argentium sterling silver and 14K gold for a discriminating young gent to give to his fiancee as an engagement gift. She is especially fond of sunflowers and their smaller cousins, the daisy. By asking me to create this special piece, I see a great future for this new couple.
November 30, 2014 | Permalink
June 23, 2014 | Permalink
I created this sterling silver rose pin for the lady who loves roses and who wants to have one that will not fade or drop it's petals. The petals are formed and forged by hand from .999 fine silver sheet and the leaves & stems are made from sterling silver for a realistic appearance. The pin is about 3" in height and will look stunning on a jacket lapel or pinned to a scarf.
February 04, 2014 | Permalink
This necklace features a rich green malachite cabachon that my friend, Chris Whitley, cut for me. He polished both sides, so I created a pendant that can be worn with either side showing. The "back" features a garden with daisies & lilies. The piece is made from Argentium Sterling for a lasting shine.
January 07, 2014 | Permalink
Inspired by a delicate Phaelanopsis orchid, I created this piece from a combination of .999 fine silver and .925 sterling silver. It can be used as a decorative piece of art on a table and can also be worn on a choker or chain as a pendant. The flower is held up by a silver wire stem that is attached to a forged leaf. The sculpted orchid center was textured by compressing the silver into a piece of cotton lace in my rolling mill.
April 16, 2013 | Permalink
April 16, 2013 | Permalink
January 21, 2013 | Permalink
January 21, 2013 | Permalink
I created this Jack-in-the-Pulpit table decoration to pay homage to the beauty of Spring. I have one of these interesting plants growing in my garden and look forward each year to it's emergence up through the leaves and pine needles. This one-of-a-kind piece stands 7-1/2" high and weighs 5-1/4 Troy ounces of combined sterling and fine silver. As with all my pieces, I hand fabricated it from solid silver wire and sheet. It is now in a private collection, but I can make a similar one upon request.
March 30, 2012 | Permalink
When I saw the beautiful details of this natural fossil Stromatolite cabochon stone, it reminded me of a landscape in Japan. You can see a pond in the foreground, a stand of trees in the middle and mountains in the back. There is a flock of birds flying on the left side. I crafted additional details on the back to accentuate the stone, including a footbridge, evergreen trees and clouds. The pendant can be worn with either side showing.
January 25, 2012 | Permalink
I have always taken much of my inspiration from the shapes that I see in Nature. The graceful curves and spirals of seashells is especially appealing to me. I found this grayish white whelk shell on the beach at Emerald Isle, NC this summer and decided to incorporate it in a pin. After I polished the shell, it now looks more like a piece of porcelain. The pin measures about 4' in length.
August 12, 2010 | Permalink
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.
This beautiful piece was commissioned by a collector, but I can make a similar one upon request. Price will vary, depending upon the precious metals market.
February 14, 2010 | Permalink
This special sterling silver bell features 2 honeysuckle vines that start on either side and then twine around each other as they reach the top. I designed it to commemorate the 25th wedding anniversary of two friends. It has a rich tone befitting the rich life they enjoy with each other. Similar heirloom pieces can be ordered for special events in your life.
September 09, 2009 | Permalink
I fabricated this sterling silver treasure by cutting and fitting individual pieces of wire and sheet and soldering them together. The bird has almost 20 different components to its construction. It stands guard over a nest which resembles the one that hummingbirds make from moss, feather down and spiderwebs. It measures ~ 4"x5" and 3" high.
September 09, 2009 | Permalink
One of my very unique designs, based on a beautiful flowering vine that blooms in my garden for several summer months. This necklace drapes comfortably around the back of the neck. The blossoms are .999 fine silver and the leaves and stems are Sterling silver. This one has gone home with a happy customer, but I can make a similar one for you upon request. Cost will vary with the silver market price. |
January 02, 2009 | Permalink
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".
There are photos of the construction of this piece here.
October 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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.
October 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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".
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
I designed this necklace over 15 years ago while enjoying a beach vacation. My original sketch was more oval shaped, but as I was making it, I realized that a question mark shape would follow the spiraling lines of the shell better. It fits comfortably around the back of the neck. The piece is about 9-1/2" long.
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
When I found this beautiful stone with its blend of black, blue and green colors, it made me think of a garden at night. That was the inspiration for the draping leaves and the "secret garden" that I hand-sawed into the sterling back plate so the colors of the stone could show through. This pendant can be worn on a chain or choker with either side showing. This offers two different looks in one striking piece.
October 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)