p_c_hs@yahoo.com
www.lewisdesignerjewelry.etsy.com

Artist Statement

When I sit down at the jewelry bench and take up my hammer or torch, I am often operating from a gut level. That's what you get with my jewelry. I certainly have an idea of where I am going, and usually sketch out the piece but I kind of like to surprise myself with the final design. I take my cue from the metal or stone itself and let it speak to me.

And as I learn more and more about the technological aspects of my craft I find that I am free to engage my creative side. The flow of solder and the strike of the hammer all inform me about the next step to take - sometimes in a direction I did not anticipate.

I am inspired sometimes by everyday patterns I see in nature but I also love architecture and structural elements like wrought iron gates and fences. "Let's see, that iron gate has an interesting pattern, how would a sapphire look right here..."

My jewelry designs might best be described as modernistic or contemporary. By this, I mean I value clean lines, and do not like my pieces to look forced or complicated in the sense that you have to think about them. My favorite materials are silver and colored gemstones.

People connect directly with my work. They often seem to feel that my piece was made just for them and they are simply discovering what they thought they had lost. I like to think of how my jewelry might be passed down from generation to another because it is so easy to wear. That's my highest goal.