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“I’m mostly
interested in interpreting the beauty of life, both the spiritual and
the manifest. I hope you’ll find in my designs inspiration for yourself.”
Laurie Stetzler
It’s All in the
Design
Hi, I’m Laurie Stetzler. I’ve been a jeweler for nearly 50 years. I’ve
watched trends come and go, but it seems to me that good design is
always timeless. When Susan asked me to write a column about Unique
Handmade Fine Art Jewelry, I said, “YES”.
I love writing about jewelry and teaching others about it.
The first idea I’d like to address is the difference between “Fine
Jewelry” and “Fine ART Jewelry”. Fine Jewelry is a category, which
incorporates only gold and precious gems like diamonds. With Fine Art
Designer Jewelry practically any material may be used. It’s all in the
design, you see. I have used base metals a lot in my work. Base metals
are copper, brass, nickel and bronze. I have used “found” objects
sometimes, but I usually prefer to make by hand anything that goes into
my work.
Less expensive materials mean lower prices for the buyer. And many
people buy the jewelry design for its price. They are still getting an
original design and they know it.
These days, I prefer to work in sterling and add touches of gold in the
form of vermeil, a triple plating process, which is an art by itself. I
do not rely on gemstones in my work, although I do love to use them when
its appropriate for a design. Conversely, I may design a piece of
jewelry around a gem. Many people think that jewelry is all about a
setting for a stone. That is not my philosophy. The design of a fine art
piece of jewelry should be able to stand on its own, or add to the stone
not just serve as a mount.
Handmade Fine Art Jewelry is called a “craft” because one needs to get
one’s hands dirty occasionally. However many painters (and I was one for
awhile) speak of the “craft” of painting. All art involves a discipline
of learning what is needed to make the design come to life. This is true
of architecture, city planning, dance, painting, printmaking, as well as
jewelry. I, therefore, consider that jewelry can be just as much an art
as anything more commonly called that. It’s all in the design… and
whether the artist in whatever media has the ability and know-how to
carry it out.
About Laurie Stetzler
Laurie Stetzler received her BFA in Jewelry and Silversmithing from the
University of Kansas in 1972. Asthe sole designer for her many bodies
of work, Laurie is able also to take a design from drawing to finished
product. This is a rapidly dying skill as most designer/jewelers
specialize in one area.
Laurie has shown her work in many national juried competitions. She has
been carried in many of the finest art/craft galleries nationally and
has exhibited in Japan.“
have always been interested in the technical aspect of jewelry making as
well as the freedom of artistic expression working in precious
metals
offers me. I view jewelry not as merely adornment, but as a powerful way
of drawing energies, healing and hope to the wearers of my creations.
Lots of equipment and the know-how to use it is required to produce
jewelry. Many people think the cost of jewelry is mainly the metals and
the gems; not so. It really is the long patient years of achieving
mastery in this most difficult art. But, as with all good things, the
time invested produces many kinds of growth as an artist and human
being.
I take my inspiration and intuition from what I call the Spirit of the
Universe, I give people the best price I can so they may have an
opportunity to wear what I make and I work very hard and well to keep my
clients satisfied. If you like jewelry which means something, I invite
you to visit my website at
www.lauriestetzler.com. I make jewelry the old-fashioned USA way; well
designed to fit; attention to wearability, and made to last; with pride
in the craft and the art we offer to the client.
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ARTICLES
LOST WAX CASTING
Fuchsia Dangle Earrings |
