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Gemstones & Pearls Category
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Black Ice
Artist: Kris Howell (Spokane, WA)
First Place, Gemstones & Pearls
"I have often thought it would be interesting to design large hollow form beads that could be fabricated for my necklaces, but I just didn't know where to start. I was further frustrated when I was unable to take a metal-clay hollow form workshop sponsored by the Spokane Jewellers' Guild, since I had come to believe that metal clay would be the only way that I could form the beads that I envisioned. As I sat in my studio – pouting that I had missed the metal clay class – I suddenly thought "why not?” I started bending and shaping strips of sterling silver sheet and forming free forms that could be fabricated in the much the same way I’d made my geometric beads. With a little trial and error—voila! What better to string with the wonderful, organic roughs and nuggets that I find on my frequent trips to paw through the cash-and-carry trays at Rings & Things! I love designing large necklaces, combining textured silver with the interesting and unusual stone beads that I find.
“The silver beads are cut strips of 24-gauge sterling sheet that is bent, fit, soldered, sanded and filed to the final shape. The location for drilling the stringing hole is carefully placed to assure that the weight of each bead will lie properly. The beads are then finished with surface texturing and polished. I burnish the edges to give a shiny finished outline to the shapes. I also made my own toggle catch to match the texture and compliment the shape of the silver beads. I shaped the toggle and ring catch and soldered on half loops of 18-gauge round wire for the string attachment. It was then textured and finished the same as the silver beads.
“My stringing is always done with a lot of thought regarding balance and weight distribution. It is very important to me that the necklace lays comfortably without flipping and without a feeling of heaviness. I will even restring my necklaces to fit the person who buys them. People are always surprised at how proper weight distribution can make even the heaviest necklaces comfortable to wear." - Kris Howell
View more 2008 First Place winners. Or, check for details about our most recent contest!
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