I am a Jewelry Designer and Metals Artist with a BFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University. I have been focused, over the past three years, on developing my jewelry design business. Copper Chameleon is currently a sole proprietorship which has been steadily building a customer base in Maryland and Delaware over the past few years and now in North Carolina.
   
    Since I was about 8 years old the idea of fashion was already in my head. I always loved putting together one of kind outfits, sometimes really outrageous ones, and would spend time sketching out my dream clothing designs. I drifted back and forth throughout high school with the ideas of being a fashion designer and being a fashion photographer and always dreaming of the runway.  The latter is still very much a dream I am striving for.

    When I started at East Carolina I was under the impression I was going to major in Photography, until the fateful day Sophomore year during course registration. It just so happened that the metals survey was one of the only surveys still available. For some reason, though I had loved fashion and jewelry my whole life it had never dawned on me that I could design and create my own jewelry, real jewelry. I was a little uneasy about taking the class, I was so comfortable with photography at this point, this was going to be a whole new game. I was surprised at what I could do, fell in love with it and the rest was history.

      Originally from Maryland, I have lived in all of the Mid-Atlantic States, nostalgically favoring life near the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, however as of late I find I am equally  enjoying the region of North Carolina in which I am living. My immediate Family lives in MD, which makes it a place I will continue to visit. I am passionate about my family; our tribe, all of the members near and far, embrace our family history and understand the importance of keeping the memories alive. I can’t help but acknowledge their pervasive influence on my character and my life in general.

    Therefore, I make art for people to live with and to hand down. I take great care in the work I create, making certain they are of Heirloom Quality: art that will stand the test of time. A combination of sentimental value and passionate respect for craftsmanship, I use materials that will not fade nor weaken over time. Certainly there are a few exceptions to that rule, such as when feathers or other more delicate or organic elements are involved. Enamel, which plays a major role in my design is one of the most ancient art forms, rings with set enamels have been dated back to the 13th century BC! We have learned so much from the ancient enameled works because in fact it has held its color and most of its content, several of these ancient enameled artifacts were considered, when unearthed, to be in “good condition”.  I am driven by those facts to create works that could be unearthed centuries from now and still be in “good condition”.

    On a here and now level, I want to supply an individual with a piece of jewelry that satisfies the desire for individualism,  which will help invoke a personal statement through the art of fashion and ornamentation. My focus is to create something that the wearer will find of great intrinsic value and want to pass on as an heirloom, through hands that connect the future with the past. This connection bonds the future wearer with past owners and provides the former with a means of remembering and honoring their ancestors. Although I intend my work to enrich people’s lives with a unique aesthetic experience, it is also functional sculpture that is designed to be touched and used, changed through wear, and to play an active role in the life of the participant.

    The creation of my work is an evolutionary process that typically begins with a passing thought. This thought then becomes a sort of peephole into a greater idea lurking around the corner, a rough notion containing no set guidelines or parameters. This glimpse slowly tosses around in my mind’s eye and gradually evolves as I consider it in conjunction with the materials and processes I naturally gravitate towards. The idea plays the part of a starting block. The work, at this stage, is seldom predetermined and far more intuitive. Each piece seems to become what it wanted to be all along; I am simply the tool that allows it to get there. This way of working allows me to achieve a level of intimacy with the material and, subsequently, the resulting work of art.

    The metals I like to use are copper, sterling silver, fine silver, Yellow golds, and bronze. Enameled copper discs, plates and cabochon-like enamels are found throughout my work, the rich color it lends provides a brilliant contrasting statement to the warm golds, sometimes heavy handed textures, or cool brushed silver tones of the metal they are paired with. I use strictly 100% recycled precious metals, and try to be as conscious as possible when selecting materials for my work, always keeping in mind the side effects of mining metals, and stones alike. Materials I like to use other than enameled copper in my metal work are various unusual cabochons, especially ocean jasper, Chinese turquoise, petrified palm wood, shiny and bright faceted gemstones, various species of scrap or reclaimed wood from oak to ebony, tulle and feathers.

    A broad spectrum of sources inspire the design and palette that informs the jewelry: the surprising contrast found in landscapes where unlikely materials commingle, such as wind turbines in the desert; the clean pure lines, organic shapes, natural finishes, sculptural form, monochromatic themes and the uncanny attention to detail and craftsmanship of the Danish Modern movement. One of my favorite 20th century designer's, Hans Wegner, had a well known philosophy that a chair should be beautiful from every angle and not have a backside. Applying this belief to all functional art objects, this is an ideal that I take into consideration for every piece I create. Often I mix these aesthetics with bold bursts of color, utilizing more of a 1950's Americana inspired kitschy color palette.

    The conversation amongst my ideas, visions, methods, and materials yields the final product, whether it be jewelry, flatware, or another form of ornament. Upon completion, I know the piece has evolved to that point along the only path it could have taken. The final product represents as much of an attempt to enrich the lives of a number of individuals across generations as it does a unique piece of art.