Upcoming and Recent Events

:: Classes ::

Beginning Jewelry Fabrication
North Seattle Community College
Wednesdays 6:30-9:30pm September 30th-December 9th

Enamel Techniques for Jewelry
Danaca Design
October 24 and 25

Alternative Techniques In Enameling II
at Danaca Deisgn
4 Wednesdays 6:30-9:30 PM :: January 6, 13, 20, 27

Introduction to Enameling
at North Seattle Community College
8 Sundays 2:00-5:00 PM :: 2/7/2010 - 3/28/2010

:: Exhibitions ::

INDULGE: jewelry marketplace
Bellevue Arts Museum (Bellevue WA)
February 5-7, 2010

Via Penland
Rebus Works (Raleigh, NC)
December 4 - January 30, 2010

Out of the Fire
Columbia City Gallery (Seattle, WA)
Exhibit of the Washington State Enamelists
August19 - September 27

Delicate Beauty
Penland Gallery (Penland, NC)
Exceptional jewelry from exceptional artists
July 21 – September 20

Metal-Urge
Impromptu Gallery (Tacoma, WA)
A city-wide celebration of the metal arts
July 16 - August 15

Aran graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000 with a BFA in metals. In 2006 she was accepted into the Core Fellowship Program at Penland School of Crafts. Using forms found in nature as a starting point, she creates wearable jewelry that conveys the idea of unconventional beauty. Her work was included 500 Enameled Objects, and has been part of several exhibitions throughout the U.S.

To create my enamel work I saw the shape out of copper sheet then form the flat metal into three-dimensional shape. Once I have the desired shape I file, sand and prep the metal for enamel. Enamel is powdered glass with other binders that are fused to the metal at about 1500F. I start by enameling the back to add durability to the piece. Many of my enamels are intentionally over-fired (fired longer than needed). When the enamels are over-fired the copper starts to oxidize and the enamel leaches that up to the surface as well as pulling away from the high spots of the form.

The mining of metal is very taxing on the environment; therefore a lot of my metal work is made with recycled metals. Much of the gold and silver that I use I reconstituted myself. I also try to reuse packing materials as much as possible.

All of my jewelry is fabricated by yours truly.