One of a kind Sterling Silver 14kt jewelry by North Carolina Jeweler Nell chandler

One of a kind jewelry by North Carolina artist Nell Chandler

I was a painter and a printmaker before I ever made jewelry. I fell in love with metal the first class I took. I eventually integrated the painting, the printmaking and metal fabrication into the work that I do today. My work has always been kind of narrative no what what medium I work in. I like it to tell a little story.

I take a sheet of metal and draw pictures all over it with a permanent ink resist. I then etch the metal...just like printmaking. Instead of printing the plate, I saw out all the little pictures. After sawing, sanding, and filling each picture of object I arrange it on my jewelry to make a little story.

The theme of the narratives is often about relationships, partners, siblings. I also have symbols that to me are about reaching for your dreams, about staying focused, about finding quiet time, and about the opposites in our lives and many other things. I encourage people to see what is meaningful for them.

After arranging the pieces, I solder each one onto sterling. After the jewelry has been cleaned and burnished, the liver of sulphur patina is applied. Then I take off parts of it to highlight the pictures.

It is love, joy, hope, understanding and empathy that I am trying to pass on through my work.