My current line of jewelry is inspired by Colonial Spanish architecture observed in Xela, Guatemala. The jewelry is formed, soldered, and given a patina to resemble wrought steel work that primarily functions as protection for urban homes and businesses. I am attracted to the graceful craftsmanship of these often overlooked features. In my jewelry I am placing value in the detail of the ironwork and thereby bringing a sense of preciousness to otherwise common materials. In this way rough and imposing architecture evolves into graceful and delicate forms while keeping the wearer anchored in geography and history. 

In 2008 I spent the summer teaching jewelry-making lessons to women in rural communities near Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and helping them create a line of fair trade jewelry that is now sold in the U.S. My memories of that experience inform this series of small sculpture and jewelry.

I am interested in highlighting the overlooked beauty of urban Guatemala. All the gritty, rusted, and stubborn signs of humanity that get overlooked by the tourist and taken for granted by the resident are my curiosities. Imagery of infrastructure and sprawl convey connections between people and their constructed environment as well as connections between neighbors and strangers. Even though there are no inhabitants in my work, their presence is suggested by the structures necessary for their implied reality. I find the cities that inspired these pieces beautiful for their inhabitants and the way they shape my memory. In this way I hope to celebrate the places I loved, the people I respected, and the experiences I will never forget.