I came across the most divine pieces pictured in ‘Jewelry Concepts and Technology’ by Oppi Untracht, a fantastic book that I bought recently. I was inspired to research John Paul Miller, the artist who created them.
Miller was born in 1918, and started his career as a painter. Inspired by the creations of a fellow student, he started making silver jewellery of his own. After receiving advice from the director of his school that “we don’t need any more good watercolor painters. Why don’t you concentrate on jewelry?” he turned his full attention to the craft.
Miller rediscovered the lost Roman art of granulation. He immersed himself in enamelling. I love his work, it is so intricate and organic. I can only dream of aspiring to be one hundredth as good as this!!
From the interviews I have read, he seems, at 94, to be a humble and gentle man, who has lived an interesting life – well worth reading more about. Thank you, John Paul Miller, for providing such beautiful, inspirational works to the world!
I made this ring for Gracie, my son’s girlfriend, to wear to her Year 12 Formal. She is such a sweetheart, she deserves a whole handful of beautiful rings! This one will have to suffice for now.
She chose the stone, and I set it very simply (as always!) and gave it a high polish.
Thanks for the honour, dear Gracie, and have a fantastic night!! 🙂 xx
I made this drusy agate ring for Leesa. I took it down to her yesterday evening, and she was really thrilled!
Everyone who saw this stone before I set it coveted it, so definitely a good choice, Leesa!
It’s so lovely when the person for whom you’ve created a piece loves the work you’ve done. Leesa is keen to have another one, this time in gold, so stay tuned!! 🙂
My grandmother commissioned me to make this sterling silver twisted chain bracelet after she saw the one I made for myself a while back. The links join together in a very precise pattern, so it was very zen to make! There is no catch, the bracelet simply rolls onto your wrist. It is very comfortable, and feels lovely rolling up and down your arm.
Each link is individually soldered, so the piece gets hot very quickly and you can only solder a couple of links at a time. It lived on my workbench, being made in between other things, for many weeks! Lucky Granny is patient..
Ok, so this piece is not for sale – but I did create it! This seashell is the physical component of my latest goldsmithing course project brief. Lots of wire bending and soldering made this an interesting and challenging piece to create.
It started life as a sketch from my mind, and went through some incarnations on paper, as a freehand art drawing: