Heart (pin/pendant) by: Carol Fugmann

Artwork Description

Artist Information

I have been involved with art in one form or another through out my life and have loved it! When I was 8 years old, I took art classes for several years at the Memorial Art Gallery of Rochester in New York. I still cherish one of my first paintings of a sycamore tree that I did on the gallery grounds.

Throughout high school I painted school theater scenes, designed and produced artwork for the high school yearbook, explored portrait photography, and taught art classes at summer camp. I graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester in New York with a Bachelor of Science in studio art. I worked in advertising, for 8 years as an art director, designing brochures, business cards, ads, and other promotional material. I continued working on woodblock printing and designing jewelry in a sketchbook on the side. In college, I found that working with metal was difficult yet challenging, and something I longed to return to and pursue. I found myself, 25 years later, taking classes again at the Memorial Art Gallery of Rochester this time exploring jewelry techniques. The gallery shop now sells my work.

Jewelry for me is more than an adornment or sign of wealth. It is an extension of who we are. I love traveling and exploring cities with contemporary architecture. I can see patterns, forms and shapes in these building structures that I can incorporate into my work. Although I am mostly influenced by my natural surroundings since I have lived my entire life in a rural area. As a gardener for more than 20 years, I enjoy planting flowers and different vegetables and I often cover my entire yard in sunflower or poppies. I find that as my plantings grow and evolve the leaves, petals, twigs patterns and textures have an infinite ability to stimulate my creativity. Trees that have grown around a barbed wire fence in hedge rows have unconventional shapes, yet are still recognized as trees. Similarly my jewelry is traditionally worn, yet some aspects evoke contemplation and reflection towards its path to adornment.

I fabricate each jewelry piece using sterling, 14k, 18k, and or 24kgold, sheet and wire. I often incorporate precious or semi-precious stones and or pearls and use hammered, oxidized and polished finishes

I have been a metalsmith artist since 1995 and I sell my work at nationally juried fine art and craft shows throughout the country.