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Amy O'Connell, a self taught jewelry artist and lapidary was born in Northampton Massachusetts, and relocated to the San Francisco Bay area in 1998 from Iowa City, Iowa. She began handcrafting jewelry in 1992 when she cofounded a body jewelry workshop. Drawing upon her training in the visual arts including design, sculpture, and work with miniatures, jewelry became a natural outlet. Her designs have evolved from steel to traditional work in silver and unusual gemstones. In 1999 she began doing her own lapidary (stone cutting) work. Amy has synthesized a unique style, blending her experience in the arts with a fascination for the art of personal adornment.
Artists Statement
My work is a combination of traditional and contemporary designs. I believe in looking back to find inspiration in designs that have stood the test of time; drawing upon thousands of years of metal working technique. Each piece is hand forged, carved, and constructed with an emphasis on pattern and texture. I pick all of the stones from rough and hand cut them for each design, focusing on rare and unusual materials. The finished pieces have a heavy, solid quality creating a sense of strength and vitality for the wearer. I work intuitively from a primal aesthetic integrating the images of our modern world. It is along these paths that my designs grow and continue to evolve.
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