keith lewis’ mica jewelry

Today is the second day of Dan Cormier’s The Cutting Edge Evolved workshop in Baltimore. Yesterday one of the things Dan demonstrated was a mica shift technique and he talked a bit about the mineral (mica) during the demonstration.

Mica and Pearl Bangle

Dan’s enthusiasm about mica reminded me of Keith Lewis, who I met last year at a show in New York. When I first saw the work I was immediately intrigued, in part because I’ve never seen anyone use mica the way he does. Lewis laminates sheets of the mineral to create the structure and insets pearls or other precious stones, applying 23k gold leaf to complete the shimmery surface.

Layered Amber Mica Pin, Black Pearl and Ruby

After a childhood spent living abroad in Europe and the Far East, Lewis earned a Master of Fine Arts in Goldsmithing from SUNY New Paltz during the tenure of  Kurt Matzdorf and Bob Ebendorf and has been living and making jewelry in the Hudson River Valley since that time.

Redstripe Pendant

“In my work I explore the line between accident and control, manipulating the inherent qualities of natural materials. I contrast formal construction with serendipitous surface treatment such as my version of a very old Japanese patina; I heat copper to bright red, expose it to wood particles, and then plunge it into boiling water which creates an organic and unpredictable “Raku” effect. I strive to capture not only the beauty of the natural materials themselves, but the surprises that arise from working with them.” Keith Lewis

This afternoon I will head home and let it all sink in…the conference and Cormier’s workshop. Look for upcoming posts about both once I’ve had a chance to unpack my suitcase. See you soon!