Alison Antelman

My current work, the Metropolis Collection, is inspired by the vitality of a cityscape. My jewelry is hand-fabricated and forged like the cities that are its inspiration. When I created the first Metropolis bracelet I was reminded of a familiar childhood image the New York City skyline at night with the lights from the buildings reflecting off of the Hudson River, a romantic quiet view from a distance. I’ve been working with hollow form pods; hand-fabricated shapes created by sinking and forming silver or gold on a grooved woodblock with my goldsmith’s hammer. Hammering in the middle of the shape brings up the sides, and through my manipulation of the metal, the sides move together until they are touching, then I solder the seam. To further suit the needs of each piece, I hand fabricate the clasps, incorporating them directly into the design allowing function, as well as adornment. Each clasp is made specific to the motif.

I am drawn to the relationship between the metal, stones, movement and form, and how they transform the wearer. More recently, I have incorporated fold-forming into these pods, producing neat creases and clean texture without distressing my smooth surfaces. I create these fold-formed pods in all shapes and sizes placing them on the marble slab that sits on my workbench. I started to work with them as parts, generating components of three. I hinged them together, envisioned stones set atop like spires and suddenly it hit me: Metropolis was born. The stones are the pulse of the city lit up with that urban glow, the gold represents the wealth of culture and opportunities that a city offers, and the oxidized silver is nighttime when the city looks its best. Multiple facets of technique, design, and concept are forged into my collection of urban wearable jewelry.


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BERKELEY, CA 94710