Fine Art Jewelry Designer Andrea Williams Communicates Sense of Wonder and Respect for Nature in her Amazing Work

Fine art jewelry designer Andrea Williams transports us into a into a world of wonder and beauty. Her extraordinary use of organic materials gives us a sense of awe and reverence for the world that surround us. It is with great honor that I share this interview and her work with you. Andrea’s commitment to Echo-conscious jewelry production and ethical metalsmithing ethical metalsmithing is something that every fine art jewelry designer and all human beings should strive for.

How did you get started making jewelry?

I started as a child making treasures out of the shells, twigs and flowers that I found. I was lucky enough to go to boarding school at Gould Academy in Maine where they had a fantastic jewelry department. My teacher, Jim Owen, took me under his wing and before I knew it I was on my way to RISD (Rhode Island School of Design). I always knew that jewelry would be my path.

Tell us about your first experiences as a jewelry artist and designer?

Fresh out of college I worked as a finisher for a goldsmith in Chicago, there I learned a lot about what kind of jeweler I wanted to be. I used to design what I thought would sell. Although I was successful, it left me feeling hollow and burned out- so much so that I stopped making jewelry for a number of years. When I started again it was because I was inspired to make works of art. I made a commitment to myself to design jewelry that reflects the beauty of the earth that created the materials. I need to design for myself and what inspires me, regardless of marketability. I find people respond on a much more visceral level to my work now.

You have a strong and profound ethical message; tell us how can other fine art jewelry artist begin to take the first steps towards more echo-friendly and ethical jewelry making?

Always question the answers. There are always better, cleaner, lower impact ways to do things. The hardest part is to find them (or create them). Once you make the commitment to yourself to make it happen, the battle is half over. Take a look around you workspace and try to see small changes. Start simple, what kind of light bulbs do you use? Is your studio (and therefore your work) filled with lots of chemicals? For example, traditionally, jewelers use sulfuric acid to clean metals. Citric acid works just as well but is much less harmful. What metals are you using? Go reclaimed! The quality of reclaimed metals is fantastic! Are you conflict free? Better yet are you mine free? A lot of small steps can make a huge impact. Don't give up if you don't find a solution today. 10 years ago when I started looking for recycled precious metals, I was laughed at. Now because jewelers demanded it, they are readily available. There is power in numbers. One designer approaching a supplier has little impact. A co-op of 10 or 20, tends to get their attention.

I am fascinated with the works of Giovanni Corvaja and Namu Cho, both jewelers show that you can continue to push the material and techniques to the limit and then beyond. I dream of someday having their level of mastery of skill.

Share with us how you view jewelry design and design in general?

I view design in a very organic way, I try to take my ques from nature. The inspiration for my Sa necklace was the way the outgoing tide had lined up stones on the beach. The water sparkling on the rocks was translated into the ball rivets that hold the links together. Adornment should say a lot about the wearer. When you see someone wearing a 3ct diamond in a prong setting it makes a strong statement about what is important to them. When a person wears a religious symbol as a pendant, they often do so as a personal reminder as well as an overt statement to others about their beliefs. When I make a pendant using recycled metals and a beach stone, like the religious symbol, I intend it as both a personal reminder and as an expression of certain values.

Our consumer nature has brought our planet to the brink. We place value in the strangest things. Why tear minerals from the earth? Just because they are rare? Who cares if it is rare if we are wrecking the environment and lives to get at it. To mine 1 ounce of gold creates 30 tons of waste. We don't need to rip more from the ground, we simply need to make smarter use of what has already been mined. As artists and designers, we have the ability to offer environmental design alternatives. When inspired, we can change how and what people consume.

What advice would you give an aspiring fine art jewelry artist?

Push it. Don’t be afraid! Take it beyond the limits! When you think its big enough m

make it bigger, fine enough make it finer. Above all, follow your own vision. People respect that.

To learn more about fine art jewelry artist Andrea Willliams and her extraordinary handmade jewelry visit Bound Earth

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