[Mongumber Bell]

Catherine Chandler is a metalsmith hailing from Portland, Oregon. I discovered her Etsy shop a few months ago when I was browsing through titanium rings, and found her series of rings inspired by endanged Australian plants.

I was immediately struck by her unique perspective, and by the way she so deftly translates the organic and abstract into her chosen medium. Catherine’s shop features works done in titanium, silver, and copper, and they range from the more practical jewelry pieces, to somewhat outlandish and delicate art jewelry, to beautifully fragile-looking art pieces. In her profile, Catherine says her “influences stem from a variety of sources, such as unusual plant life, endangered species, the death of a family member, memories, and personal experiences.” To me her work has an almost enchanted quality to it, like something from a storybook.

[Contained]

Catherine really seems to put her soul into her art. Even without her well-written and revealing descriptions of her work, I can tell that each piece has a real story behind it, that there is a reason why everything about it is the way it is. So much of what is appealing about buying handmade is that feeling of having a personal connection with the person who made your item, and in that area, Catherine Chandler will surely not disappoint.

[Wing]

After looking through her shop, I also really enjoyed visiting her blog, where she gives even more insight into her process, and the life and inspiration behind her work.

[My Whole Heart]

[Hernandia bivalvis]