Distaff Earrings

9 x 2.8 cm, 5 g (per earring)

sterling silver, 18k gold, patina

The Distaff earrings are created from sterling silver that is fused and painted with 18k gold. The judicious application of heat causes the silver and gold to become active and flow. Removal of heat freezes that moment of action forever, making these earrings a time capsule for the jeweller's process. Part of Patricia's Cages series, melding a conceptual approach to art-making with an appreciation of natural forms to achieve a contemporary and emotional result. Each piece is a meditation upon the nature of negative space, and how the intangible can be captured with the gesture of a few lines drawn on a page, or hand-built from precious metals.

Care Instructions: Keep sterling silver away from humidity and water. Buff gently with a soft cloth. Patinaed items should not be cleaned with silver polish of any sort.

Patricia Tozer is a multidisciplinary artists, experimental silversmith and designer living on an island in the ocean of the coast of the west coast of Canada. Patricia works in close relationship with precious metals, stone, and other natural materials to create unique pieces to adorn wild, embodied spirits. Her work is informed by the belief that decorating one's body is a deeply rooted human instinct. For the artist, jewellery is an emotional, highly personal vehicle through which we can foster connections with others by revealing our hearts. In her hands, jewellery becomes the medium through which we discover our true selves and find our kindred spirits.

Patricia studied fine arts at McMaster University and earned her Master's degree at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C., Canada. She was fortunate to learn smithing from master metalsmith and multimedia artist, Tosca Terán in Toronto, Canada.