Faculty Guest Blogger: Abigail Oxford ATR-BC, LPC
Abby Oxford: My artwork channels a delicate and rustic allure that combines natural, found and collected elements. I’m drawn to natural foliage, rocks, gemstones, shells, crystals, vintage glass and pottery remnants. Each piece of jewelry and keepsake is hand designed and electroformed in recycled copper.
I began creating jewelry a decade ago and fell in love with electroforming in 2020 following my first attempt at electroforming a fern. Through trial and error, I began hand designing pendants and keepsakes through this process. Electroforming is a process in which an object is prepared, painted with conductive paint and placed in an electrolytic bath. While in the bath copper transfers and builds onto the treated piece by means of an electric current. The process can take anywhere from 8-24 hours depending on the piece. Each piece created through this process is unique and can exhibit bumps, current lines and other imperfection adding to its rustic aesthetic.
Beauty in the Imperfections
Over the past several years, I have found thousands of broken treasures along woodland banks, creek beds, and shorelines. Many of the fragmented treasures are remnants of utilitarian glass and pottery objects from the early to mid-1900’s. The found treasures invited me to appreciate the beauty of the imperfections found in each piece. As of date I have transformed over one hundred of the treasures into meaningful pieces of jewelry and keepsakes.
Inspired by nature
Spending time among nature is both inspirational and restorative to my wellbeing. Aside from collecting found objects I pay close attention to natural shapes, textures, colors, and patterns channeling them into my designs.
Designs inspired by ice inclusions found among nature studies
Middle – bonfire glass pendants, shell pendants, glass pendants;
Bottom- cicada, ginkgo and fern necklace, ginkgo and labradorite necklace, maker and fern necklace
To view more of my artwork and process check out my Instagram at www.instagram.com/abbyoxford_
Visit our Study Art page to discover more about the programs we offer, our faculty, and our exciting opportunities for art majors both on and off campus.
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