Ouroboros II: Return from Fire

Jewelry

Copper, brass, virterous enamel, black brown patins, glossy spray lacquer

21.5 in. x 2 in x 0.5 in.

Jewelry is living art. While it has evolved over the centuries in terms of style and technique, it has always been a mode of nonverbal communication, whether that be of societal status, interpersonal relationships, or self-expression. There is an innate intimacy between a person and their jewelry. Simultaneously, metal as a medium seems to transcend time; in addition to its long history of use and value, metal has a stubborn physical longevity. Many metalsmithing techniques that are taught today are identifiable in artifacts, and when combined with modern technologies and processes, a conversation across time is forged.
Through my research and artistic process, I use metal and jewelry forms to explore and revitalize older symbols, stories, and beliefs, examining how they have evolved and continue to affect modern society and contemporary works. The main concepts I have been engaging with in my artwork recently have been rebirth, renewal, regeneration, and resurrection. Working primarily with copper and silver, I tend to use a lot of hammer textures, cold forging, chain making, enameling, laser engraving, and patination to create wearable pieces that explore the interplay of naturalistic and mythical symbology in storytelling within a context spanning from ancient to contemporary mythos.

Abigail (Abi) Furr is a queer, nonbinary Metalsmithing and Jewelry student at the University of North Texas based in Denton, TX. They are currently working as a student technician at the UNT College of Visual Arts’ Digital Fabrication Lab while they finish their BFA in Studio Art: Metalsmithing and Jewelry. They currently serve as the UNT Metals Club’s Event Coordinator and are also members of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and the Dallas Makerspace Jewelry Studio.