This is where my jewelry studio is located, on the skirts of the active Kilauea volcano. My main inspiration is the beauty of nature around me and the raw fierce sensuality of the flowing lava. I see them as mysterious and powerful, unapologetic and uncompromising in their creativity….traits that I embrace and strive for in my own work. I take photos of stumps, rocks, vines, roots, bark, and paint
peeling from an old wall. My personal favorite being the unusual textures and cracks on the hardened lava rock. I’m continually exploring ways to capture all of these in my jewelry to show others what I think is beautiful. Each piece of jewelry is crafted using a variety of hand tools and traditional silversmithing techniques such as hand sawing, piercing, riveting, stamping, soldering and forming. I love the richness of oxidized metals and the textures I achieve with an elaborate process called photo etching. With this process I can transfer my own photos into the metal. By layering silver, copper and brass, I can accomplish the contrast, color and texture I want. My work is characterized by its rustic-earthy look and its matte finish emulating a weather-worn appearance. Varied texture and finish gives a rich depth of character to every piece making it truly unique. To see what's in stock right now, please visit my Etsy shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/MelinaCastroJewelry
You can also visit my on-line portafolio at: www.MelinaCastroJewelry.com
