David Vrooman

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DavidVrooman
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JewelryVrooman Designs
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Asheville
NC

My work, first and foremost, is about what it means to be human; to be unique, dynamic, irregular, beautiful, and strong, perfect in our many imperfections. These attributes, blended like scraps of metal in the crucible, combine to make us what we are as individuals. As an artist, I hope to make work that reflects and pays homage to these elements, forging them into a physical form.

My designs have a loose dynamic freedom to them, many employing fusing as a central technique. The heat of the torch allows silver and golds to move and combine in unexpected ways like alchemy. Through the reaction of the orange flame against the glowing metal, the materials themselves begin to move, setting the stage for whatever comes next. I watch and respond. As I work, I strive to foster a spirit of fearless intuition and spontaneity, to follow along as events unfold. It’s this spirit of creation or birth that is most important to me. The most exciting phase is when a piece takes its initial shape, literally growing on top of my bench. It’s the moment of conception, the first spark of a new idea, a time of wide open possibility. The ringing hammer blows fresh and unplanished, the first file strokes still unpolished. It’s the first tangible appearance into our world from the intangible realm of smoke and dreams.

Once its essential spirit has been revealed, I’ll shift to a more right brained perspective, addressing issues of structure, durability, and wearability. I’ll have to calm myself for this phase, often only beginning after a day’s break, to help me shift from the potent fire/air space of creation, to the more grounded earth/water mind of melding form with function. This is the point where I tend to the smaller, more subtle details of the design, working with a calmer, relaxed and gentle hand; to lovingly balance the rough and passionate lines born of the moment of creation with a sense of fine craftsmanship honed from years of experience. The sun and the moon. The head and the heart.

Ultimately, I hope to create an object of beauty and human honesty, drawing from the most precious materials the world has to offer: natural crystal forms, diamonds, jade, pearls and the like. The metals of silver and gold, though found here on earth, actually originate only inside of collapsing stars to be blown all over the universe. It’s literally the stuff of stars. I love to remind myself of this as I work, that I’m taking these elements and transforming it with my own hands into meaningful, personal pieces. It’s my own way of relating to the world and connecting with all of my brothers and sisters with whom I share it.

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