Art Night Profile: Signy Gephardt

A jeweler with a knack for wire-wrap

Signy Gephardt with her "baby" Luna.

I have been wanting to post a series of Art Night Profiles, spotlighting some of the artists who participated in the Art Night show I coordinated last August.  Finally, here is the first of them.

Signy Gephardt is a young artist who has only recently begun to show her work, and--full disclosure: yes, she also is my daughter. But I hope you'll agree her work can stand on its own merits.

She first learned about wire-wrap techniques at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, and honed her skills with private commissions and family gifts for several years.

I particularly admire the way she combines semi-precious stones, crystal beads, and wire to create elegant and interesting combinations.

L-R: Forest Swirl Earrings, Frost Swirl Earrings, and Royal Princess Earrings: 
fun with crystals, pearls, and wire.

She often creates "sets" of coordinated pendant necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, and names them after fantasy creatures. You undoubtedly know about dragons and ghosts, and possibly also about Selkies. But, yes, the Nuckelavee also is a fantasy creature (on the very dark side--Google it!). 

L-R: Dragon Set and Treasures of the Selkie Set.

L-R: Ghost Trees Set and Nuckelavee Set.

Not all of her work comes in sets, of course.  Here are some more pieces featuring her signature crystal beads. 

L-R: Empress Bracelet and New Year's Cheer Necklace.

Steampunk-style Clockwork Gears Pin

She also recently has begun exploring Steampunk approaches, as in the pin at right. 

All of the jewelry featured in this profile was created between April 2009 and August 2011. It is the exclusive work of Signy Gephardt, and should not be reproduced without the artist's permission.  

PHOTOS: images of all pieces were photographed by Jan S. Gephardt in August and September, 2011, and are used with the permission of Signy Gephardt.