Frequently Asked Questions
Is the metal soldered or melted around the stone?
Neither, actually. Heat is not necessary.
Where do you get your stones?
Our stones are sourced from a handful of trusted, ethical sellers located in the US, Jaipur, India, and the Indonesian Archipelago, with whom we’ve established relationships over the years.
How long does each piece take to make?
Each piece takes approximately 3 – 7 days to complete, depending on a variety of elements.
Did you have to go to school for this?
No, I didn’t. Actually, I studied Human Resources and Criminal Justice in college, but I was always involved in art classes in high school and attended Saturday classes (for high school students) at the Herron School of Art in the ‘90s.
How did you get started?
An amalgamation of events, conditions, timing and serendipity led me to creating in this current art medium called electroforming. I was fortunate to have a few people in my life who introduced me to making things – sewing, macrame, oil painting, wood crafts, etc. at a very young age. I’m quite sure that, for me, being an only child led to a certain ingenuity, as well.
Specifically, however, I signed up for an Instagram account about 7 or 8 years ago. I didn’t have any idea what I was doing or how to use it, but I did figure out that “#” meant something important. As I was scrolling through random posts, I kept noticing a certain metal work that I’d never seen before, and it really appealed to me. I had no idea what it was called or where to start looking. So, I went to the craft store, purchased gold leaf and resin and proceeded to make my own metal-looking creations. I wasn’t completely excited about this work, which was good, because just as I was about to give up, I happened upon a post with “#electroformed”. Immediately I searched this word, and something about what I found appealed to me. At the time, there wasn’t much info on the internet about electroforming as an artform, though the concept has been around for years. Suffice to say, I ordered a kit, watched a YouTube video, and read the directions that came with the kit. The rest was trial and error.
Will the copper turn me green?
Maybe. Each person is different, and there are different opinions on what causes it. It has been said that if you are consuming a lot of junk food or red meat, your body develops an acidic nature. Copper then reacts with these acidic conditions and turns green. The thing that everyone seems to agree upon is that copper reacts with sweat, air and oils on your skin, creating a green layer of copper carbonate. It is an oxidation reaction. Some people experience no discoloration. The discoloration, incidentally, is not harmful to one’s health, and is readily washed off with soap and water. If not washed off, it is normally absorbed by the body overnight. The best way to avoid any discoloration is to apply a barrier between the metal and the copper. As the artist, this is something I automatically do for all of the pieces I create, unless otherwise requested.
Are you local?
I’m local to the Indianapolis, IN market.
Do you have a brick-and-mortar shop?
Not yet.