Arianna Bara Metalsmithing/ Jewelry

I am a metalsmith because I am delighted with the apparent contradiction of coaxing delicacy from a hard and seemingly unyielding material.  Each piece is a work of pure joy, often experimentation and, sometimes, compromise, as the silver declares what it will and will not do this time.  When the results are different than the intentions, I may be temporarily perplexed but am rarely disappointed, because unanticipated results are an opportunity to see things from a new perspective.  The unexpected often brings a combination of serendipity and beauty that our minds could not have imagined, and each of my pieces is infused with the wonder and joyfulness of this creative process.

I work in silver primarily because of its simplicity and elegance; it can have the  loveliness of a humble river stone, or can be striking in its luster and boldness.  My work is about smoothness, movement, and textural sensuality.  It is also about visual richness, depth, and color.  I often use freshwater pearls and hand-blown gold- and silver-infused Venetian glass because the vibrancy of color enhances the surface of the silver.