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Jennifer and John Walsh live in Bozeman, MT. with their three daughters and the occasional bear wandering through their studio from the nearby woods. They fabricate contemporary jewelry using ancient techniques and materials. Their work reflects a fascination with the natural world and often includes stones gathered from local rivers, hand-cut bones, shells, and bits of wood. The process begins with a series of sketches frequently inspired by finding a material and musing as to whether or not it could be worn as a piece of jewelry. The forces of decay and decrepitude and human persistence in the face of these elements are a major influence in their work. It is for this reason that they rarely choose the thing that’s new and shiny, preferring instead to use, for instance, a fossil, bit of bone, or a river stone that’s been worn smooth. Striving to use materials that a woman from prehistory might have been attracted to, the artists apply a variety of surface treatments and patinas that mimic decay, while elevating these “low” materials by constructing them with precious metals and stones. Incorporating these elements into their jewelry imparts a sense of continuity and timelessness to the wearer.
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