Arielle Brackett | Bud Vase Ring Set

Artist: Arielle Brackett, Oregon
Materials: sterling silver
Size: 8.5

Artist Statement: My Bud Vase Ring Set is part of my Coral series. The series represents ocean corals that I have imagined or am directly representing. It is inspired by the underwater landscape of fan corals. The representation of coral castings are highly textured and repetitive in shape. I use a technique called cuttlebone casting to create the “stand” of the bud vase. It is important to me as a conceptual metalsmith to use a casting method that is also derived from nature.

Cuttlebone casting is a meditative process for me. I carve into the bone of a cuttlefish and each layer reveals the texture beneath. Once I have my desired form, I make a mold and pour molten metal directly into the bone. As a result, a beautiful and repetitive texture is created. Afterwards, I pierce away parts of the metal to create patterns. The strongest forms are then molded and reproduced in lost wax castings. I then manipulate, form and combine the castings together to create more depth and dimensionality.

The ring vase form I constructed out of sterling silver sheet and used the hydraulic press to create my three-dimensional form. When the ring is not in use it can be used as a functional bud vase that is held in the stand. When it is worn it can be used as a vessel to hold natural wonders.

I pulled inspiration from Oregon's Pacific coast. The natural world is endlessly inspiring in its varieties of shapes, forms, textures, colors and life cycles. My artwork is an exploration of these narratives combined with shapes found in nature.

Artist Bio: Arielle Brackett is a metalsmith and mixed media artist based in Portland, Oregon. She received her BFA in metals at the Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2017. She teaches at Multnomah Art Center, Ninety Twenty Studios, Wildcraft and Sitka Center. Brackett was awarded best in metals at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts in Littleton, Colorado and the Art Center of Estes Park in Estes Park, Colorado and Juror’s Choice Award in Jewelry from CraftForms 2021. She has shown nationally and internationally. She has participated in Romania and New York City Jewelry Week.

Brackett has shown nationally at; the Armory Art Center, Baltimore Jewelry Center in Baltimore, Society of Arts and Crafts, Gallery Twenty Fifty Two, Ann Marie Garden, Portland Winter Light Festival, Wayne Art Center, Danaca Design Gallery, InLiquid Gallery, Pocosin Art Center, Patterson-Appleton Art Center, Edwardsville Art Center, Left Bank Annex, Ton Pottery, and The Art Center of Estes Park, Estes Park, Colorado.

Brackett has shown work internationally at; Craft Council of British Columbia in Vancouver BC, Canada, Arcub Gabroveni in Bucharest, Romania, National Library of Romania in Bucharest, Romania, Winzavod Contemporary Art Center in Moscow, Russia, and at the Museum of Stone-cutting and Jewelry Art in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Brackett received scholarships to paint in Le Barroux, France and Grand Junction, Colorado and a full ride two- week scholarship at the Penland School of Craft. In 2021, Brackett received a scholarship to participate in a collaborative project called Frogwood and was granted another full ride scholarship to participate again in May 2023.

Brackett has been published in numerous books, magazines and online platforms including, Metalsmith Magazine, Society of North American Metalsmith, Jams 2018 and How Art Heals, by Andra Stanton.

This ring was part of Battle of the Rings: Ring Smackdown 2023, an online exhibition and competition. View the entire collection HERE, view the matches HERE, and learn more HERE.