Jessandra Phillips | Tidal Pool Barnacles

Artist: Jessandra Phillips, Canada
Materials: sterling silver, fine silver, sea glass
Size: 10

Artist Statement: Barnacles have snuck into my jewelry from the very start. They are everywhere on the beaches here in BC covering rocks, shells and even sea glass. Ever since I took a workshop in stone on stone setting I’ve wanted to set barnacles on sea glass. These barnacles are cast using sterling silver metal clay. They have been soldered to the fine silver bezel and to narrow sterling tubes so they can be riveted to the sea glass after drilling. The piece of teal sea glass with its oxidized sterling barnacles is then bezel set. The ring band is sand cast with the addition of beach sand for texture. I chose the colour for its resemblance to the ocean. I chose to make a ring using sea glass to promote sea glass as a jewelry medium.

Artist Bio: Although Jessandra has had a life long love of creating she did not pursue an art degree, instead she studied nursing; eventually become a maternity nurse, birth doula and prenatal teacher. She dabbled on the side with fibre arts and painting while raising four children who were encouraged to paint outside the lines and pursue their own artistic endeavours. In 2003 while living on a small western pacific island she discovered sea glass and was drawn into creating jewelry.

On her return to Canada she took silver smithing courses and learned from books and the internet to use precious metal clay to create highly textured ocean inspired jewelry. The learning has continued. Each time she has put her art work in art shows or in galleries and stores Jessandra has challenged herself to improve her skills in manipulating metal and natural materials in order to express her unique point of view.

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.