Titanium Flowers - Sculpture Jewelry Made in Venice
In life it is the -only apparently- simple things that make a difference. We are surrounded by beauty, which accompanies us through our days in a gentle and understated manner. Meaningful beauty never screams to be looked at, actually quite often people pass by it without noticing it and taking it for granted. This sort of beauty resides, among other places, in the smiles of passersby, in the singing of the birds and in the blossoming of flowers, and it is essential for our soul.
I cannot help but feel fascinated and touched by all this. The world that surrounds me has always inspired my work and flowers in particular have a special place in my imagination. I see them as delicate and strong at the same time, resistant to the different challenges of the environment, like the wind, rain and changes of temperature. Every season has its own varieties, all with different colors and features. So it was that back in 2017, when I had just started expressing myself through the art of lost-wax, that I created a flower sculpture, precisely a ring.
That flower was not a specific type of flower, it wasn't recreating a natural existing species. My hands simply shaped it, giving form to my emotions. Like always, I had not planned nor programmed the result of my work... I just sat at my wooden desk and followed my heart. I suppose that it arrived because flowers have always been part of my life, I like to have them at home and in my shop, I give them as presents to the people I love, and I enjoy seeing them in the city, whether coming out from a bush or in a garden or park. They add joy and grace to our everyday.
The first flowers I made were fused in metal, either gold or silver. Then I started fusing them in titanium, a matter that I find incredibly fascinating, being strong and light at the same time. Also, when I fuse my creations in gold or silver, I can add finishing touches, whereas with titanium this is not possible, titanium is such a strong metal that it wins over me.
Another aspect that made me fall in love with this material is the way the colors change depending on the fusing temperature: it turns yellow at 300°C, purple at 400 and 450°C, blue at 500 °C, light blue at 550°C, dark grey at 600°C and black at 700°C. This happens because when titanium is heated in the air, it oxidizes with oxygen to form a dense oxide film. Therefore, the thickness of the oxide film determines the color of the titanium surface. This allows me to play and give strident and unique hues to my sculpture rings, besides, I wanted the flowers to be vibrant and colorful.
My titanium rings have become rather popular and I have recently been working on amplifying the collection, thus I have added to the rings other jewelry items such as brooches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.
I hope you will be able to pass by my shop to see the different pieces, each unique, or if interested you can write me an email and I will send you the photos. In the meanwhile, lets enjoy the blossoms of spring.
Thank you for reading me and talk soon.
Yours truly,
Valeria
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