afmetalsmith

Cloisonné Smiley, in setting

Glass enamel on fine silver cloisonné, set into a sterling setting. Gemstone accents are natural yellow sapphires, and black diamonds.

I created this piece for a show at the Worcester Historical Society, devoted to the smiley in various media. Worcester, MA is where it was first created!

I wanted to capture the light-heartedness of the design in its setting. The "ribbons" are forged silver and undulate toward and away from the viewer, as well as from side to side. The playfulness is accented by the deliberate asymmetry of the the piece as a whole.

(The black background of the photo is modifying the color of the sapphires a bit; in real life, they match the color of the enamel.)