CHRIS NELSON, GOLDSMITH

Chris Nelson is a traditional goldsmith that has focused on fabrication and fusing of high karat gold, silver, and more recently gold on textured iron.  Chris began his metalsmithing career in 2001, after retiring from a professional career.  His first classes were at Revere Academy Master’s Symposiums in April,2002.  The first public appearance of his work was in late 2007, after dedicating over 5 years full-time to master multiple techniques and skills in gold and silver.

Chris lives in the mountains of Southwestern Colorado, and his worked is influenced by the form, color and micro-elements of nature in the mountains, and of many years living close to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.  Many of the subtle nuances of nature find their way into his one of a kind body of work.

The mastery of several torches and fusing a variety of studio-alloyed golds, led to a curiosity and exploration of working with highly textured iron fused with high karat golds of different colors and properties in 2008.  The collection of “Urban-Armour” art jewelry began to rapidly proliferate in May, 2010, and has been shown in Juried Fine Art Festivals and Galleries across the US, including Santa Fe, NYC, Evanston, Ill., Colorado, Houston, New Jersey, and California.

Chris continues to develop new designs and new techniques working in iron and gold, and he loves the challenges of the learning curves of the seemingly not so compatible metals.  The work continues to receive national and international recognition, and is ever evolving as new processes and techniques are further explored.  He is now teaching all the techniques and processes that he has developed working with these wonderful and seemingly antagonistic metals.   Learn more about Chris Nelson's Michigan workshops..

Workshop Video at Jay Whaley Studio.  March, 2013 youtube video
http-//www.youtube.com/#2918435
Metalsmith Benchtalk blogpost radio interview with Jay Whaley of Jay Whaley Studio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whaleystudios/2013/03/07/metalsmith-benchtalk-with-chris-nelson
Featured artist in Viceenza Jewellery Italian magazine, Winter, 2014