ARTFUL ADORNMENT

Leslie Maya-CharlEs

"As an owner of some of Leslie Maya-Charles' creations - their oft-steampunk funkiness is executed with extreme eloquence and elegance; they are an excellently crafted art form as well as beautiful visions & articulations.

Love, love this artist & love, love her work." Chrystal DeCoster, Owner, Western Stars Gallery & Studio Lyons, CO

TO ADORN...TO CHOOSE

The urge to adorn ourselves seems to be an ancient drive that stretches back to the dawn of mankind. Jewelry that people choose to wear fascinates me. Why do we choose one piece over another? How do we decide what to own, and how do we decide what to wear? What draws us to a particular artist or body of work?

Every piece of my work is unique, one of a kind – you will never see "your" necklace or bracelet

on somebody else at a party. Each piece is completely handmade by me in my Colorado studio. I even make my own rivets and some of my own chain! I use simple hand tools: files, jeweler's saws, hammers, and an old, much-loved hand drill once owned by my father. I work slowly, spending time with each piece, because I love the process and surprise of each piece unfolding. And I rarely use power tools in my work.

Each unique work tells a story of a prior life, a hint of where it’s been before, and promises to carry on that timeless story of joyful, artful adornment. For example, the Roman glass in the beautiful piece on the Gallery page have been buried in the sands of Israel for over 2100 years!

My work is meant to be worn, not left in the drawer because it's too precious. Wear it with jeans or satin; mix them with other artwork; wear a lot, or wear just one.

Let what you wear reflect who you are, as you continue the story of the piece.

Leslie Maya-Charles

Artist