About
I’m Elizabeth, the creative force behind Red Ren Jewelry. The name Red Ren came from my red hair and my mother’s college nickname, Ren, given to me as a middle name. I live in Asheville, NC and earned my BFA in studio art concentrating in metalsmithing and jewelry design at Appalachian State University. I’ve been selling jewelry since middle school, but my time at ASU equipped me with technical training and opportunity to start putting words to why I create and what is unique about my work. Creating easily wearable and eye-catching jewelry is central to Red Ren as I am drawn to jewelry’s invitation to interaction and ability to collect stories.
Artist Statement
In my current work I am seeking to identify systems in nature that produce pleasant complexity. As a result my work is calculated and geometric while imitating natural growth. I am intrigued by nature's resilience and capacity to grow in response to its environment seen in plants growing over rocks or tree roots breaking through a sidewalk. The often slow yet consistent growth of nature into something magnificent inspires my process of beginning with a relatively simple shape I have observed in nature that quickly develops complexity through its replicating, altering and layering.
I typically work directly in metal, allowing me to explore the ways patterns emerge on multiple planes. I am continually fascinated by the shapes created in negative space as the base shapes merge and layer. The immediacy and ability to respond in the moment by manipulating linear-based material allows me to capture the nuance and beauty of the natural world. The permanence of metal combined with the experience of working in the moment challenges me to work intentionally. Being part of the tradition of craft, which understands the dynamic combination of skill and understanding of a material, validates and encourages my love of working directly in metal.
In this work I am investigating the intimacy of jewelry and its ability to facilitate interactions between the maker and wearer and viewer. Growing up I first experienced the peace, beauty and weightiness of expansive nature in the Blue Ridge Mountains. These experiences of wonder and comfort inform my connection to the natural world. I hope to transpose the sense of wonder I experience in nature into the context of jewelry and adornment.
Biography
Elizabeth Walton, from Asheville, NC, received her BFA from Appalachian State University. She has attended workshops at Penland School of Craft, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, and a residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She is currently working as a studio assistant to multiple artists while running her studio practice making handmade jewelry.