Maru Almeida | Cutting Edge Earrings

Artist: Maru Almeida 

Materials: Sterling Silver, sterling/copper mokume-gane, copper

Dimensions: 3"x 3/8"

Origin of featured materials: Shining Wave Metals/Phillip Baldwin

Story behind the piece:  Cutting Edge earrings are a celebration of many areas of personal interest, but they are mainly meant to give you an edge on your jewelry wearing!

The beauty of the patterns created through the mokume-gane technique and the possibilities it opens on its own, as a material, have always captivated me. Once I had created a pattern and gone through the process to create the beautiful laminated metal, it was challenging to then cut it all up to create an object. Phillip Baldwin made it possible for artists not only to admire its beauty but made it attainable to use as a material in so many wonderful patterns that could now be given new forms. How lucky we all were to know him and the legacy he leaves to the metalsmithing community. 

Artist Bio: Maru Almeida was born and raised in Mexico growing up surrounded by a rich silversmithing tradition and the work of local artisans. Her curiously of the artistic transformation of metal guided her to pursue both a BFA and an MFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Oregon, respectively. Through her education she learned the necessary skills for working with precious materials as well as exploring non-traditional materials to incorporate on her one-of-a-kind work.  In her work she develops ideas exploring movement, tactility and discovery through the senses; always looking for a true connection to the work through the body. Maru has been working as an artist and professional jeweler for more that 15 years and has taught at several institutions including the University of Oregon and the Seattle University. She also teaches private lessons at her Seattle studio. Maru’s work has been featured in Metalsmith Magazine and is part of the jewelry collection of the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon. Her wedding rings have been published in the book "500 Wedding Rings" by Lark Books.

This piece is part of, From Wave to Shining Wave: a Celebration of Phil Baldwin and Shining Wave Metals Baldwin. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Seattle Metals Guild. 5% of sales will be donated to help fund an endowment at Pendland in Phillip Baldwin’s name. Learn more HERE. All work will remain on exhibit through July 20, 2025.

📂 [View the entire collection HERE ]

ℹ️ [Learn more about the exhibition HERE]