Kimberly Navratil-Pope

Artist Statement

Although I am a fifth generation Montanan, I lived in the Mediterranean for a number of years. The colors, light, reflections and shades of the ever-changing sea and sky influenced me, as do the natural materials I use in my work. I incorporate reflective objects such as glass, foils and gems but also rocks, minerals and organic matter because I appreciate their primitive characteristics that complement the refractory aspects of the gems and metal. With my work, I want to create a mood that cannot be controlled by the turmoil of our sometimes inescapably hectic lives; a personal talisman to produce an "eye" in the tempest of our lives.

I am involved with the metal from its raw unalloyed state to the finished stock. I often make paper models of work to help clarify details and scale. Once a model is completed, I translate it to metal and begin the fabrication process. I work independently and design and create each piece by hand. The majority of my tools are unchanged since ancient times; saw, hammer, anvil, fire. I enjoy formal considerations while still pursuing more unorthodox approaches and materials. My concerns are the exploration of surface, texture and materials, which challenge the status quo, yet come together as a beautiful object that can be viewed with affirmation of our individuality. My work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Gallery and has been shown in the White House, and is published in many national magazines as well as Tim McCreight's Jewelry; the Fundamentals of Metalsmithing, Dona Meilach's Art Jewelry Today, Fabulous Jewelry From Found Objects, and The Korean World Diploma of Works of Design.