ABOUT LAURA JAKLITSCH JEWELRY
ABOUT LAURA JAKLITSCH JEWELRY
Laura Jaklitsch Jewelry pieces are one-of-a-kind, wearable works of art. Laura's fresh, modern take on wood jewelry is designed for bold women and men with a style that's both sophisticated and playful.
With an appreciation for modern design and a dedication to craftsmanship, Laura Jaklitsch fabricates each piece of jewelry by hand in her Somerville, MA studio. Using her signature wood and polyurethane inlay technique, Laura experiments with material, color, and form to make jewelry that is fresh, contemporary, and bold. She lets the process direct the work, while making deliberate color and composition choices.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Laura holds a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and has been making jewelry for over 18 years. She is the 2016 recipient of the Society for Contemporary Craft’s LEAP Award.
SUSTAINABILITY
Laura Jaklitsch Jewelry uses recycled metals as well as sustainably sourced woods from local woodworkers’ cutoffs or vendors with responsible forestry policies.
WHERE TO BUY
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AWARDS
Leap Award Winner, Society for Contemporary Craft 2016
Honorable Mention, IMPI New England Design Competition 2011
Mobilia Gallery Irving Cooper Award 2010
AS SEEN IN
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ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is made from an experimental inlay process involving wood and polyurethane. I begin by making a mold around pieces of wood, and pour the dyed polyurethane into the mold. I then cut into the resulting block, and repeat the process, one color at a time.
The color palette evolves organically as I am making each piece. My color language is informed by memories of growing up in California, observation of the world around me, photographs of landscapes, and how I imagine those places might feel. Each color is mixed by hand from red, blue, yellow and black.
I let the process direct the work, while making deliberate color and composition choices. The painterly, gestural process of cutting to into the wood block and pouring the dyed polyurethane is contrasted with the diligence of the findings and the graphic quality of the lines. The resulting pieces are a delicate balance of both experiment and precision, and the wood and polyurethane abstractions begin to take on a precious, symbolic feeling.
The woods I use in my work are cutoffs sourced from other wood workers or companies that use responsible forestry practices, and the sterling silver is recycled.