Kirsten Muenster Jewelry

Website

http://www.kirstenmuensterjewelry.com

Relationship status

married

College / University

University of the Arts

Program / Degree

Jewelry/Metals

Member type

Artist

I am...

I am a jeweler.

I use recycled, vintage and ethically sourced materials. I believe in sustainable business practices and green resources.

About my artwork

Metal is in my blood. My ancestors were coppersmiths, sheet metal workers and artists. I am a jeweler.

I’m inspired by nature and its signals of growth, rebirth and change. The Japanese refer to the observation and appreciation for the cycle of life as wabi sabi. It’s a simple aesthetic that appreciates the beauty in imperfection and the elimination of the non-essential. This is a guiding principle of my work.

As a jeweler, incorporating found objects and vintage parts into my work is a natural part of my construction process. I repurpose vintage chains, buttons, mother of pearl belt buckles and other recycled materials in addition to agates, jaspers, and ethically sourced stones. With the exception of the thin snake chain, the sterling silver is 100% recycled content. All pearls and some stones are recycled from vintage jewelry. I also use some unique repurposed materials, things that are less common and not as easily recognized as being either recycled or reused, including copper fire brick, fordite, and recycled bowling balls.

Although I enjoy working with repurposed objects, my love of stones is very strong. I use agates and jaspers that are found in gravel pits, along lakeshores and riverbeds. The new stones I do purchase are from small, family owed mines. When these areas are no longer being worked, the entire disturbance is recovered, reclaimed, and seeded or planted. I also do a lot of my own stone cutting from rock found in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.

I believe it’s possible to have a beautifully designed piece of jewelry made with interesting materials whose cultivation does not fund corrupt organizations or promote unfair labor practices. I educate myself about the materials I work with to understand where they come from and whose lives they may impact. I’m always exploring more conscious and sustainable options for my jewelry materials.

My Website
http://www.kirstenmuensterjewelry.com

Flickr Photos
http://flickr.com/photos/kirstenmuensterjewelry/

Linkedin Profile
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenmuenster

Facebook Company Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirsten-Muenster-Jewelry/23578368980

Centre of the artworld:

nowhere and everywhere