Kathleen Lamberti
I have always been drawn to metal as a material. I made my first piece of jewelry in high school and went on to receive a Bachelors in Design from Kansas University and a Masters in Fine Art from Cranbrook Academy of Art. The materials have endless possibilities of what it can do. In African the metalsmith has a special place in the tribe because they believe the shaping of metal through the use of fire is magical. It is this magical quality that attracts me to metalsmithing.I am fascinated by found objects; from sea shells to pods, I am always collecting. I use these objects as a point of departure. As my concept of jewelry has expanded so has my use of materials. I began to experiment with fabric such as silk, felt, and leather. The incorporation of the fabric has given a softness to the metal and I am now able to work with color. I enjoy working with the two very different disciplines, metal and fiber, and bringing them together. I am able to use techniques from each discipline and apply those techniques to the other material. By doing this I rediscover each discipline and the capabilities of each material.
