(Pendant by Denise Harrison)
“Don’t forget to be present, or you might miss something unbelievable.” That’s jeweler Denise Harrison’s advice for everyone. Each day, she tries to practice a mindfulness that allows her to find interesting textures and patterns for her jewelry. These range from beer bubbles left in glasses to tree branches, brick walls or even fingerprints, all photographed with her cell phone. Her work is on display at Red Chair Gallery.
Denise uses the digital photos to create an etched texture plate in copper. The plate is heated to transfer the texture to a wax form, which is eventually cast in sterling silver or gold using the lost wax method. She can then add patina, stone settings and a handmade chain to finish the piece. Her pieces are not all for women. She also creates cufflinks, tie pins, money clips and other items for men.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Denise learned to appreciate natural patterns from her grandmother, who was an art teacher and artist. Her grandmother taught her to appreciate the patterns found in sand, water, tree roots and leaves. She and her family moved to Bend in 2001 and a few years later she took a metal art class at Central Oregon Community College. She got hooked on making metal jewelry and began to use textures and shapes from local architecture, trees and even beer foam in her pieces. Bend’s lively brewery culture was the inspiration for her ”Beer Speak” line of work, which uses beer bubble and beer lace patterns in her sterling silver and gold pieces. Sterling Echoes is the name of Denise’s business, which is located in the Torch Jewelry Collective on Wilson Avenue in Bend.
Denise has always wanted “to give back in an interesting and unique way to causes that are important to me.” To honor her beloved grandmother who died of ALS, she created a special line of jewelry where she donates a portion of those sales to the ALS Association of Oregon and Washington. She also donates to an Alzheimer’s research group and an FSH cell research organization. While exhibiting at the Utah Arts Festival a few years ago, she met members of the Pink Boots Society, which provides educational funding for women in the brewing industry, and now she donates to them also. She has used digital art created by an ALS patient in her work.
Another connection that Denise treasures is making meaningful custom pieces for clients. She welcomes photos of their dogs or fingerprints that she can turn into unique pendants, rings, or earrings, etc. She can extract a gemstone from an old ring and turn it into a new, more contemporary piece. One customer sent her a batch of sapphires she had mined herself in Montana to be made into a memorable pendant. Denise finds ways to connect with customers and friends as well. For 11 years, she has conducted a contest and encouraged them to send her photos that might be incorporated in her work. The winner receives a piece of jewelry that uses the winning design.
Denise’s jewelry is featured in three books by Lark Publications. In 2012, Art Jewelry Magazine showcased her “Beer Speak” ring. She also sells her jewelry at Pave in downtown Bend and at the Torch Jewelry Collective. This year she will participate in several art shows, including the Utah Arts Festival, the Anacortes Arts Festival and the Sunriver Art Fair.
sterlingechoes.com • Instagram: @beerspeak • info@sterlingechoes.com • redchairgallerybend.com