A jewelry artist and metalsmith based in Chicago, Susanne Henry creates “paperchain” jewelry in steel and gold, inspired by the construction-paper chains of childhood. She works in steel to express the juxtaposition of strength and femininity in jewelry. As an inherently lightweight yet strong material, steel also allows for more experimentation as well as larger pieces. The material is forged, formed, or both, incorporating traditional jewelry-making techniques to create volume. A black finish gives each work a fierce and bold quality, evoking the ornamentation of armor and protection. Henry selectively incorporates pure gold into her pieces, using an adapted keum-boo technique and/or gilding to create highlights over the blackened steel.
