Scottish goldsmith Craig Stuart explores the boundaries between man-made objects and nature. He is a self-taught jeweler who returned to university in his late twenties, receiving an Honours Degree at Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art in Dundee, Scotland. Since then he has specialized in Mokume Gane (literally, “woodgrain metal”), an ancient Japanese technique in which the metalworker fusion-bonds layers of contrasting metals, then works them to reveal swirling patterns. Using only precious metals, Stuart starts with an end result in mind, and the patterns he creates are controlled throughout the process—every tool mark or hammer blow affects the final outcome. The finished pieces are designed to invite the viewer to linger and explore—the closer one looks at the surface, the more there is to see. His designs are bold, clean and have a simplicity of form that belies the complexity of their production.
