Taryn Leavitt in Gold
Location:Â United States
"Everything is hand made. My work begins with pure gold to which I add silver and copper to create a high carat yellow gold. I pull the wire I use and press the sheet. I fuse and solder and polish each piece. I work primarily in 22 or 20 carat gold with precious and semi precious stones.
Each piece is like a puzzle with many parts coming together to make a coherent whole. It's not so different from my past career as a news reporter. Each assignment began with disparate parts that had to be interpreted and carefully placed together to make a story. I began my adventure in gold while working full time as a TV news reporter in New York City. In the evening I was taking classes for a Masters program in Art History with a focus on Folk Art Studies. To complete the program I chose an elective in light metal sculpture. It was so much more fun than writing papers. I was hooked. I found a studio that taught ancient jewelry making techniques and began to turn a passion into a business.