Pen Andrishok earned an MFA in Multi-media from the University of Iowa,
and has spent much of her career active in the field of conceptual art, so it's interesting that the artist would find herself working with traditional silversmithing techniques in creating jewelry. The artist's fondness for her materials, however, has been life-long. "Silver has always been magical for me. As a child I loved seeing the Native American jewelry being sold along the roads in the Southwest. The vibrant colors of turquoise, coral and lapis were beautiful to me." Learning about the healing and magical powers associated with these stones deepened her appreciation for their natural beauty.
The unique qualities of each stone inspire Pen's design choices in creating their settings. Hammering, hand-sawing, and soldering each piece of jewelry, her impeccable craftsmanship perfectly complements the loveliness inherent to the broad range of stones with which she works.
