color / texture / form – a jewelry invitational: Erica Gordon's Steel Toe Studios belts and buckles are a long time fixture at Click!, and we love that she is forging steel to be wearable on an even smaller scale now.
We chatted with Erica about her work and "delicate forging":
How would you describe what you make?
I make jewelry that reflects strength and power while still being intimate and personal. I use steel, brass, stainless steel and bronze because I am much more interested in the value of the design than the value of the material.
Can you tell us about your favorite piece in your current collection?
Hard to choose, but my favorite piece might be the Demi necklace. It combines my theme of the capsule and disc shapes with the structure of the steel frame. It is a statement neck piece that has a lot of pop but is actually quite light to wear. And it has a great deal of personal meaning for me!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Not to give up, and to stay focused on my own aesthetic and not chase the customer’s whims.
What inspired you to make Jewelry?
I initially trained in jewelry making in college and then for a couple of years after college. My blacksmithing journey began in 1997, and I started STS in 2003, making belt buckles. I have shifted part of my business back into jewelry making to satisfy my need for a more delicate forging process. My work is set apart from other jewelers because I am always employing blacksmithing ideas to small metals.
If you could collaborate with anyone living or not, who would it be and why?
Louise Bourgeois is one of my favorite sculptors. I don’t know that she collaborated, but I sure would have loved to be a spider on her wall!
