Bay Area artist Jenny Reeves says that she designs jewelry with three things in mind: artistry, craftsmanship and wearability. In truth, she has a fourth: sustainability. This very talented jeweler makes pieces that are conflict-free, reclaimed, and thoughtfully-sourced. Using primarily recycled stones and precious metals, Reeves creates striking, high-end pieces inspired by the California landscape that surrounds her.

“The California landscape provides constant inspiration.  It’s a unique mix of natural and man-made, serene and wild, old and new…  It’s designed for people who are rugged and refined, wild yet civilized, love modern life but have a connection to nature and to the past.”

Like me (and many other people I find interesting), Reeves has worn many different professional hats; lifeguard, accountant, muralist, and bartender, to name a few. But when she discovered her passion for metalsmithing, she knew she had found her home. Her work is a study in layering. She starts with layers of sterling silver, 18K gold, or 950 palladium which is torch fired to fuse them in place. After multiple firings, the piece’s texture begins to emerge. She then adds gems and patterns, and even highlights certain details with gold. The final pieces feel really modern and organic at the same time.

You can check out more of Reeves’s work on her website, and on Instagram, Facebook, and Artful Home.

All images property of Jenny Reeves.