Growing up in Munich, Germany I was fascinated with the coexistence of old and modern. I developed an interest in cultures of the past and chose to learn as much as possible about the ancient art of gold smithing. It seemed to represent as much of an inner discipline and lifelong learning opportunity as a way to make an ethically honest way of living in our times. This choice held the promise of a wide array of knowledge about the arts, architecture, materials, tools and their properties, ways of presenting and learning to be a merchant as well as learning about people I would meet through this gateway. I have since of course noticed the pressures of a globalized world in which the price of handmade goods can differ a great deal depending on where they have been made. My pieces reflect my fascination with ancient cultures. Methods such as chasing and repousse allow me to create a relationship between concave and convex, granulation a decorative fusion technique adds lively patterns of intriguing detail. The method of making rubber molds of pieces sometimes reduces the amount of labor spent. Most of my jewelry is finished with a process of surface depletion and treated with glass brushes. This allows for a contrast between polished surfaces and highlights made with burnishers on edges. I use natural gemstones to bring color and optical effects into my work.
Michael Stoffel
