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James Blanchard

Is that a... ring!?
James Blanchard makes jewelry because it feels good. Each tiny sculpture he creates inspires him to make another. Working primarily in sterling silver, clean lines are formed using simple geometry and balance. He considers his approach to be “contemporary.”

Typically, his pieces are constructed using bright metal and a gemstone as the focal point. Lately, he’s been experimenting with Fordite cabochons set in oxidized sterling settings that have been filed to create a distressed finish.

Because he didn’t go to art school, he considers himself an artist of his own making. James rarely works from sketches, relying on an uncanny ability to transmit designs directly from his brain to his hands. His hope is that the work stimulates the senses and evokes questions.

James shows at over 20 art fairs annually, and is represented through Gallery Fifty in his hometown of Traverse City, Michigan.