Jewelry artist: Mayra Orama Muniz
March 26, 2009 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Bead Stringing, Beading, Mixed Media, Other Bead & Jewelry Sites, Recycled Art, Wearable Art
Betty Necklace
8″x5″x 3″
Ebony wood, White gold tube settings, diamonds magnetic clasp
Artist: Mayra Orama Muniz
Website: Mio Studio
Using exotic hardwoods as an expression of organic moving forms, self- taught artist Mayra Iveliesse Orama Muniz has created a line of jewelry that reflects on her life growing up in New York City and the more recent influences of the last five years living in Puerto Rico.
The many landscapes of her life — from modern industrial city to the tropical rainforests of Puerto Rico — have become her inspiration.
The miniature sculptures Muniz creates are a melding of richly textured woods and cool metals. Her forms hint at the natural flowing beauty of the lush green mountains of Utuado and the pristine white- sand beaches of Vega Baja. An admirer of celebrated British sculptor Henry Moore, Muniz is also influenced by Asian art and drawn to balance and movement.
The artist selects her exotic hardwoods by hand, choosing each piece for its color, grain, and suitability for the intended design. In the studio, Muniz carves and sands each miniature sculpture for many hours, finishing the piece with hand-rubbed natural oils.
Muniz believes wood is an ideal material for jewelry because as the piece is worn, oils from the wearer’s skin continue to protect the finish. All of the woods Muniz uses are acquired from remnant pieces, making her work very eco-friendly.
If I see this correctly, the magnetic clasp is hidden inside one of the ebony beads. Impressive!
Really clever, isn’t it?