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Artist Statement:
Geoffrey Giles was born in 1972 and spent his youth exploring artistic expressions. These included long hours of finger painting, drawing, and a borderline obsession with Legos. While in high school, Geoffrey was introduced to jewelry making, and in a moment of clarity knew that it was what he wanted to do with his life. He was taken on as an apprentice by two master goldsmiths where he lived, and formally began his training.
After two years of the apprenticeship, and the end of high school in 1991, Geoffrey went on to Virginia Commonwealth University. In 1995, he received a BFA from the Department of Crafts with a concentration in metals. He then spent three years working as a bench jeweler in both Richmond, VA and Atlanta, GA before moving to the mountains of North Carolina to begin his life as an independent artist.
Geoffrey's work has been shown both nationally and internationally. He has been in numerous publications, both books and periodicals. And throughout his career, Geoffrey has received a range of honors within his field.
Geoffrey creates one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry. He works primarily in 18K gold, fabricating each piece himself with no outside help of any kind. His jewelry has an industrial aesthetic; a combination of basic geometric forms, clean lines, and attention to surface detail. In describing his art, Geoffrey states:
Visually my work alludes to structures and objects we have created as a
species. Emphasizing construction and surface, I strive to showcase the
underlying forms of architectural elements, clockworks, and machine parts.
In doing this, I ask the viewer to contemplate the impact of the industrial
revolution upon our lives. I attempt to create work that is reminiscent of the
mass production of man, while at the same time, remaining unique to my
own vision.
The resulting dichotomy, that I allude to mass produced machine made
objects while making these pieces completely by hand with the bare minimum
of hand tools, causes me to continually think about the role of the craftsman
within our technologically driven society.
Geoffrey Giles is committed to environmentally friendly processes and materials. He uses only 100% recycled metals. The diamonds and gems come from reputable companies who only supply ethically sourced material.
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Artist's
Website:http://www.geoffreydgiles.com/ |
