Featured Artist: Heather Guidero

While in her teens Heather happened upon a silversmithing class in her community center where her beautiful career began.  Born and raised in Indiana, her ancestry was sprinkled with artists and entrepreneurs. 

She is a graduate of the Jewelry/Metals program at the Rhode Island School of Design.   In the fall of 2001 she moved to New York and sharpened her exacting technique at the famed goldsmith's shop, Reinstein Ross.  There she performed dare devil acts of gold soldering on an impossible scale and built massive, teetering cocktail rings from the ground up.  If you could meet Heather she is cool and calm like a summer day is long, I picture her holding absolutely steady to the pressure of time, money and materials of her former work place while turning out brilliant jewelry. 

Heather's jewelry bench.

But so timely, as it was the field work for her current endeavor: Heather Guidero Jewelry.  She's retained the skills, but has left the formality in New York.  Today she crafts her own illuminated designs which have the elan of a Calder mobile.  When an idea comes to her for a new piece she doesn’t sketch or lay it out but works the idea through, at the bench, directly in metal, cutting, forming, soldering.   She works spontaneously and responds to the form, link by soldered link.   Gravity is her partner and muse, and surprise endings are her delight at work.  Like a stone mason who crafts a wall brick by brick without concern for the end, because his hands “know” what the result will be.  The “greats” make it seem effortless, I marvel that Heather is an unconscious and superb engineer, her works are joyous expressions finely crafted in metal.

In her workshop.

Heather adjusted immediately to the “new economy”, excited with another design challenge, and simply added new pieces combing sterling and 18k gold.  She has built a base of the finest jewelry galleries nationwide who reorder her pieces each season.  You would be wise to travel to Providence, RI to see her entire collection and meet Heather at one of RISD's Alumni Sales, email her at info@heatherguidero.com for dates and times.

Currently she is rehabbing her 1930’s cottage in Providence with her artist fiancé Ryan, and their two cats Alfie and Pirate Jenny, who keep good company at the bench sleeping.

Heather's mixed media sketches.