Hilary Hachey

I embellish sterling silver with a variety of materials and techniques to bring my designs to life. In addition to traditional materials like 18k gold, I often incorporate colorful fabrics, thread, and metal mesh. The silver itself is frequently enhanced by the strike of a hammer or a surface patina before being combined with other elements or left alone to make a stark and simple statement. My work is inspired by a convergence of the architectural and the natural, influenced by a childhood on a barrier island where the impermanence of tides and shorelines is juxtaposed with the permanence of bulkheads and bridges. I combine traditional metalsmithing techniques such as forging, soldering, sawing, hammering, torch enameling and riveting with experimental techniques like sewing. This approach results in a body of work that celebrates contrast: light and dark, soft and hard, permanent and ephemeral. I truly love the process of building each piece, the care that goes into every soldered joint, hammered texture, and sanded stroke, all to create something to be cherished.