Janice Ho

There are a lot of natural themes in my work Š—– inspiration comes from driving through big sky country, digging in the garden, or discovering the flora and fauna that inhabit different parts of our world. I have also always been drawn to the sciences – the cataloging of plants as models and drawings are a great resource for inspiring translation into metal. I think of my pieces as miniature portraits of natural elements, capturing their life and movement and yearning into a little piece of traveling art.I like working directly in metal, fabricating my pieces out of silver and gold sheet and wire. Sheets of metal are roll-printed with papers or leaves to create subtle textures. I make dies out of brass and plexiglass, which are used in a hydraulic press to form the metal and add dimension. Forging, sawing, filing, sanding, and soldering bring it all together. Careful patination of the silver contrasts with the matte surface textures, bringing a graphic quality to my pieces, and creating a backdrop to the elements floating above.