Valeria Martz Jewelry

BIO

Valeria Martinez is a full-time jewellery artist currently residing on Vancouver Island off the West Coast of Canada. She was born and raised in Argentina where she became fascinated with the tradition of using organic materials, in particular horn, in the creation of objects and artifacts. Valeria met the remarkable Argentinian artisan Gustavo Gonzalez and became his apprentice. From him she learnt the secrets and techniques for working with horn and bone. Valeria attended Rosario Conservatory of Music where she pursued classical flute studies. Her passion for jewellery as an art form never left her and was always in her thoughts during her time at the Conservatory. This led her to attend Silversmithing courses and to start combining metals with horn in the creation of her pieces. Valeria sees this pairing as a unique combination, elevating an organic ancient material to the level of precious metal, creating a one-of-a-kind contemporary piece. After finishing her music studies, Valeria travelled around the world then lived in Germany and Ireland before settling down in Canada in 2001. Valeria furthered her metalsmithing skills by taking courses at the Alberta University of the Arts and has attended many well-known juried shows and festivals throughout Canada. She has been a full-time studio jeweller for the past 15 years and still plays the flute in her free time. Her studio is in the beautiful Highlands area of Southern Vancouver Island where she is surrounded by unlimited inspiration from nature.

CRAFT

In the fabrication of my jewellery I mainly use sterling silver, brass, natural horn and gemstones. I use traditional silversmith techniques: piercing, soldering, stone setting, etching, metal forming, etc. When working with organic material, such as horn, some of the techniques applied are shaping with heat, piercing, sanding and polishing. All my work is handmade by myself from start to finish.

LINKS