Artist Statement:

Virginia Dietrich began handcrafting jewelry about 20 years ago, when she strung her first pair of beaded earrings. Intermittently over the years, when time permitted, she experimented with different mediums and techniques, including wire wrapping, lapidary, precious metal clay, resin, etching, silversmithing, polymer clay, glass beading, and glass fusion, discovering coppersmithing and enameling in 2019. She learned jewelry making fundamentals from various nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Currently her artistic focus is on coppersmithing – using texturizing tools, heat, and chemicals to create patterns and patinas on copper and brass. Her goal is to create distinctive and affordable jewelry using soldering and cold connections to create pieces that incorporate coppersmithing, glass fusion, enameling, wire wrapping, and beading.