Hratch Babikian

"Life is short and time is precious. I create art to bring beauty to people's lives and make our time here more enjoyable."

The inspiration for Hratch Babikian's Sea Urchin Series springs from the artist's early years on the coasts of Lebanon. Babikian has spent the past 15 years perfecting his oceanic series both in jewelry and in sculpture in an attempt to recapture those wondrous days spent collecting shells and watching aquatic life in and around the coastal rocky pools.

Many of Babikian's pieces begin life as drawings or paintings made each day as a means of releasing creative energy. The artist brings his ideas into the three-dimensional world with the help of 25-plus years of metal- and goldsmithing experience. At this time, he opens his mind and allows the metal and stone to show him the way.

With a focus on comfort, wearability, and longevity, Babikian forges and forms his intricate works in a unique Mediterranean style using exotic *found:found object (objet trouvi)* materials in an endless variety of shapes and colors. Babikian's work has been featured in "500 Earrings: New Directions in Contemporary Jewelry," published by Lark Books, 2007."