Barry Perez
"My jewelry is hand-fabricated using sterling silver and 18k gold. I have a passion for gemstones with interesting colors, shapes, and textures. I focus on texture as I design and fabricate, and I am always experimenting with new ways to achieve it. My belief is that jewelry is an art form—a small sculpture that is worn. When I sell a piece, I sign it and record the year to reinforce that when you wear one of my pieces of jewelry, you wear a sculpture. You are wearing art."
Barry’s artwork combines the ideas of sculpture and jewelry. As a part of the Contemporary Art movement, he wants his collectors to feel that they own artwork, not just a sartorial accessory. His love of design and metalwork and his fascination for textures and gemstones drive his need to create. Rarely does he try to represent a figure; his interest is in the abstract contemporary designs, even though people frequently see things in his work—a bird or fish, for example. His design process starts with a semiprecious stone that catches his eye. He then designs the metalwork around the stone, incorporating other smaller gemstones as accents.
All of Barry’s work is hand-fabricated from sterling silver and 18k or 22k gold and incorporates semiprecious stones and gems.
Barry has a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts from the North Texas State University (now named University of North Texas). Barry also studied anthropology, so his influences come from other cultures and their art. He has been inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt and Albert Paley, but his goal has always been to take these various influences and create a space for his own work. Barry stays in close contact with his artist community that has developed over the years. They show their work together in Edom, a small town in Northeast Texas—a sort of motherland for artists who have worked together for decades. He has taught at various workshops and served on the Main Street Board of his hometown, working to incorporate public art into the community. Barry’s collectors come from around the world.
Barry’s artwork combines the ideas of sculpture and jewelry. As a part of the Contemporary Art movement, he wants his collectors to feel that they own artwork, not just a sartorial accessory. His love of design and metalwork and his fascination for textures and gemstones drive his need to create. Rarely does he try to represent a figure; his interest is in the abstract contemporary designs, even though people frequently see things in his work—a bird or fish, for example. His design process starts with a semiprecious stone that catches his eye. He then designs the metalwork around the stone, incorporating other smaller gemstones as accents.
All of Barry’s work is hand-fabricated from sterling silver and 18k or 22k gold and incorporates semiprecious stones and gems.
Barry has a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts from the North Texas State University (now named University of North Texas). Barry also studied anthropology, so his influences come from other cultures and their art. He has been inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt and Albert Paley, but his goal has always been to take these various influences and create a space for his own work. Barry stays in close contact with his artist community that has developed over the years. They show their work together in Edom, a small town in Northeast Texas—a sort of motherland for artists who have worked together for decades. He has taught at various workshops and served on the Main Street Board of his hometown, working to incorporate public art into the community. Barry’s collectors come from around the world.
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