Carol and Jean-Pierre Hsu

"After nearly five decades working as full-time artists, exploring common materials is still our favorite mode of expression. We thrive on the challenge of working with anodized aluminum and other materials, playing with balance and asymmetry in all of our work. We enjoy making uncommon art with common materials."

The Hsus’ work is designed to invoke surprise and delight in their customers. They make jewelry that is eclectic, colorful, lightweight, comfortable, and fun to wear, stretching the imagination of the viewer. Using anodized aluminum for its light weight, strength and vibrant array of colors, their mobiles reflect the balance of elements in their lives: responsibilities of family, community, work, and care for the natural world. Hsu mobiles are captivating and elegant, at home in most any indoor environment. Drawing on their multi-cultural backgrounds inspires and energizes their work.

The Hsus produce jewelry and mobiles using non-precious materials to create adventurous adornment for the body and architectural spaces. They continually explore design and technique with work ranging from small scale jewelry to voluminous mobiles and sculpture. Working with antique and modern tools they have altered, the Hsus hand-cut, form, and finish every element of their metalwork. They emboss textures into the raw aluminum sheet, rod and wire in various ways before anodizing. Anodizing is an electro-chemical process that oxidizes the surface. This layer is a hard, protective finish and accepts dyes of many colors. Their designs are hand-cut, formed, finished and assembled with handmade rivets and other cold connections. Clean with water and a soft cloth. Mild soap can be used if rinsed thoroughly. Use no abrasives.

The Hsus are self-taught artists, both starting their full-time art careers in 1975, Jean-Pierre as a potter and Carol as a jeweler, merging their studios in 1984 to raise a family and work full-time making jewelry, mobiles and sculpture. They have regularly participated in juried craft fairs for the past five decades, and continue to sell their art in galleries and museum shops across the country.