Baiyang Qiu
Palo Alto, CA
Growing up in a small traditional jewelry shop in China, Baiyang’s interest in jewelry started at an early age. To pursue her dream, she moved to the United States to study and developed a bench practice that explored contemporary concepts supported by traditional techniques. After receiving an MFA degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009, Baiyang became a full-time practice in jewelry. Through the years, she is exploring the use of fine wire to capture inspiration in gold and platinum.
Inspired by nature and its beautiful forms, Baiyang uses extremely fine gauge wire of high karat gold and platinum to bring her designs to life. Whether it be a raindrop gliding down a leaf or a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, vine-like wire work becomes a three-dimensional line drawing that captures transitory moments to preserve them in jewelry. The subjective relationship between her work and the body is part of this dichotomy, and jewelry is the medium to present her perspective to the wearer.