I have been an artist-metalsmith for 35 years. Aesthetically, my work often centers on abstract architecture and landscapes, and semiotics, but after coming to New Mexico five years ago, some of my work is beginning to show the influence of the desert, geology, and cultures that surround me. I am particularly interested in pushing the idea of “ring”—what a ring can be, while still being wearable. Jewelry at its best is wearable art.

One of my interests is exploring unusual metals and materials, usually in combination with gold, to create jewelry and small-scale sculpture. In 1979, I published a seminal paper, which became my Master of Fine Arts thesis, on the use of, and coloring of titanium, tantalum, and niobium, and other "refractory" metals for jewelry and sculpture. I have also developed gold alloys whose colors range from whites, to yellows, pinks, reds, greens, purples, and blues. These metals and alloys give me a large palate for creating new designs. I am currently experimenting with non-traditional techniques for applying color and images to jewelry, and using super-low-density solids for jewelry and small-scale sculpture.

Joseph Hall

For more information on Joseph's work please go to his website: www.RingworksStudio.com