PO Box 1045
Salida, Colorado 81201
719-539-5499
FAX 719-539-6507
hammernfire@gmail.com

Nicole Hansen Artist's Statement

Metal is in my blood. I have loved forming and sculpting it since I was a child. My first piece was a pair of lily petal earrings I made in my parents’ jewelry store. By the age of nine I hammered every chance I got, driving out customers and employees. Somehow others did not find the rhythmic ring of the steel hammer as enticing as I did.

As I craft the silver I meditate on the hammer. Each exacting blow moves the metal a tiny amount. Thousands of strikes, each one touching another will eventually shape a flat sheet into the contour I desire, while subtle differences in tone tell me when the metal is hard and needs to be softened. Each step is an art perfected only by practice. Metalsmithing is as simple as it is complex. We take part in the ancient as we sculpt the future, for the laws that govern the metal will never change.

The intrinsic value of silver, beauty, and function blend in my work; it is for special occasions as well as every day enjoyment. I want the owners to share the unique feeling of a hand raised piece in this day of high-tech mechanized, everything. Simple lines, young leaves, wind carved canyons, and ripples in sand always grab my attention. Rich reflective surfaces and graceful curves speak to me. I often walk around cradling my pieces, I want them to be as fluid to touch as they are to look at.