Alex Blake Williams

BFA ’20 Metal Design

Born and raised in Raleigh North Carolina, Alex enjoyed drawing and began seriously considering art in highschool. After taking AP 3d design and working in the prop department she became interested in other mediums. Unsure of what concentration to focus on, she fell in love with metal design almost immediately in the survey class. It combined her favorite aspects of the mediums she had worked with in the past, from the intricate details of drawing to the three-dimensionality of sculpture. Plus, it had fire! As an active member of the metals guild, she enjoyed participating in many of the events and activities with her friends and served as a past vice president and current social media director. While she is going to miss the group of artists that have become a second family, she can’t wait to see where the skills she has learned at ECU take her next.

Artist Statement
There are two facts integral to my work. The first: I am perpetually learning and love a challenge. I grew up an only child and much of my free time was filled with reading or playing cards and chess after school. These activities developed both my imagination and the analytical side of my mind. Reading inspired an incessant urge to create, including the pieces here, while the games I loved encouraged me to think logically and use creative problem-solving. The second: While I strive to be creative, I also value craftsmanship and the technical aspects of my field. When someone sees my work, I want them to appreciate the craftsmanship as much as the design itself. The combination of these two facts is ever-present in my work as I continue to learn and combine new techniques, maintaining the integrity and functionality of the work as I push the designs.

 

Kymopoleia (front), 2020

Hand raised copper bowl
Vitreous enamel with plique a jour and sugar-fire techniques

 

Kymopoleia (back), 2020

Hand raised copper bowl
Vitreous enamel with plique a jour and sugar-fire techniques

 

Mnemosyne, 2019

Lost wax cast bronze and sterling silver rings

 

Mnemosyne (detail), 2019

Lost wax cast bronze and sterling silver rings

 

Athena/Aegis, 2019

Pendant
Copper, cupric nitrate

 

Artemis, 2020

Brooch
Lost wax cast sterling silver, cz

 

Persephone, 2018

Brooch
Copper, brass

 

Aphrodite, 2019

Belt buckle
Copper, borax

 

Nemesis, 2019

Chef’s knife
Hand forged carbon steel, rosewood, brass

 

Demeter, 2018

Bolo tie
Copper, vitreous enamel with sugar fire, leather, embroidery thread

 

Hecate, 2019

Measuring teaspoon
Copper, dyed quartz

 

Olympus, 2019

Lost wax cast sterling silver ring

 

 


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