Patrik Kusek

Precious Metal Clay Maestro

 

 

 

Kusek finds his inspiration in a variety of materials, including old book illustrations, botanical works and even antique medical instruments and devices.

Discussing the origins of his precious metal clay jewelry, Patrik Kusek explains how inspiration can strike him just about any place, although a lot of his work is nature-based. He loves the structure of natural forms—branches and pods, for instance. Indeed, in speaking about the latter, he expresses admiration for their efficient structure—their “architecture”—and tactile quality.

Sometimes Kusek is driven by a desire to achieve a certain texture or effect, such as a wood grain pattern. For a faux-bois cuff, he took wet bronze precious metal clay (PMC) and made it into a cuff shape and then carved out the wood grain pattern. After a bit of finishing and sanding, he filled in the pattern with copper clay, dried the whole piece and then sanded it to reveal the pattern underneath.

 

 

Carl Little
issue 35.4

 

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More Patrik Kusek Jewelry images

 

 

Carl Little
caught up with Patrik Kusek last August at Haystack. Kusek is a sought-after teacher of precious metal clay, leading workshops across the country. He has taught at Arrowmont, Rio Grande and Aftosa. “We met at 6:30 in the evening, right after dinner, and all his students were back in the studio—creativity for dessert,” says Little. This past summer, Little published Eric Hopkins: Above and Beyond. He has contributed the text for the brochure for “The Inspired Hand V,” an exhibition organized by the Maine Crafts Association and the Atrium Art Gallery in Lewiston, Maine.

 

 

This article in its entirety appears only in the print magazine.

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