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I was born in the Black Sea region of Russia. After studying Russian literature and history in Russia, I moved to the United States. Inspired by the great examples of classical jewelry, particularly the ancient jewelry found in the Black Sea settlements of the Hellenistic period, I studied at the Jewelry Art Institute in New York City. There I worked with teachers who specialized in restoration of pieces in The Metropolitan Museum of Art using classical metal working techniques. I have also studied with the noted precious metal artist Valentin Yotkov who is known for his mastery of the classical metal working techniques of repousse and chasing. I learned silversmithing at the SilverMine School of Art in Connecticut. My work has been exhibited in various venues on the East Coast of the United States and in Hawaii.
I work in pure silver and in 22 Karat gold which I alloy by hand following the ancient formula. The result is gold of a rich yellow hue that retains the unique color of the pure metal. Each piece is handmade and individually smithed, raised, and formed using simple tools such as hammers, files, and saws. I make two lines of jewelry: the classic, whose designs are directly based on museum pieces, and the modern, which are inspired by classical designs.
I recently moved to the State of Hawaii. My studio is located on The Big Island.
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