Peter
received his bachelor of fine arts in jewelry
from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design,
in 1984, and has since won numerous awards for
his work.
The Mountain Series line of jewelry was designed
exclusively for The Gallery at Jasper Park Lodge.
The
pieces are created primarily in sterling silver
with the more elaborate pieces accented with 14k
and 24k gold and gemstones. As each piece is made
by hand, no two are exactly alike, making each
creation a miniature work of art. Peter uses a
variety of techniques in his designs including
reticulation, fusing and oxidation.
Reticulation
is the process of repeatedly heating up the metal,
causing the silver and copper (which is approximately
7.5% of the content) to separate. As the fine
silver rises to the surface the metal becomes
very white. The final heating requires a very
hot torch to melt the under-laying copper causing
the surface layer of silver to crinkle and ripple.
Fusing
creates a sand-texture finish by first heating
the metal to its melting point and then fusing
silver or gold filings into the surface of the
metal.
Oxidation (or tarnish) is a process which produces
the unique colours. It is quickly achieved by
heating the silver and then applying an oxidation
solution. The results are very unpredictable,
much like the raku process.
Care of Oxidized Sterling Silver
To clean, use toothpaste or baking soda and water
and rub along the high polished surfaces while
avoiding the oxidized areas. Rinse with water.
Never immerse oxidized silver in commercial silver
cleaning solutions such as Silver Dip as this
will remove the colour. To prevent your silver
jewellery from tarnishing, keep it in an air tight
container when not being worn.
