Ulrike Hamm.

Ulrike Hamm is a German-born artist who creates absolutely gorgeous jewelry out of parchment (skins of goats, sheep or calves...that part's kind of gross, but the work is beautiful.) She was originally trained as a goldsmith and later attended Germany's College of Design (Fachhochshule fur Gestaltung) to study Jewelry Craft and has since been working as a freelance artist. I'm really attracted to the vibrant colors and organic shapes that Hamm uses in her pieces.

And I really love the way that she talks about her materials and the process that goes into making her work...

“It is a stubborn, mysterious, vivid, precious and unpredictable material that wants to be explored and conquered. Its inspirational appearance and characteristics allow me to constantly discover new aspects and possibilities, which I trace within it.

In order to fully understand parchment I research and explore its features. Various influences such as heat, cold, moisture or acidity bring parchment to its mechanical limits. I develop three-dimensional forms out of a flat surface and test different dying and printing techniques on it. I dye pre-cut parts in various stages in a colour bath, and while they are still elastic I shape and assemble them into jewelry.

The parchment shrinks during the drying process and shapes itself according to its inherent growing patterns. By partly interacting with the process, I achieve an interplay between its natural formation and my active interference.”