Vickie Hallmark draws inspiration for her jewelry from the fauna and flora that gather around the stock tank pond in her central Texas garden. The scenes that appear in her work are based on studio views of the treetops, where warblers and wrens flit from branch to branch, or adapted from close examination of the native plants she cultivates. Each bird, leaf and flower is hand-sculpted in silver or gold clay with the individuality that nature imparts, with details interpreted through an artistic eye. Once reduced to pure metal, these tiny elements are then combined with Argentium Sterling Silver, high karat gold and colorful gemstones to create charmingly individual vignettes meant to be worn and treasured.

 

Trained as a research scientist, Vickie studied gold and silver in the laboratory for many years before returning to her birth name's heritage of metalsmithing (a hallmark is a maker and purity mark for fine metals). She sought training from recognized master jewelers to learn the craft, but combined the techniques they taught with her own experimental and artistic nature to develop a unique combination of high tech materials and processes.