Local Artist
Heavy metal By Allison Williams
Delicate silver balls dangle on the slimmest of chains. A fine pendant seems to be carved, not
artist, like her work, is a study in contrasts. One of her most well-known pieces is the beautiful but prickly necklace she calls “Elegant Defense.” So imagine their surprise when people meet the young and curly-haired Erica Stankwytch Bailey. Step into her studio and you might find her, hair tucked behind her ears or
twisted into a ponytail, bent over an immaculate – and perfectly flat – sheet of sterling silver. Flat for now, that is. A 20-ton hydraulic press sits waiting for Bailey’s next move. An array of tools – hand tools, power tools and unpronounceable tools – is laid out on the counter. A kitchen Crockpot has been drafted into service, not for stews, but as a safe place to strip away layers of oxidation. Bailey’s studio is
22 | Oct • Nov 2008
forged. But there is heat, strength and sheer force behind these intricate pieces of jewelry. And the
