My work grows out of an early fascination with insects, deep-sea life, fragmented bodies, and imagined forms. I translate that curiosity into wearable metal objects that feel both familiar and otherworldly.

I build from a personal archive of sketches, photos, and collected materials, pulling textures and structures from both natural encounters and visual media. Each piece begins with a loose sense of place. I think of them as belonging to invented environments, somewhere between artifact and living thing.

Gwendolyn Marr (b. 2002), a metalsmith based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is aiming to hone her skills to better incorporate the creative wonders of fantasy realms, as well as the raw, disturbing elements found in the natural world into her jewelry. Her inspiration is taken from elements that many might deem as strange or disturbing, transforming them as wearable works of art that give them a new perspective. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in metalsmithing at Western Michigan University, she works to hone her skills in making the gross parts of nature attractive.