Amy Beeler’s jewelry adorns an art gallery wall as well as it does a woman’s body.
That’s evident from the exhibit now at the River House Arts.
Beeler, a 2000 graduate from Bowling Green State University, exhibits about 30 works in "Passion
& Adornment II" at the River House Arts, Perrysburg.
She draws inspiration from organic forms. Using the lost wax technique, she creates molds of the seed
pods, and then as them in silver.
Some are small enough to dangle from an earlobe, others require wall space for proper display.
While a collection of her smaller work is on display in one of the gallery’s halls, the two main rooms
are devoted to large pieces that are more sculptural than for personal wearing.
Beeler is a familiar face to those who attend area art fairs. She took best of show honors this year at
the Black Swamp Arts Festival and the Levis Commons Art Fair, as well as the top jewelry award at the
Crosby Festival of the Arts.
Beeler has attributed that success to the work she created for a gallery show.
About two years ago, a juror at an art fair in Florida was so impressed by her work that he asked her if
she wanted to do a solo show at the University of Maine where he was a gallery director. She took about
a year to create the 21 pieces that were included in "Adornment and Passion."
"This allowed me to go back to art for art’s sake," she said.
Beeler found herself concentrating more on shading and texture, and that attention to finer detail
exhibited itself in the work she sold at art fairs. The two sides of her work "feed off each
other."
And that, Beeler believes, is what led to her string of winning six awards within a single season.
She’s "trying to challenge the viewer with concepts of wearability."
Beeler does have one customer, a teacher, who will wear larger pieces to work because she enjoys the
theatrical effect.
The River House exhibit includes work done since the spring show in Maine.
Paula Baldoni, who operates the River House gallery, has exhibited her work in other shows and sold her
work at her shop. "She has a very loyal following," she said.
Beeler combines impeccable craftsmanship and striking design, and "that she uses local flora is a
plus."
Beeler’s love of nature comes from growing up on a farm in rural Oregon, just a few miles from where she
still now lives.
She went to BGSU intent on studying biology until she took metalsmithing as an elective. Working with
master metalsmith Tom Muir sparked her love of the craft. Still, she said, "I was an obstinate
student." That, she noted, made it even sweeter this September when Muir was one of the two judges
who awarded her Best of Show at the Black Swamp Arts Festival.
In college her goals were modest – graduate and go work for jewelry store. Beeler did just that. But
after five years, and several employers, she found the work stifling. She said she learned about craft
from those she worked with, but she wanted more.
She cut back her hours to part time and started doing her own work. Again her goal was simple:
"Build up a clientele" and supplement sales with repairs.
When she created a necklace using local seed pods, "I felt like I was onto something."
Now friends and family provide her with pods from near and far.
Others, she said, comment on how she’s able to reproduce the finest detail.
But replicating nature isn’t her goal, Beeler said.
The texture of the plant is what fascinates her. She cut apart the pods and recombines them with other
forms creating visions of new plants, terrestrial or aquatic.
That’s meant success in streets fairs and placement in museums, including the Toledo Area Artists
Exhibition at the Toledo Museum of Art.
"I didn’t expect the success," she said. "Who would expect success like this? It’s such a
rarity."
