"Golden Plume" 24k gilded ostrich egg by Kalli Ostner

Description
Materials: 24k Gold, solid Sterling Silver
As soon as I saw this incredible ostrich egg, I had a vision in my head, and I knew what I wanted to create. My goal was to elevate this beautifully simple egg by creating a work of art around it that would showcase its elegance. The ostrich egg was gilded in pure 24k gold, a layered and complex process that took 3 days to complete. Gilding with pure gold creates natural warmth and allows the egg's beautiful texture to show through. The feathery plume that surrounds the egg was what I first envisioned for this project. Completely hand fabricated from solid sterling silver, the feather wraps around the golden egg as an homage to the ostrich's gorgeous plumes. It has been gilded lightly with 24 k gold to add to the color contrast of true feathers. The feather is attached to the stand, which is also solid sterling silver. The feather and stand were a true labor of love, taking many (many) hours at my jeweler's bench to complete. The final feather and stand were antiqued using an old jeweler's method, allowing contrast and depth between the feather and the egg. This beautiful piece changes in the light, lending movement, and grace to the entire work.


Bio
Kalli Ostner is an artist, metalsmith, and owner of Sea and Sky Studio, a custom jewelry company. Each artisan-made jewelry piece is entirely hand-crafted by Kalli using silver and high-karat gold, gemstones, and genuine rare sea glass.
Kalli was educated in metalsmithing in Washington State and has traveled to Florence, Italy, to study under a master Florentine goldsmith each Fall for the last 3 years. A genuine love for creating exceptional quality jewelry is her passion. When not at the workbench in her studio on the Big Island, she can be found traveling and exploring the beaches of the world with her husband and 2 boys.
You can see more of Kallis work at seaandskystudio.com

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