David Forlano and Steve Ford

"We want our work to allude to things you've seen in nature, yet be compelling in its own right."

Steve Ford and David Forlano began collaborating on jewelry design in 1988. Working with polymer clay, their early works were characterized by bright colors and complex, caned cross-sectional patterns. Ford and Forlano were early innovators in what is now a popular fine craft material. They taught workshops nationally, self-published two calendars of polymer clay work, and Ford co-authored a how-to book on the subject.

Today, Ford and Forlano primarily make one-of-a-kind jewelry, passing pieces back and forth between their Philadelphia and Santa Fe studios at different stages in the creative process. With the introduction of precious materials such as sterling silver, gold, and pearls, their work is as bold and expressive as ever. Part of their goal is to transform an inorganic, man-made material into something that looks as if it was found on the beach, or growing in the woods. The designs feature complex, layered surface treatments with mysterious and unusual colors. Ford and Forlano strive to give each element in a piece its own diverse character while maintaining a unified look as a whole.

Steve grew up in the Midwest, and studied art in St. Louis, Rome, and Philadelphia. He has been a full-time studio artist for the past twenty years. He lives in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with his partner of fifteen years. David is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia. He developed a passion for drawing and painting at an early age and went on to study art in Philadelphia and Rome. In addition to his business collaboration in jewelry, he continues artistic explorations in painting, printmaking, sound, and video. He lives with his wife in Santa Fe, New Mexico.