Marilyn O'Hara

"My work is inspired by the mesmerizing flow of water combined with the tranquility of nature. I enjoy creating movement in my pieces using elemental shapes and negative space. Each piece is a celebration of the natural world around us and has a story of its own to tell."

Over the years, Marilyn found certain shapes and concepts reappearing in her work. In each piece of jewelry, she has used the progression of this simple shape that becomes fully incorporated creating elegant forms in limited editions and “one-of-a-kind” pieces. Her love of Argentium Sterling has been a large influence. The ability to fuse the Argentium Sterling and 18kt gold allows her to construct her pieces without solder which enhances the flow of each piece.

Each piece is hand fabricated from sheet and wire, and is entirely made by hand, using precious metals and unusual gemstones. She begins by cutting and bending strips of metal to shape the individual parts, then rearranging them into different patterns and shapes to tell the story. They are often very labor intensive and can take weeks or even months to produce.

Marilyn O’Hara has been a studio goldsmith since 1975. She opened a gallery/studio on the beach in Cape May, New Jersey, in the mid 70’s where she designed and produced her own line of jewelry. She went on to earn a BFA from University of North Texas in Metalsmithing and did post-graduate work at the University of Arizona and the University of Texas at Dallas. She has also studied Advanced Stone Setting and Diamond Grading at Gemological Institute of America. Her teachers include Harlan Butt, Jean Stark, John Cogswell, Linda Darty, Ronda Coryell, Fabrizio Acquafresca, David Huang, Carol Webb, Juan Carlos Caballero-Perez, Jayne Redman, and Betty Helen Longhi.