As an only child I have always kept my idle hands busy through arts and crafts. I have a deep admiration for great design especially when it pertains to utilitarian items. I found my way to studying Fine Arts at The Metropolitan State University of Denver and concentrated my focus as a Jewelry and Metalsmith studio major. After receiving my B.F.A. in 2005, I left Denver to start my life with my longtime girlfriend in Omaha, Nebraska. I was immediately, hired as a jeweler’s apprentice by a world renowned jewelry store and gained valuable experience working with precious metals and gemstones. My girlfriend became my wife and my focus shifted towards starting a family. I spent 4 years raising our beautiful children as a stay at home dad while trying to figure out how to expand my career in jewelry.
Jamie Feinstein Jewelry Design is the result of my need to keep my hands busy and to create useful items that provide a feeling of warmth, satisfaction, and tell a story of sentimentalism. I am thankful every day for a wonderful wife and children that make their own sacrifices so that I can chase my own passions.
A little bit about “mokume gane,”
Mokume gane or as I refer to it as “wood grain metal,” has a long and fascinating history that originated in Japan. The words themselves: Mokume Gane are Japanese and I’ve read that the translation to English is “wood eye metal,” or “wood grain metal.” For hundreds of years the process was limited to using ferrous metals (iron) but as time went on techniques developed to incorporate semi and precious metals. Today, because of the hard work and kindness of a few scholars as well as the willingness to educate of a few native masters in mokume gane there are a handful of artisans working in this process all over the world.
To start, as little as two different materials are selected and made into sheet of similar size and thickness. Silver and copper are commonly used because of their compatibility. Layers are stacked of the alternating metals and then a combination of high heat and pressure are introduced to fuse or laminate the entire stack together. If this is done properly, then the patterning process can begin. The fused metal stack (billet) is then carved, forged, and shaped to get a desired pattern. Because the nature of the process, patterns can be mimicked but like a fingerprint none are ever identical.
All items listed on my site are made by my hand in Omaha, Nebraska with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Thank you for visiting my website!
Jamie.