Bent Metal
Erica Schlueter
Belfast, Maine
Bent Metal is handcrafted jewelry created and carefully executed by Erica Schlueter. Combining silk embroidery and crochet with precious metals, Erica Schlueter pays homage to fine needle work that has been created all over the world and throughout history. Although Schlueter has been producing jewelry for over 10 years, her college experience spanned the study of various aspects of textiles and fibers. Over the years she has been exploring ways to combine fiber and textile techniques into her sterling silver and 18K gold and silver bi-metal jewelry pieces. While continuing to use rivets (and no solder) and embossing fabric textures into the metal, which have been influential design elements in her work, she further embellishes the textured metals with fine silk using embroidery and crochet techniques.