Powell River’s Karin Birch is an award-winning Canadian jewelry artist. Her piece, Let it Flow, won a 2014 Facebook challenge. Birch has been recognized by Art Jewelry magazine and had one of her pieces projected on a four-storey wall as part of an exhibition in San Diego. She works with silver and each of her one-of-a-kind pieces are available at Artique on Marine Avenue.
When did you learn how to work with silver?
I was young, back in the ’60s, when I was in first year of university. I met an old man in Cripple Creek, Colorado, who had a turquoise mine. I worked with him in his mine and then in the winter we went to his basement and he taught me to cut, polish and set the stones, and make jewelry. He was an amazing fellow. He was even in World War I and some of his stories were just tremendous.
What attracts you to silver?
It's a great metal to work with. People have been adorning themselves with jewelry for centuries. Self-adornment is part of everyone. I prefer designing rather than making.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I’m influenced by lots of different things around me, in nature and even in industrial things. My designs come from my environment. I might be influenced by a photograph or a movie or a shape. I work in the wee hours of the morning. I went to university for fine arts where I was trained as a zen potter, actually, and I'm a zen jeweller. I let my creativity flow at the time that it does.
What sets your designs apart?
You can buy something everybody has or you can buy something I have and there's only one. It's an original. It's like an original painting. You can buy a person's painting that's an original, or you can go to Ikea and buy 50 of the same one.
For more information, go to artiquebc.ca/karin-birch.
