Elaine Rader

"I have always been in love with nature, it is the inspiration in all I create. Stones are the main focus of my jewelry designs, I love finding new stones to work with and finding new ways to set off their beauty and tell their story. Always open to learning, my work takes twists and turns as I apply new techniques...and I love not knowing where that will take me."

Elaine was born and raised in NYC and was educated in music and dance at the Juilliard School of Music and the American School of Ballet. She studied painting and sculpture with her father as well as clay methods at the Museum of Modern Art. Her first career was as a banker that spanned 22 years in NY, Miami, and Atlanta. In the late 70’s, she met and married a jeweler and was introduced to the world of metalwork. Although she did not perform any the technical aspects involved in creating the jewelry, she was very involved with the designing of the pieces and there the long road to her next career was sparked. One day she decided to reconnect with her creative self leading down the path to her new life as a metalsmith. Being self taught, her career evolved slowly. She has been a full time metalsmith for the past 26 years.

Her design inspiration usually starts with an unusual stone, combining the colors and textures of the stones into the patterns she uses in the silver, a celebration of natural elements, contrasting textures, fine and rough materials that compliment each other. Always an intuitive designer, a hands on approach, one with the metal is always used instead of a pre planned design. All her work is fabricated from sterling silver and 22K gold sheet and wire, no casting is used. Textures are obtained by roller mill texturing or hammers. She uses the Korean technique of Keum-boo in some of her pieces, which involves applying thin sheets of 24K gold to a fine silver surface.

Elaine participated in, and primarily sold her work through, juried fine art shows for over 20 years. She is now retired from the “on the road art show life” but not retired from creating her wearable art.