Kelly Jean Conroy

Kelly Jean Conroy

Is an enthusiastic metalsmith and teaches in Massachusetts, America. She makes contemporary and conceptual pieces as well as wearable studio jewellery pieces that she sells online. All of her pieces have some sort of organic influence to them. Many of her pieces are representational to objects found in nature and others are made out of natural objects such as bones, dried flowers and dead animals.
Conroy’s work consists of sketches of birds and flowers that are etched onto metal and shell. she also creates neckpieces that consists of fragments of bone, dead bodies of birds and pierced elements in metal. Conroy sources all of her design elements from her childhood memories, and finds it important that the motifs of nature used in her designs have a personal significance to her.

 I am drawn to her aesthetic style as well as the deeper conceptual meaning behind her work and how she uses the motifs found in nature that are associated with her childhood memories as a form of self reflection. 

Conceptually, Conroy uses these elements to express her “ideas about the cycle of life and the beauty and sadness in death”. She creates jewellery pieces that beautify and break the taboos and fears surrounding the idea of death. Conroy uses her work as a reflection of her inner most feelings and emotions surrounding the idea of death. I want to Use nature nature as a representation or symbol of my personal life and the emotions and ideas associated with the happenings therein.

I feel that my work relates to Conroy’s work to an extent because my jewellery reflects my personal ideas about life and me as a person. I also use elements that represent memories and significant moments in my life. My aesthetics also reflect nature as I create jewellery items that are representational to nature.