Artistry By Ravelle

Meet

Ravelle Flores

I made my first piece of jewelry at the ripe young age of 8 in 1998. Born into a family of jewelry artists this came as no surprise. It was a modest start. My earliest creations were made of rusty found objects, postage stamps, recycled Barbie dolls, and other people’s detritus. In addition, I helped with the production of my parent's jewelry in small ways such as riveting and texturing metal.

At the age of 21, I left the nest, went off to school, and began working traditional jobs to support my education and living expenses. The onset of my father’s long and ultimately terminal illness brought me home in 2017 at which time I again found a serious passion for the art of jewelry making, during a time of grieving and soul searching. The return to artistic expression was at first a coping mechanism for dealing with his illness and then loss and has ultimately become my career. I have dedicated myself to this bold expression since that time and began exploring the techniques of dry sifting enameling and more recently, cloissonne’.

My work is driven by the exploration of imagery, materials, and process. The use of color, particularly a bold and rich palette, is a prevalent and signature feature of my work. My love for and constant observation of nature can be found in images of fauna, flora, and even insects. My jewelry is made with thought and heart behind it... and at times very comical...

I work primarily with opaque enamels to produce my images. The discovery that both cloisonne' and champleve' enameling could be manifested with opaque materials was a turning point in the development of my art. Of particular importance was a class I took from Laura Fortune, a gifted artist and educator in these techniques. With this new technique I hit the ground running. The challenge and excitement of this new work continually inspires and propels me in ways previously unimagined.

I exhibit in select galleries around the West and Midwest. My work and I were featured in the November 2023 edition of New Mexico Magazine. I exhibit in juried art festivals and my current schedule can be found on Instagram @artistrybyravelle. I have a beautiful collection of my work available online.