Combination
necklace,
2011; hand-dyed cotton,
ink, hanji, antique
Korean book, thread,
sterling silver, lacquer
Modest materials,
deep cultural roots, and
years as a curator are
the secrets to her success.
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C O C O O N S . L O O F A H . R U B B E R B A N D S .
Coral beads. Silk from her husband’s old
shirts. Paper made from mulberry trees.
White cotton marked with calligraphy as
fierce as graffiti.
Those are among the motley materials
Myung Urso combines in startling juxtapo-
sitions on the frames of sterling silver she
oxidizes and fabricates in her Rochester,
New York, studio.
“Each piece is born rather than I make,”
she says, stitching cotton into a taut tent
over a small silver cage destined to become
a brooch. “It’s not possible to make it again;
it just happens.”
Urso’s one-of-a-kind brooches, neck-
laces, bracelets, and earrings have captured
the attention of discerning curators and col-
lectors, and earned top honors at the ACC’s
2011 Baltimore show. Her pieces sell from
about $200 to $4,coo.
The artist also gets raves from seasoned
gallery owners, such as Ivan and Allison
Barnett, who carry her work in their
Patina Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“She’ll be one of the most important
jewelry makers to watch,” says Ivan. “She
has a lot more leeway to grow because her
materials are not precious.” Adds Allison:
All jewelry photos: Timothy J. Fuss
