ABOUT

Lisa Markowitz is the sole proprietor, designer, and creator of I Spy Artisan Jewelry. A self-professed jewelry junky growing up in the UK, she was drawn to and fascinated by the malleable properties of metal and its adornment during her first metal working class at school at the age of 11 and has been hooked ever since, taking classes and workshops in fabrication techniques, casting techniques, and enameling whenever possible.

There is something quite palpable and intriguing about molten metal and its mercury-like glow that draws Lisa as a jewelry artist and scientist to explore and experiment. She uses the ancient technique of casting molten metal into cuttlefish bone. The cuttlefish bone presents the perfect canvas to experiment with. Its layers can be peeled back to reveal rich textures and patterns that mimic ripples on the sand, the very habitat in which this ancient marine creature dwelled. Using these textures and patterns to guide her design process, Lisa incorporates them into hand carved molds and transposes them onto metal to capture a fluidity in her pieces that is reminiscent of a childhood trip to the seashore.

Lisa’s pieces often incorporate gemstones as their focal point that are set directly into molten metal during the casting process. When designing each piece, the placement of the stone is carefully considered, whether it be juxtaposing the stone against a pattern or grain in the cuttlebone or featuring it in the center of a beautiful swirl, to create a harmony and balance that is visually pleasing. The resultant pieces are as unique as an individual fingerprint and have a captivating luster to them that cannot be created by any other technique.

Lisa’s work continues to evolve as she experiments and explores different stones and materials to cast in place, the results of which can be both unpredictable and striking . What Lisa loves the most is the element of serendipity involved in her work, such as the unexpected movement of a stone, surprising flow of metal in a mold, or particularly intriguing pattern or texture in the cuttlebone, that keeps it both addictive and exciting!

Lisa is at her happiest when she is creating and getting her hands dirty at her jeweler's bench. It is her hope that when a collector invests in one of her pieces, a connection is formed that transcends into a lifetime of enjoyment.