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Karen Kryzan

Portrait of Karen Kryzan smiling at the camera, wearing round black glasses and a denim jacket with decorative pins.

Jewellery + Metals

Jewelry & metalsmith designer · BFA · Class of 2016

www.kmaxjewelry.com/

Karen Maxine Kryzan.

Karen Kryzan is a multimedia artist and holds a BFA with distinction, with a major in Jewellery + Metals from ACAD(AUA). As a maker, she is passionate about creating designs through story telling, and expressing these ideas by constructing one-of-a-kind objects using a variety of materials. Stories capture the attention of the viewer even if the story is about the process of making and the inspiration. Kryzan's Metis-Scottish and European ancestry provides inspiration for many of her designs.

Bison Pendants (and earrings) This project began after an anxious time experiencing the covid protocol. I was ready to tell a happy news story by Banff National Park . Here is my poem with references from the Parks Canada website. Material: sterling silver sheet, stone buffalo turquoise, carnelian, silk rope. Dimensions: Bison 3.6cmx3cm, cord 18"
Canadian Snow Cast, eh! Glacialis I Series. This body of work is intended as a series commenting on glaciers. I reveal the physical and aesthetic properties of wax, snow and metal in order to invite a deeper reflection on our environment. Through the transformation of the hot-cold and solid-liquid process, a tension forms between the snow and the wax, and again during the casting stage with the heating of the metal. Materials: 2017 cast wax impression of snow from Mt. Yamnuska, rubber cord Dimensions: 7.5mmx4.5mm, cord 17.5mm
Red Planet hoops, The name 'Red Planet' coincided once seeing the similarity of both landscapes after NASA'S images from the Perseverance rover which landed on Mars in 2021. Materials: brass, copper, sterling silver posts Process - reticulation - heat paintings Dimensions: Brass Hoop 4.5mm Copper Button 1.6mm
Just Jasper Series - Knotty Lips Like Jagger The 'Just Jasper' series of pendants features a variety of jasper stones. My interest is to include the use of other materials in my practice besides the typical metals such as silver, copper or brass. Materials - acrylic sheet, stone - snowflake obsidian, sterling silver rivets & findings, waxed cotton cord. Dimensions: Pendant 7.7mmx4.5mm, Stone 4.5mmx2.6mm, cord 21"

Karen Kryza's Work

Karen Kryza's Work Sterling silver bison-shaped pendant by Karen Kryzan featuring buffalo turquoise and carnelian stones, suspended from a dark silk cord.
Bison Pendants (and earrings) This project began after an anxious time experiencing the covid protocol. I was ready to tell a happy news story by Banff National Park . Here is my poem with references from the Parks Canada website.

Material: sterling silver sheet, stone buffalo turquoise, carnelian, silk rope.
Dimensions: Bison 3.6cmx3cm, cord 18"
Karen Kryza's Work Sculptural silver pendant by Karen Kryzan with an irregular flowing surface formed from a cast wax impression of snow, suspended from a black cord.
Canadian Snow Cast, eh! Glacialis I Series. This body of work is intended as a series commenting on glaciers. I reveal the physical and aesthetic properties of wax, snow and metal in order to invite a deeper reflection on our environment. Through the transformation of the hot-cold and solid-liquid process, a tension forms between the snow and the wax, and again during the casting stage with the heating of the metal.

Materials: 2017 cast wax impression of snow from Mt. Yamnuska, rubber cord
Dimensions: 7.5mmx4.5mm, cord 17.5mm
Karen Kryza's Work Pair of circular brass earrings by Karen Kryzan with warm mottled surfaces and reddish copper studs, created using reticulation and heat-painting techniques.
Red Planet hoops, The name 'Red Planet' coincided once seeing the similarity of both landscapes after NASA'S images from the Perseverance rover which landed on Mars in 2021.

Materials: brass, copper, sterling silver posts
Process - reticulation - heat paintings
Dimensions: Brass Hoop 4.5mm Copper Button 1.6mm
Karen Kryza's Work Pendant by Karen Kryzan featuring a dark snowflake obsidian stone set within a sculptural red acrylic form resembling lips, suspended from a black cord.
Just Jasper Series - Knotty Lips Like Jagger The 'Just Jasper' series of pendants features a variety of jasper stones.

My interest is to include the use of other materials in my practice besides the typical metals such as silver, copper or brass.

Materials - acrylic sheet, stone - snowflake obsidian, sterling silver rivets & findings, waxed cotton cord.
Dimensions: Pendant 7.7mmx4.5mm, Stone 4.5mmx2.6mm, cord 21"

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