Marilyn from Shaped By Hand (In her own words)

Orange Spotted Czech Glass and Hammered Sterling Silver Bracelet

Introductions: I discovered Shaped By Hand a few months ago on Etsy. I have always loved Swarovski Crystal and own quite a few pieces. However I was drawn to Marilyn's pieces as they are 'shaped by hand'. They have a personal touch and beautifully arranged. One can see the thought that has went into ever piece to ensure quality but most importantly uniqueness.


Marilyn:  have been wire wrapping since I was a child and have been doing it for about 15 years now. I started out with aluminum wire then moved on to sterling silver. I work mainly in 22, 18 and 16 gauge, round, half hard wire. My process of wire wrapping and shaping is entirely by hand. I also "chase" a majority of my work with a hammer. Hammering causes a rigidity in the wire and I love the rough aesthetic that it adds. I work mainly with semi precious stones, Swarovski crystal and Czech glass beads. I sometimes use wood, acrylic, lucite and ceramic as well. My creative process is never ending. I carry a sketch pad with me during the day and I have a sketch pad on my night stand. Nature has a big influence on me as well as abstract shapes and anything that conveys imperfection. Some designs I work wire out of are not hammered smoothly because I think the piece looks all the more beautiful when it comes out the way it desires without me trying to "perfect" it. I never have a set idea of how I want to execute anything I make, I just follow my eyes and my emotions about the process for each piece. I find that when I "try" to come up with something it never works out for me. 


ShapedByHand on Etsy

Tree of Life

Abstract Coil

Chakra Necklace