Seashell stories, sculpted jewels
- Andrea creates unique wearable sculptures
- His jewels are small living stories
- For him a deep dialogue with nature is crucial
Inspired by the natural elements of his native Sardinia and the Mediterranean Sea, Andrea Cadoni is a very original jewellery craftsman. His unique creations are small wearable artworks telling stories and conveying deep emotions. Andrea, schooled in coral and semi-precious stone sculpture in Alghero, has always been curious about natural and non-conventional raw materials for his craft. He found his elective material in the seashell, the glycymeris, while experimenting as a goldsmith. “Pieces that are simply ‘well done’ are not enough”, he says. In his little sculptures, Andrea seeks “to achieve aesthetic harmony and at the same time to create a living story that can rouse emotion."
Interview
- What is your favourite material?
- I am attracted by all materials and experimentation is the basis of my work, but overall I do prefer hard materials. Discovering glycymeris, the shell I work with, and knowing that I am the only one to use it, has made it my top expressive choice.
- Have you developed specific techniques?
- I studied coral and semi-precious stone sculpture. I had to develop specific techniques to work the shells, especially to make them shiny and bright. Also, I am a self-taught goldsmith, so I experiment with metalworking very freely.
- Do you feel connected to the cameo tradition?
- Definitely not. My method is quite different: the technique of the cameo is a burin engraving (similar to drawing on a matrix), whereas mine is a sculpture by elimination.
- What about your craft do you love the most?
- The intimate, contemplative side: walking along the seashore looking for the right shell, being in contact with nature and trying to comprehend its universal harmony is the beginning of my work, followed by the solitude of concentration. These moods, this freedom are what I love the most.
Andrea Cadoni da Montevecchio is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2003
Works
Where
Andrea Cadoni da Montevecchio
