Artist Statement
When you buy a piece from Night Fox, you are investing in the idea of you, in the idea that that piece will complement you as an individual, rather than overwhelm you. You are investing in a piece that will bring out and accentuate your best qualities. Your pieces will complement the active and refined lifestyle of a woman who works hard and plays hard.
Night Fox Jewelry is beauty without airs; elegance without pretension.
Night Fox pieces are hand crafted from recycled sterling silver and gold using a variety of techniques--Torch fusion, a method used to connect metal without solder, leaves clean, spatter-free lines; reticulation, where the surface of the metal is heated to melting point and then quickly cooled, creates a flowing and organic texture; and lost wax casting. Satin and high polish finishes combine to create a modern, elegant aesthetic allowing a piece to possess timeless and refined form and style. Including castings, which are never mass produced in my studio, all pieces are carved or fabricated individually so no two are ever the same.
Night Fox Jewelry is beauty without airs; elegance without pretension.
Night Fox pieces are hand crafted from recycled sterling silver and gold using a variety of techniques--Torch fusion, a method used to connect metal without solder, leaves clean, spatter-free lines; reticulation, where the surface of the metal is heated to melting point and then quickly cooled, creates a flowing and organic texture; and lost wax casting. Satin and high polish finishes combine to create a modern, elegant aesthetic allowing a piece to possess timeless and refined form and style. Including castings, which are never mass produced in my studio, all pieces are carved or fabricated individually so no two are ever the same.
Artist Bio
Kate Finley
My formal education was in Anthropology and African Studies at Smith College. My informal education, encompassing a lifetime of home improvement projects with my parents in their old house, was followed by recreational art classes post-college that led to the discovery of my previously unknown talent and absolute love for metalsmithing.
This discovery was in keeping with my tendency to realize interesting things at seemingly inopportune times. Like the time I discovered my debilitating fear of heights while rock climbing at the top of a cliff on Mt. Kenya. Or the time I forgot to pack pajamas on a trip to the Middle East and had to sleep in a floor length cargo skirt for weeks to preserve my modesty. It turns out the best (although certainly not the easiest) way to deal with these discoveries is to give up and embrace them. Climb down off the cliff so you don’t have to spend your life having supplies airlifted to your current location. Take the opportunity to hide midnight snacks in your pajama skirt. Or quit your day job, start your own business, and hope you figure it out along the way.
My love of travel, discovery, and subsequent misadventures translate more easily into daily life than I would have expected. And nowhere is that more evident than in my studio every single day. One time I was under a tight deadline to finish an order, got stressed out, sort of melted some pieces, and discovered the art of reticulation—the basis of which forms one of my entire jewelry lines today.
Although much of what I learn is still through trial and error, and sometimes pure serendipity, I continue to take classes from master artisans around the country to expand my skills. In 2016 I moved from my native Wyoming to Boise, ID. I am a member of CoMA—the Colorado Metalsmithing Association; SNAG—the Society of North American Goldsmiths; ACC--The American Craft Council; Ethical Metalsmiths—Jewelers for Social and Environmental Responsibility; and NAPW--The National Association of Professional Women. I'm currently working as a doula in Boise, ID and work part-time as jeweler on a referral basis.
This discovery was in keeping with my tendency to realize interesting things at seemingly inopportune times. Like the time I discovered my debilitating fear of heights while rock climbing at the top of a cliff on Mt. Kenya. Or the time I forgot to pack pajamas on a trip to the Middle East and had to sleep in a floor length cargo skirt for weeks to preserve my modesty. It turns out the best (although certainly not the easiest) way to deal with these discoveries is to give up and embrace them. Climb down off the cliff so you don’t have to spend your life having supplies airlifted to your current location. Take the opportunity to hide midnight snacks in your pajama skirt. Or quit your day job, start your own business, and hope you figure it out along the way.
My love of travel, discovery, and subsequent misadventures translate more easily into daily life than I would have expected. And nowhere is that more evident than in my studio every single day. One time I was under a tight deadline to finish an order, got stressed out, sort of melted some pieces, and discovered the art of reticulation—the basis of which forms one of my entire jewelry lines today.
Although much of what I learn is still through trial and error, and sometimes pure serendipity, I continue to take classes from master artisans around the country to expand my skills. In 2016 I moved from my native Wyoming to Boise, ID. I am a member of CoMA—the Colorado Metalsmithing Association; SNAG—the Society of North American Goldsmiths; ACC--The American Craft Council; Ethical Metalsmiths—Jewelers for Social and Environmental Responsibility; and NAPW--The National Association of Professional Women. I'm currently working as a doula in Boise, ID and work part-time as jeweler on a referral basis.
The Luna Collection
A collection of otherworldly style crafted in recycled sterling silver, 18k gold, and 14k vermeil.
In my first astronomy class we took the eye piece off the telescope one night during a full moon and projected the glowing image onto the palms of our hands. There aren’t really words to describe the feeling of holding the moon in your hand, but I’ve been totally enchanted ever since.
The art of reticulation is a process of manipulating metal with high heat to create craters, ridges, and valleys into virtual lunar landscapes. While it’s actually a highly technical process, the outcome is completely organic and impossible to control. Although the overall aesthetic is consistent, the more subtle variations are infinite, which helps keep the process fresh and exciting.
The art of reticulation is a process of manipulating metal with high heat to create craters, ridges, and valleys into virtual lunar landscapes. While it’s actually a highly technical process, the outcome is completely organic and impossible to control. Although the overall aesthetic is consistent, the more subtle variations are infinite, which helps keep the process fresh and exciting.