About
Handmade Work
Dylan integrates the values of enduring quality and the authenticity of hand-made work into all his pieces, as an integral aspect of his work. With a skill-set ranging from fine art drawing and painting, to design, and the fine craft skills of jewellery, metalsmithing, and weaving, Dylan can produce works that are unique and timeless.
Dylan produces all of his work by hand, using traditional techniques. He believes in the importance of maintaining these practises, especially as automation, and now artificial intelligence continue to encroach on, subvert, and, dominate the creative industries. Dylan feels that there is a danger that the creativity, and skills of traditional artisans will be lost, or greatly diminished in the face of these new processes.
As a result of industrialization, and modern consumerism, people today are largely unaware of what is required to produce pieces by hand – especially in the realm of traditional crafts, whether it be a piece of jewellery, or a woven or sewn textile. Traditional craftsmanship requires that a lot of time and effort go into every piece. Dylan’s process begins on paper, with sketches, which progresses into a design layout. In most cases samples, and prototypes are produced, before a design is finalized.
The ancient dual processes of chasing and repoussé are one of Dylan's favoured techniques. In these processes the piece is shaped, by hammering with punches of different shapes, both from the front (chasing) and/or from behind (repoussé). These techniques have been widely used all over the world, and only require simple tools. Despite this simplicity, chasing and repoussé can produce work that is hard to match, or replicate though more modern means.
About the Artist
Dylan Eddy grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA. He majored in Jewellery + Metals at the Alberta College of Art + Design (ACAD) in Calgary, Alberta, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2012. There he studied under such internationally renowned jewellers as Charles Lewton-Brain, and Jeff de Boer. He has furthered his education by studying blacksmithing at the Touchstone Center for Crafts, and by interning with master goldsmith Orland Larson. Dylan is a practicing artist working from his home studio, and has also worked as a technician repairing surgical instruments. He taught Continuing Education jewellery courses at ACAD for 4 years, in addition to workshops at Flux Metal Arts in Mentor, Ohio. Dylan’s work has been exhibited across Canada, the United States, and Japan, and is available locally at Heights Arts - located in Cleveland Heights, OH.
Dylan draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, ranging from archaeological and historic works, to epic literature, like Beowulf, and the Lord of the Rings, in addition to space exploration and cosmology. Influenced by Celtic, Norse, and Japanese aesthetics, Dylan works with ideas related to the passage of time, identity. He explores these themes through various artistic practices, including: jewellery + metals, textiles, drawing, and painting. Dylan integrates the values of enduring quality and the authenticity of hand-made work into all his pieces.
- Dylan Eddy - 2022