A found object can often speak to me and challenge me to find a way to incorporate it into a work. C. James Meyer interviewed by Klimt02

What do you expect when you show your work to the public (for example, with an exhibition)? 
My first expectation is that I present an object intriguing enough to draw the viewer into close observation. Secondly, I would like the viewer to rethink their concept of what jewelry can be… to see the piece as both a wearable object and one that has a role beyond the body. Finally, I would like the viewer to understand that the work is both universal and personal.


When you start making a new piece, what is your process?
In early work, all of the decision makings was done on paper prior to beginning actual fabrication. When I got to a point where I felt that the work was too tight, I changed the approach to one that is much more spontaneous. This organic approach leads to a lot of forms that don’t immediately fit my intent. They end up appearing in work months or even years later, often altered to become something different.
A found object, or a material not commonly used in jewelry, can often speak to me and challenge me to find a way to incorporate it into a work


Are there other areas besides the jewels present in your work?
In my university studies, I started out as a sculptor. My intent was to use that background in a career in architecture. Somehow jewelry derailed those intentions. Currently, my work relies heavily on my sculpture background.


The last work, book, film, city that moved me was…
Book: Architecture’s Odd Couple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson by Hugh Howard.
City: Rome, Italy. Spending time in Italy has influenced the current body of work. Rome, to me, embodies all of the rich culture and history of Italy, yet remains a vibrant community functioning in the 21st Century.


What is your source to get information?
Personal experiences of places and events.