Walt Rush - Biography
I am a self-taught jeweler with over 38 years of experience. Being self-taught allows me the ability to create "wearable works of art" because I have no constraints. What my mind imagines, I believe it can be done because no one has told me it just can't be done that way.
I don't like to make a piece of jewelry with straight angles, jewelry that you can pick up in almost any jewelry stores. This is just not creative enough for me.
My inspirations come from having a bird's eye view of the ocean and beaches along Highway 1 in California. My jewelry is created to look as if an ocean wave has just caressed a pearl on the beach and it is frozen in time in a wave. Or perhaps, I will take a blue sapphire (like the color of the ocean) that appears to be caught in a piece of driftwood on the beach. Or, maybe even an abalone shell and create it out of silver or gold adding a diamond, pearl, or some other precious stone which appears to be lodged
To obtain the organic natural effects of the movement of surf and waves, I cast molten gold or silver in water. To obtain the look of driftwood, I cast molten gold or silver in straw. I will then add a jewel in an area to give it the appearance of being lodged there by nature as it rolls around in the surf on the beach or caught up in a piece of driftwood.