It’s an all-too-familiar situation for art school graduates: you have access to and become an expert at using top-of-the-line equipment in school, but as soon as you leave the program, you’re on your own. For some, this lack of resources forces them to leave their trade behind. Thankfully, some artists like Yuye get support from Artist in Residence programs like the one at Maker Works. After getting her MFA in Metal and Jewelry Arts, she applied to our 6 month residency program and gained free access to the tools she needed to continue producing beautiful work.
Yuye’s jewelry making process begins with 3d CAD modeling and progresses through a series of stages including 3d printing and lost wax casting. Read on to learn more about her journey and see the progression of a new design from start to finish.
Yuye (Elina) Zhang (She/Her)
Ann Arbor, MI
Jewelry Designer & Artist
Yuye Zhang | 章雨叶
““My works are exploring the interactions between our bodies and the spiritual awareness. It is not normally aware by us what is controlling, limiting, and assisting us to complete tasks as humans, but these relationships are do affecting our daily life. Injury, diseases, and birth defects might limit our senses to the world, but they may also bring the unique experience and advantage that “normal” people don’t have. Is our “normal” body a perfect executor or it is a limitation to our mind? Would the injury or disability break the limitation? However, I’m not seeking a certain answer, the blurry boundary between our spiritual world and the physical body is the beauty that worth showing. Therefore, my work is presenting the collision by visualizing the body nature structures that are not visible normally such as bones, cells, nerve systems, etc. Traditional and modern medical materials are utilized in my pieces because the development of a medical treatment is a game between the body and the intelligence of mankind. To me, jewelry is a medium that could connect our personal world to the rest of the physical world. It could be a symbol of the identity and personality; a representation of wealth and taste; even an extension of our body. What we wear on the body became the silence media that communicating each other.””
The first step of creating a set of cast earrings: building a 3d model to print on the Form2 resin printer.
What can you tell us about your art?
I’m a jewelry artist. I usually do art jewelry, but I recently started making commercial jewelry as well.
The above earring design, 3d printed in castable resin.
What is your relationship to Maker Works and how did you get involved with the shop?
I was looking online to find a studio that could share equipment for my art work and found the Maker Works website. I walked in for a tour, then I started to take classes so I could use the tools.
Two unfinished earrings created from the 3d printed form via lost wax casting, using the kiln, oxy-acetylene torches, and centrifugal caster in the jewelry studio.
How has Maker Works, access to shared tools, and a shared community impacted you and helped you reach your goals?
I participated in the Maker in Residence program at Maker Works early last year. I was very excited to find a well-equipped studio and a supportive team around me at this difficult time. I’m new to the local area, but I can still easily access materials and tool resources by simply asking the staff at Maker Works. Everyone is friendly and helpful, and I made progress during my time here because of the equipment and community.
Yuye’s earring design brought fully to life, polished and set with the most delicate of stones. What a beautiful result!
What would you say to others about your experiences with Maker Works and why is it a valuable part of the community?
It is rare to have such a well-equipped place outside of art schools. It is a great place to achieve any craft project. In most situations, what prevents us from making things by hand is that we don’t have appropriate tools and expensive equipment. But at Maker works there are infinite possibilities to prototype, reform and make things.
Without community spaces like Maker Works, Yuye and other artists often don’t have access to the basic tools needed for their work. Your contribution helps make our Artist in Residence program possible and supports the future of innovative designs like the one you saw here.