I create my organic Cactus Flower Collection using Precious Metal Clay (PMC), and a technique I learned in an advanced PMC class several years ago. Precious Metal Clay is made of microscopic metal particles—silver, in my case—suspended in an organic binder of plant-based cellulose and water, giving it a pliable texture. The process involves coating an organic form with layers of PMC, then firing it in a kiln, leaving behind a form of 99.5% pure silver, also known as fine silver. It’s a time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes tricky technique requiring a lot of patience..
The piece above is one of my more luxurious designs, accented with 22k gold and featuring a Gray Tahitian pearl.
I mix my PMC with water to create a thin paste, which I use to paint and coat organic materials such as cholla bark, saguaro skin, leaves, and seed pods. Each piece is built up layer by layer, with every layer taking just minutes to apply but requiring an hour to dry. I typically apply at least eighteen coats, sometimes as many as thirty to forty, carefully drying between each application.
Once I have achieved the desired thickness I think I need, I will put it in the kiln to burn out the organic material leaving only fine silver. Sometimes I will have to go back and recoat edges that I feel may be too thin and fragile and then put the piece back in the kiln to harden.
Once this process has been achieved I will polish and set the stones or pearls to finish the piece.
This wonderful, organic, fine silver pendant was created using a base of dried saguaro skin. Set with an 8mm dark gray freshwater pearl, it is a show stopper and will elicit many compliments.
If the desert holds a special place in your heart, why not keep a piece of it with you? This unique handcrafted jewelry goes beyond symbolism—it's a fine silver pendant cast from cholla bark, blending organic beauty with timeless elegance.
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