An Ole to Flow: Sculpting the Riverbend Creek Ring

I am thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new design series that is deeply personal and incredibly detailed, starting right here on the drawing board. This design has been brewing for a while, and it's time to translate the beauty of an idea into the precision of a wearable sculpture.

Part One

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Introducing: The Riverbend Creek Collection

Every piece I create needs a name that captures its essence, its origins, and its movement. This collection is called The Riverbend Creek Collection.

The name is a nod to the flowing, sinuous lines of the leaves and vines that weave around the center stone, mimicking the curves of a creek winding through the landscape. More personally, it honors my roots in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains—a place of rich, natural, and enduring beauty. The "creek" represents the steady, organic movement I strive to capture in the metal.

From Idea to Pencil

Right now, my workspace is set up to capture the design's intricate "flow." This is where the magic begins—where the design is first translated from a mental image to paper. I am using my sketching tools to map out the exact dimensions and the graceful movement of the metalwork.

My Studio

The sketch I just completed establishes the foundation for the entire ring, ensuring that the final wax model will have that perfect, hand-sculpted quality. This initial drawing dictates the precise path of every stem and the placement of every tiny diamond accent, all flowing naturally toward the star of the show.

The Riverbend Creek Collection
Sketch

The Heart of the Creek: Alexandrite

Anchoring this flowing design will be a magnificent 6 x 8mm Oval Lab-Created Alexandrite. I keep the stone right here on my desk as I sketch because its unique personality dictates the dimensions of the entire setting. In the next few posts, I'll share why this specific USA-made gemstone—with its incredible color-change magic—is the perfect choice for the warmth of our chosen metal.

Stay tuned! The sketch is done. Next, we will dive into the materials—the beautiful 14k Rose Gold sourced from our Upstate New York refinery—and the Light Antique finish that will bring the Riverbend Creek design to life.

My technique for creating my jewelry, the Lost Wax Process

In 2004 I went on a quest to find the perfect medium for me and my jewelry. 

I started with Clay, then on to Porcelain clay, Art Clay/PMC and then I came across Jewelers Wax also known as the Lost Wax Process...It fit me perfectly.

To give you a bit of history on this process, Lost wax casting is a 6,000-year-old process still used in both manufacturing and fine art. The precision and accuracy of the process have made it an ideal method for producing objects with thin walls, intricate details, and close tolerances which is perfect for jewelry.

The accuracy of the process was the key, what I sculpted in wax came out accurately once it was cast in silver or gold. I would spend many hours on a leaf ring or a starfish ring and once my wax was cast, I had an exact duplicate in metal.

My wax rings are called Models. Lost wax casting builds a mold around a sacrificial wax model. After the mold investment is set, the wax is melted out and forms a cavity where the metal or glass flows in. Using this method of casting captures fine details in both metal.

I hope you enjoyed this short introductory to my process and I plan on sharing more including a few of my quick sketches.  -Dawn

https://dawnvertreesjewelry.etsy.com/listing/1311262922