The Artist Behind the Jewelry
James Cleland applies in his inlay forms the fluid movement, symmetry and
bright colors to simulate flying birds, flowering plants, or even resting
insects. The geometric patterns of his work suggest to the mind an opening
flower or the curve of an animal's body. His degrees in the field of biology
and related sciences give him an acute understanding of "form follows
function" in jewelry designs. A particular popular interest has been his
line of insects where their body characteristics are species specific and are
so lifelike they look like they could fly or sting.
Cleland creates animals and plants in intensely accurate representations
by the old technique of "hollow form." A fellow renowned jewelry artist
called him the "master of the pitch bowl," a technique Cleland often uses in
his jewelry designs.
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"My designs are intended to reflect nature and natural forms. For instance,
insects aren't right in gold, while branches, vines and leaves aren't as
nice in silver."
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James Cleland, originally from Mascoutah, IL, remembers his interest in
gems and jewelry beginning with a Sears rock grinder given to him by his
mother as an eighth-grade graduation present. With the grinder he learned to
cut freeform shapes out of rocks and gemstones which he would then set into
findings from a local store.
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In 1970, he graduated with a degree in biology from Southern
Illinois University-Edwardsville. The next few years he
spent taking classes on geology and petrology at Southern
Illinois University-Carbondale. During this time he opened
a gem and mineral shop called the Carbondale Rock Shop and
hired a bench jeweler to make the jewelry that the shop
sold. After watching the jeweler work James decided making
jewelry wasn't very complicat ed and he took over the task
himself. In 1975, Cleland sold his Carbondale rock shop
and moved across the street to open a larger store called
Southern Illinois Gem Company. He stayed there until he
married his wife Ginger in 1987, which sparked a move to
St. Louis, MO and the creation of Designs In Gold.
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