ARTIST PROFILE
Christine Terhaar
My name is Christine, and I am the artist and metalsmith behind My Copper Heart. I am mostly self-taught, learning techniques from books and magazine articles and much experimentation, first with basic cast-off tools, then replacing with proper tools as my skills increased. I started with bead weaving but quickly felt I needed to set my work apart so I added metalsmithing and began making ear wires, headpins, bead caps, jump rings, etc.
Torching metal was an instant rush for me. Watching the metal move under the heat and how forging, forming and folding could be done to create forms from a flat metal sheet. Copper will always be my first love, and reclaimed metal that has history and incorporates the marking from the past into new pieces. I prefer the hammer blows to be seen so one might experience in a small way the transition from flat to three-dimensional art. Sterling silver has gained more prominence in my work as it elevates the humble as well as patinas beautifully, often taking advantage of the aged, vintage look. Pairing organic with manmade gives my pieces a juxtaposition that leads to truly one of a kind pieces as individual as we are.
PROCESS
I am inspired by nature; the trees and gravel roads where I grew up, the sounds of the ocean, and the patterns in old barn wood, everything inspires ideas and what ifs.
VIDEOS
Check out my YouTube channel for a behind-the-scenes look at my creative process!
