After years spent gazing longingly at a photocopy of technical illustrator Ernst Haeckel’s 1862 ‘Art Forms in Nature’, an overwhelming sense of creative frustration FINALLY pushed American artist and metalsmith Sherry Cordova to turn her fantasies into reality; transforming Haeckel’s microscopic sea creatures into THRILLING works of wearable art.
Sherry’s medium of choice is sheet metal- recycled silver, titanium and stainless steel- which presented a clear design challenge. In order to craft believably complex three-dimensional organisms from flat elements, they’d need to be layered up…
Cordova started by feeding her own technically detailed Haeckel-inspired drawings into a CAD software program, where they were cleaned-up, digitised and laser-cut onto silver; a process that allowed her to recreate the pore-like holes, lattices and fibrous extrusions of each zooplankton with breathtaking detail.
After texturing and shaping each element, stainless steel screws and nuts were used to ‘re-build’ the organisms into durable, yet delicate lace-like entities; statement bangles that play with light, seemingly depthless maze-like pins, and uber-tactile ornaments for the ears.
Pops of colour are sparingly injected into Cordova’s designs via the odd inclusion of a recycled leather insert- vivid, matte scarlets against brutalist brushed titanium- or rose cut precious stones that sit like glowing pips within strange, alien capsules.
Sherry’s work is giving seed-pods, hagstones, lichen cups and EVERYTHING that makes my eyes zing!
This self-professed trypophile (and general lover of all things perforated) is OBSESSED. ?
@sherrycordovajewelry
Sherry Cordova’s work was exhibited as part of Cluster Craft’s ‘Encoded Bodies’ showcase back in November of 2025 (directed by Ema Marinova and curated by Valeria Del Vacchio), a fascinating collection of works that explore bio-fabricated wearables and the bridging of technology and craftsmanship.
@cluster__contemporaryjewellery
Writeup by @museumofalternativejewellery