Artist: Gideon Hermann, Wisconsin
Materials: silver, moss agate
Size: 11

Artist Statement: This ring was inspired by the architecture of abandoned and decaying mining buildings in the Upper Midwest. While on a trip to Lake Superior, I visited abandoned sites and was inspired by the way the trusses on these buildings interacted with light. I chose to mimic and explore this interaction in a hand fabricated ring. Hold the ring to the light. Notice the way the patterns of the trusses interact and change as you move the ring. When the moss agate is held to the light, twisting green seaweed-like patterns emerge. I chose to use an agate to call back to Lake Superior and the agates found on its shores.

Artist Bio: Gideon Hermann is a Milwaukee based artist working out of their studio at the House of Rad studio collective. They received their BFA with a focus in Jewelry and Metalsmithing and a Digital Fabrication and Design Certificate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in May 2021. They make fabrication heavy work, and they're inspired by architecture, microscopy, and ecology. Their work often includes mechanisms that provide a kinetic experience for the wearer, and they work primarily in jewelry and interactive sculpture.

This ring was part of Battle of the Rings: Ring Smackdown 2024, an online exhibition and competition. View the entire collection , view the matches , and learn more .