Lucía Nieves Cortés

Inspiration focused on nature

• Lucía trained in architecture before turning to goldsmithing
• She finds inspiration in flora and fauna
• She has lived in several countries including Germany and Chile

Although she began her career as a self-taught artist, in 2003 Lucía Nieves Cortés decided to study at the Staatliche Zeichenakademie Hanau in Germany, where she trained as a goldsmith and jewellery designer. Throughout her journey, she claims to have had more than one teacher. “When you are a craftswoman, full of curiosity and humility, and open to learning, you will always find mentors along your path because there is always something new to learn and areas to develop in," says Lucía. "Many times, it is not just about learning a technique from a master, but also about adopting an ethic, a way of living and existing in the world that is unique to the artisanal world. And I believe this idiosyncrasy is essential to face the current and upcoming crises." She has had workshops in Berlin and Santiago de Chile, and she plans to open a new workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she was born.

Interview

©Fran razeto

©Fran razeto

Did you always know you would become a goldsmith?

I vividly remember a conversation during which, after several years of working with metal as a hobby or on the side, I realised that goldsmithing could easily become a craft to which I dedicated my life full-time. I knew that I wanted to pursue metalsmithing after studying architecture.

What does craftsmanship offer that other branches of manual arts do not?

In goldsmithing, I found a medium where the entire process remains in my hands. I know several goldsmiths who, like me, also went through architecture; it is curious. In both fields, there is designing and building. But the scale of jewellery is the scale of a direct relationship with the human body and of the small and precious. There is something magical about that.

How does that relationship between your pieces and the places you lived manifest?

In this craft, the relationship with the territory is often expressed through forms, themes, and how they fulfill cultural identity needs. In my most recent work, inspired by plants, the representation of Chile's native flora was the focus of my relationship with the territory.

What does innovation mean to you?

Occasionally, innovation lies in the introduction of non-traditional materials in goldsmithing, such as using an old postcard as a material that can, at the user's choice, be turned into a necklace or not. It is also about introducing an unexpected function, like in the scopescopes, which help the user transport themselves to a paradisiacal beach.

Lucía Nieves Cortés is a master artisan: she began her career in 1999 and she started teaching in 2013

Works

0

0

0

0

0

Where