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George Sawyer

www.georgesawyer.com
George Sawyer

BIOGRAPHY

As a student at the University of Minnesota, George Sawyer studied Art History and Sculpture and was fascinated with Asian Art.  After finishing his studies, he developed his design and metalworking skills while working at a small company that designed and built some of the most famous racing cars of that era.  During the day, he learned about fabricating beautiful machines from the world’s best automotive artisans, while during the evening he studied jewelry design.  Combining these skills, he began to develop his signature style of patterned metal jewelry.

George was the first to explore special techniques for creating patterned jewelry metals from colored gold alloys and precious metals.  For over four decades, he has folded and forged precious metals into beautiful patterns that suggest images of wood-grain, swirling water or ancient and mysterious impressionistic forms.  With his palette of multicolored patterned metals, George creates truly original jewelry ranging from simple wedding rings to complex art objects. He finds great pleasure designing new metal combinations that are an art in their own right, and jewelry that speaks to the heart and inspires the imagination.

George’s jewelry has been featured in museums, galleries and fine jewelry stores in the United States, Canada and Europe.  A member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, the Contemporary Design Group, and twice president of the American Jewelry Design Council, he has received numerous jewelry design awards.  George Sawyer Design studio is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

“I didn’t have a conventional education in jewelry design. But I did have the good fortune to be hired by Kar-Kraft, a Ford Motor Company funded firm that designed and built Ford’s most famous racing cars on the 60’s and 70’s.

At Har-Kraft I absorbed invaluable examples of metalworking technique, but more importantly, I learned about turning a concept into a reality, pride of workmanship, and how passionate people can elevate their work into art.

My first years in jewelry were spent designing and building one-of-a-kind pieces for individuals, but my personal interest was in Japanese art metalwork, especially the art of the sword. 35 years ago ancient Japanese sword making techniques were unknown in the UNited States. It was then that I began to develop my own techniques to produce my signature patterned metalwork”.

ARTWORK

  • project: Secret Treasure - artist: Sawyer
  • project: Pyramid - artist: Sawyer
  • project: Sphere - artist: Sawyer
  • project: Flight | artist: Sawyer
  • project: Water | artist: Sawyer
  • George Saywer - Firefly's Garden
  • George Saywer - Totem
  • George Saywer - Wabi Sabi
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1996 cube American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2014 rhythm American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1997 wheel American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1997 wheel American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1998 key American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1999 puzzle American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2000 water American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2001 flight American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2004 sphere American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2005 pyramid American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2006 secret treasure American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2011 black and white American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2012 ice American Jewelry Design Council Project
  • George Sawyer BBG
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  • project: Secret Treasure - artist: Sawyer
    Sawyer
  • project: Pyramid - artist: Sawyer
    Sawyer
  • project: Sphere - artist: Sawyer
    Sawyer
  • project: Flight | artist: Sawyer
    Sawyer
  • project: Water | artist: Sawyer
    Sawyer
  • George Saywer - Firefly's Garden
    George Sawyer
  • George Saywer - Totem
    George Sawyer
  • George Saywer - Wabi Sabi
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1996 cube American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2014 rhythm American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1997 wheel American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1997 wheel American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1998 key American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 1999 puzzle American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2000 water American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2001 flight American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2004 sphere American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2005 pyramid American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2006 secret treasure American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2011 black and white American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • Submission by George Sawyer for the 2012 ice American Jewelry Design Council Project
    George Sawyer
  • George Sawyer BBG
    George Sawyer BBG

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  • AJDC Petra Class
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  • Submission by Pascal Lacroix for the 2017 Stripe American Jewelry Design Council Project
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