TRANSFORMATION Scott Keating What do the Rocky Mountains, antique Samurai swords, and hi-tech have in common? They are all influences that I incorporate into my jewelry designs. There is a saying here in the mountains, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 20 minutes!” The TRANSFORMATION theme gave me an opportunity to capture that feeling of energies playing off of each other as in our weather. The AJDC had an annual retreat in Idar-Oberstein, Germany several years ago and our exhibition was at the Munsteiner stone cutting atelier. There I stood all night gazing into their display cases inspiring so many new ideas in me. I have always loved designing around a gemstone. This rutilated quartz came from that trip’s fantasy and I used it in this project because of the changing, shape shifting quality seen in the stone. My desire is to capture the energy moving through the stone piercing the metalwork, flowing back and forth creating the illusion of the transforming energy of nature. 64