American artist Brooke Marks-Swanson taps into the universal, age-old language of textiles—especially knitted textiles—and combines them with metal to express her observations of the world. She has often experimented with the collar-like necklace form, many of which embody abstracted landscapes. With Broad Views & Inherent Elements, a wearer can wrap themself in a landscape, both figuratively and literally as the tactile nature of this piece adds to the wearer’s experiences. In the maker’s own words, “Fantastical and surreal landscapes emerge through wistful color combinations describing visceral feelings of season, change, and uncertainty.”
Born in Indiana, Marks-Swanson completed her BFA in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from Indiana University, Bloomington and her MFA in Metals from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her works have been exhibited in over 130 juried and invitational exhibitions, most recently in Canada, Greece, Spain, France, and China. Notable institutions such as the Muzeum w Walbrzychu in Poland, the Espace Solidor, Place du Château in France, and the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon have pieces Marks-Swanson’s pieces in their collections.