Larry Drake & Debbie Drake

Nashville, TN

Artist Website: www.etsy.com/shop/BoulderParkGems

BIO:

Larry and Deborah Drake started learning how to turn stone and sterling silver into jewelry in 2010, sitting side by side in classroom workstations at the Middle Tennessee Gem and Mineral Society Jewelry School and they are continuing members to this day.  Here they learned the traditional skills of faceting, lapidary arts, silversmithing, forging and wire work together.  In 2011, they became faceting instructors for the school.  In 2013 Larry won the bronze medal for the U.S.F.G. Faceting competition in the Pre-Master category.  Independent studies into composite stonework, intarsia, chain mail and filigree silver since then have lead to their current marriage of disciplines into their own style, with filigree and chain mail leading their current interests and creating their premium pieces on display.  They make use of all these skill sets to enhance and maximize the natural beauty of the stones they work with.  The intent is to highlight the stone in the best way possible and in the process to elevate each piece into its own work of art.  The careful hand cutting and shaping of top quality natural rough into distinctive cabochons at the beginning of the process ensures that each one is unique.
Their skill, commitment and enthusiasm allowed them to become members of Tennessee Craft (Middle TN Chapter) and the Foothills Craft Guild in Knoxville TN and participate in the finest regional art shows.