Patina Gallery is thrilled to announce artist Carolyn Tyler, to the gallery for her first exhibition,Echoes of Gold, this holiday season.

“Usually I pick a central stone, look at the colors in it, and pull outside stones. I trace the stone and sit there with it, see if it wants to be a pin or a pendant, or both. Usually, it’s obvious if it’s a ring or earrings. I love mixing and matching colors, especially combinations like purple and chartreuse or orange and purple – slightly jarring but satisfying”
Carolyn Tyler

Carolyn Tyler began her career as a graphic designer and running a successful advertising agency. In 1989 she traveled to Southeast Asia where she encountered many talented artisans and began designing clothing and home accessories. In 1993, she closed her advertising and import businesses and moved to Indonesia.

She operates her business from her self-designed home, called, “the Pelangi Estate,” a luxury boutique style villa that consists of 3 separate properties; all of them curated by Carolyn. She describes the location as “an oversized piece of jewelry which functions as a house.” It is here where she envisions and sketches her whimsical and royal creations. With the help of her team of master craftsmen, she literally turns her dreams into gold.

Tyler often refers, in jest, to her jewelry as “pirate booty” due to its somewhat “buried treasure” look and appeal with tones of vibrant 22k yellow gold, her signature matte surface texture, and use of gemstones such as opals, pearls, ancient coins, fossils as well as stones that play with light including moonstone, ammolite and more, all which meld to create classic and elegant yet casual pieces that are intended to be worn every day.

Each creation is executed with skill and patience by Tyler's team of Balinese goldsmiths, whose forefathers worked as court artisans for Javanese royalty and Hindu temple priests. Nature, mythology, art, music, and dance inspire the designs.

Precious stones are her muse as she builds opulent carousels of regal compositions around them. Since no casting or molds are used, each piece is truly one of a kind. The transcendent nature of her jewels reflects her background in archaeology and anthropology, reborn in a cyclical world where collective experiences come together to unite the heart and soul.

In the light, the varied colors emerge and play within each piece, illustrating a magic that inspires the wearer’s ongoing growth through jewelry infused with mystical wonder. From nuanced variations to bold statements, Tyler’s jewelry reflects outstanding craftsmanship and design. It’s found in the brilliance of the stones as well as in the piece’s spirituality.

Tyler’s jewelry reflects outstanding craftsmanship and design. It’s found in the brilliance of the stones as well as in the piece’s spirituality.

For more information on the work, please email: allison@patina-gallery.com

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Main Image: Chaine Peña. Middle Image: Allison Buchsbaum. Lower Image: Jocelyn Montoya.