MARTY REYNARD

One of the best ways to see New York is taking one of four tours supplied by the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises located at 42nd Street. Scenic tours along the Hudson River, lasting as long as three hours or as short as 30 minutes, take different approaches for visitors seeking different experiences. New York is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Marty Reynard.

Having received a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York forty-two-years ago, it was only a matter of time before Reynard would follow the example of his jewelry-making mother, a skilled metalsmith of copper and silver.

Reynard would leave the frenetic energy of New York relocating to Victoria, BC Canada where he would eventually establish his company, Reynard Designs.

Though he holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Queen's University in Ontario, Reynard eagerly pursued sculpting metal into "precious objects" upon graduation. It is a decision the designer does not regret.

"With titanium being a specialty, I work in many metals and take a very untraditional approach that incorporates a wide variety of materials," says Reynard.

"My studio is a laboratory where I run aesthetic experiments on a daily basis. These experiments provide an ongoing impetus to keep my work constantly changing."

Like British designer Jane Adam's work with aluminum, for his titanium pieces Reynard implements an anodization process to add permanent, iridescent colors of fuchsia, blue, and aqua to the metal.


Working with copper, silver and 14-karat gold as well, his overall design proportions are classic but the properties of the metals are just as relevant to Reynard's aesthetic as the ultimate renderings.

"Titanium is an ultra-light metal--three times stronger than steel--that has many personalities and presents a number of challenges such as its resistance to traditional soldering methods," says the designer.

"The thermal treatment that produces the surface colors is the result of an extremely robust layer of oxide, however due to titanium's chemical inertness it is the most hypo-allergenic metal known."

His copper/silver jewelry, as well as the silver/gold pieces is fused together "under extremely high temperatures." The effects of fusion produce unique results; the way the reddish-brown mixes with the shimmery white to create a hybrid metal is lovely.

His work with all the metals brought to mind the yin and yang concept, or the spiritual union of male and female energies. It is subtle yet striking jewelry.

"For me, the field of jewelry design finds a meeting place of art, chemistry, engineering, and the magic of alchemy. The surprises and discoveries yielded are endless."
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Photo 1 (top right): Copper/Silver Pendant
Photo 2 (center): Titanium/Silver Pink Brooch
Photo 3 (bottom left): 14-Karat Gold/Silver Earrings