Ayesha Mayadas Biography
"I draw my inspiration from things around me, particularly in nature. I love collecting bits of leaves and rocks and seeds and flowers and driftwood."
Ayesha Mayadas was born in Calcutta, India and moved to Rochester, NY at the age of 15. After a thirteen year career as a textile engineer, she finally gave in to her passion for metals and dedicated herself to it full-time. In 1997, she joined the Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue a Masters in Metals. Today she works out of her studio in Englewood, NJ.
Her initial interest was in traditional silversmithing, but she soon turned to hammering and forming to produce more sculptural and abstract vessels made in copper, silver and steel. The shapes that she created were her interpretation of the handprint that water leaves on our landscape as it traverses it. For water to do its work, it must always be moving. Movement and fluidity were key elements of these sculptures and remain so in her work today.
Artist’s Statement
My wearable pieces in silver, gold and platinum pay meticulous attention to line. The character and direction of a line has the power to communicate emotion and states of mind. The quality of a line is equal to an artists’ signature. For me, this line can be best expressed in my work through the techniques of metal forming and shaping. For this reason, the hammer remains my favorite tool in the studio. Line, along with form, weight and balance are key components that ensure a piece of jewelry resonates with the human form.