Simply Simon started as a pure venture. But let’s not rush! As a scientist, I always felt an urge from the depths of my mind to express myself in some other ways. I just love to discover and learn new things on my own, thus I tried various instruments (and miserably failed with majority of them), tried writing (this one’s not that bad, I can now put a lot of words on paper without hassle), tried painting (I liked some of my paintings, the one I liked the most is currently located at a leading science institution in Latvia – the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute), tried making steampunk style lamps (eventually had a stack of presents for all the people I like) and so forth.
At some point – the art/science of galvanization stepped into my eyesight. That’s when I began to apply my knowledge from science into the field of art. Simply Simon was and mainly is a project with the goal to entrap and excel the beauty of Nature. My dad likes to state that “nobody lives with the Sun” and, well, yeah… all those blossoms of flowers with fragile petals and hard to preserve butterfly wings are a living proof. Disintegration is a fundamental part of Nature’s cycle. The cycle that I try to interrupt each time I pick a flower, a leaf or find a dead bug. After years of experimentation – I can now preserve any temporary organic object. The metamorphosis, transmutation happens when the two imiscible meet: organic matter and metal.
First of all, I (or my family and friends!) collect raw materials from the outside, then comes selection and preparation stages when I try to find the answer to the question “what shall you become?”. When everything is ready and the idea has crystallized – I apply galvanization technique and the lifeless metal encapsulates the living matter and overtakes it’s textures and forms. With this technique I can use copper, silver, gold, nickel metals, various finishes to make the jewellery more vivid and eye-catching (this includes patinas, brass, metal paint, lacquers and many more things). Eventually, a true piece of Nature and art awaits for it’s new happy owner.
Here’s some frequently asked questions:
Does the object stay inside? - Yes, everything you happen to see are natural objects covered with metal!
Are these fragile? - A hammer, a torch, a chainsaw can kill them, but generally they are robust and will probably outlive me tens or hundreds of times.
Does it make it easier to get noticed by girls? - Hard to say, kinda no, kinda maybe. At least that’s a better way to start a conversation than on public transport.
Where can I get them? - Oh, yes, the greatest question of them all! :D
www.simplysimon.store , you can also follow me @ FB or IG → simplysimon.store
In case this broad-reaching FAQ did not answer all the questions you might have – feel free to drop me a line here or via FB/IG!
More info: simplysimon.store
Silver Plated Porous Physalis Pendant
Insects have partially eaten it to make it openwork design, then I copper and silver plated it in order to obtain this refined pendant.
Copper Ring Encrusted With Rough Blue Kyanite Mineral and Rue
The back side of this ring is open so that the mineral could touch the skin, whereas on the side of the ring – there’s a real branch of rue that makes it an even more outstanding, yet minimalistic ring.
“Tiger” Pattern Copper Plated Coffee Bean Stud Earrings
These lovely stud earrings are made out of real coffee beans. As there are no two identical things in nature – these coffee beans are as well similar, but not identical! Ideal accessory for a coffee lover.
Copper Plated Rose Hip and Labrodorite Pendant
Magnificent aged copper pendant made out of excellent rose hip with leaves and branch in combination with this eye-catching lagoon blue labradorite.
Rhinoceros Beetle
This rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis) came from old entomological collection and was intricately silver plated to become a home decor.
Copper Plated Porous Sweet Cherry Leaf Pendant
A copper plated porous sweet cherry (Prunus avium) leaf pendant. This elegant and playful pendant has only the veins of the leaf! It happened so due to the hungry natural insects in my parent’s backyard – when they want to eat, they take and eat the juicy green part of the leaf before starting to eat the veins!
Brooches From Silver Plated Leaves Encrusted with Labradorite and Tanzanite
Aged Silver Plated Pine Cone Pendant
A natural pine cone plated with copper, then silver plated and aged to obtain this excellent look. Real cone is still inside! Object is handmade and nature-made, thus unique.
Rustic Aged Copper Ring Encrusted With Dark Amber
Gold & Silver Plated Ruta and Titanized Agate Earrings
Gold Plated Ash Tree Seed Earrings
Copper Ring Encrusted With Deep Blue Spectrolite Gemstone
Tiny lovely mystical pond is hiding in this copper ring.
Silver Plated and Darkly Aged Star Anise Earrings and Pendant
Aged Copper Ring With Natural Walnut
Copper Plated & Specifically Painted Lilac Stud Earrings
Asymmetric Silver Plated Earrings With Poppy Seed Box and Flower Blossom
Asymmetry is a fundamental part of the Nature. A pair of asymmetric earrings – a poppy seed box that was plated with copper, then silver and finally aged has combined with a lovely leftover of some flower (not sure what that flower was!) that was copper plated and then brightly silver plated.
Bloody Red Copper Plated Cherry Tomato Earrings
Here’s a pair of cherry tomatoes that I’ve grown in my balcony. Galvanized with copper and then brought back to their original colors by applying specific metal paint.
Silver Plated Campanula Earrings
Silver Plated Dragonfly Pendant
Some things are very very old and fragile, but one can still try to repair them. This dragonfly came to me in a poor condition – it stayed in an entomological collection until it’s wings fell off. I amended its wings, fixed it onto this interestingly shaped framework, placed several wine-red garnets, a light blue aquamarine and a colorful labradorite. Then I copper plated it, silver plated and colorfully aged in order to express it’s details. A one of a kind pendant.