I am Barbara Shewnack of Catspaw Design. I design Metal Art. Jewelry Design & Metal Design. The silversmithing bug bit me in the early 70’s. I have been making jewelry since. In 2004, I studied with Bob at Hazeltine’s Jewelry School.  I learned new techniques and fine-tuned my jewelry skills.

In 2019, I added Metal Design work. The skills used in my jewelry work have crossed over to my Metal Design work. In my metal design work, I work with base metals: copper, brass, nickel, and metal foils.  My MetalScapes look like paintings, but they are made from metal.

I draw with a coping saw. My palette is metal colors.  For shading, detail, contrast, and texture, I use oxidation, stamp work, color pens, and patinas.  In both my Metal Design and Jewelry Design work, I like the engineering and innovative aspects of the work. I get the greatest sense of accomplishment from creating art that elicits an emotional response.