JEWELRY

David M Bowman Studio consists of two people: David Mills Bowman and his son, Reed Christopher Bowman. We produce most pieces together.

We construct all pieces by hand, with hand tools and simple machines. No part of the production is ever hired out, nor does the studio take in work to produce or patina parts for other people's designs.

All the work is produced from brass and copper sheet and rod, formed into shape with shears, hammers, sanders and grinders, and brazed together using an oxyacetylene welding torch. We do not cast work or use cast parts. We mix patina chemicals from scratch and apply them by hand.

David began working in metal in 1971, near the time Reed was born; he first made silver jewelry, later moved on to brass belt buckles, then to larger pieces in patinaed brass. Over the years David has worked alone or with different assistants, but he has worked exclusively with Reed since the mid-1990s.