Aileen Francioni Very few can see beauty and art in a piece of discarded electrical wire, but around the age of 13 Aileen Lampman saw something in the scraps her father left behind from his many household projects. Using his pliers, she bent, cut and twisted then accented that otherwise useless material with some beads and dismantled vintage jewelry she and her mother purchased at local flea markets. Voila! She had found her calling. A few months later was selling this handcrafted jewelry at galleries and taking orders from friends, classmates and teachers. In 1997, while establishing her own company, Ai Jewelry, she remembered the lessons her apprenticeship had taught her and concentrated on creating hand-fabricated pieces that would endure continued wear, but still evoke an artistic, unique quality. Handcrafted from 14k gold, 14k gold filled and sterling silver wire and sheet, Aileen’s designs are inspired by leaves, flora and landscapes, Georgia O’Keeffe paintings, ancient Egyptian art, and even something as small and insignificant as a ringlet of hair. Shapely concave and convex forms serve as the basis of her designs and are accented by a combination of textures, highlights and overlapping patterns. She hand-forms, hammers and solders each piece of metal including each and every link for her durable Figure-8 chains. The Pocket Necklaces, her most intriguing creations, are reversible and slide open to reveal a tiny space to tuck away small treasures; “preferably love notes”, she adds.