Rebecca Dortzbach
Mar 10, 2009
Rebecca Dortzbach is a good example of an artist who is finding, perfecting, a style and technique that works for her while expanding her knowledge of available materials. She is a well, and formally, trained metalsmith who recently graduated from out of Towson University and is seeking new outlets for her work, including the 2008 DCCA show and School 33. She currently resides in or around Baltimore and her body of work is based on organic objects including bone, botanicals, hair, beeswax, q-tips, citrus rinds, and wood in combination with steel, silver, copper and nickel.
She combines incredible boldness – allowing simple objects to appear as they are – with rich understanding of finish work. The materials for her cow bone neckless came to her by way of a local butcher and it was Rebecca who clean the meat from it, incorporated beeswax and riveted the two pieces back together. But she left the mended bone alone after that, except to attach the chain and clasp, allowing the bone to take center spotlight, insinuate its relation to the wearer and the work itself remains anonymous.
Rebecca has some real purpose to each adornment she creates. One set, created for her senior thesis show, was intended to resonate with a gender specific group of viewers. “That piece is about women’s issues with hair. How we use our hair to express our emotional status, change in life, or rejection of different value systems. I had a great time with it, [the materials were] from my little sisters friend.”
I have to believe that she is the perfect example to supplement the recent disagreement that metalsmith competitions should limit the use of alternate materials by the artists. Rebecca dares to prove that sometimes uncommon combinations create the most thought provoking work.
She is taking commission work, see more of Rebecca on her Flickr page.
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This is completely amazing. Where can one purchase her work?
I think the only way to contact her is through her flickr page??
Hello and Thank You! I just saw this and have been completely blown away. This is a fantastic magazine, I’m honored. Have we met?
Hi Rebecca! No, we haven’t met but I’ve stalked you for a while! I’ve studied metalworking for years, but couldn’t dream of coming close to creating something like your pieces. Guess that’s why I’m a writer
I’m proud to read this editorial as Rebecca has long been a cherished artist in my life. Rebecca’s art is so powerful to me as it is both deeply personal and communicable. I think it is through the surprising melding of organic materials and metal that Rebecca best expresses the tension and convergence of beauty and pain. She is truly an inspiring artist and a beautiful person, as evinced by her work!
Women Issues these days are mostly about women empowerment and equal rights among men.’”: