Paul McClure

Artist Statement 

The human body is the context and content of my jewellery. The anatomical and microscopic worlds are where I find a beauty and complexity I want to materialize through adornment. I am intrigued by how we represent what we can not see within ourselves through new scientific imagery and visual data. These representations of the invisible body reflect our humanity in an era of remarkable medical and biological advancement.

Historically, jewellers have often drawn upon the natural world for inspiration. The quest for knowledge in the natural sciences has revealed forms that are now known to be part of our natural world: cell structures, biomolecules, viruses and atomic orbits, to name a few. Through traditional and digital technologies I use familiar jewellery materials to render unfamiliar forms. From the fields of biology, pathology and genomics, these hybrid forms are manipulated to create a contemporary language of ornament. In wearing my jewellery, the invisible body becomes visible adornment.

Bio

Paul McClure received his training from NSCAD University, Halifax, Canada (BFA); Escola Massana, Barcelona, Spain; and National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland (MA). He has been a practicing studio jeweller for over twenty years and has shown throughout North America, Europe and Asia in various invitational group and solo exhibitions. His work is represented in many publications as well as private and public collections including The Barcelona Museum of Decorative Arts, The National Museums of Scotland, and The Canadian Museum of Civilization.

In addition to his studio practice, McClure is an educator, curator and community arts organizer. Since 2000 he has been professor in Jewellery Studies at George Brown College in Toronto.

Read an Interview between Paul and Barbara Isherwood in MetalSmith magazine here 

Coccobacillus (Black),  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 5 x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$750.00
Coccobacillus (Black),  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 5 x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Spirillium: Red,  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$750.00
Spirillium: Red,  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Cocci: Red,  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$750.00
Cocci: Red,  Sterling Silver Slice Brooch with 3D-printed nylon, 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Coccobacillus: Nylon Blue Membrane II, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$350.00
Coccobacillus: Nylon Blue Membrane II, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Spirillium: Nylon Purple Cytoplasm III,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm

Paul McClure

$300.00
Spirillium: Nylon Purple Cytoplasm III,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
Cocci: Nylon Red Membrane I,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm

Paul McClure

$300.00
Cocci: Nylon Red Membrane I,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
Cocci: Nylon White Cytoplasm II,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm

Paul McClure

$300.00
Cocci: Nylon White Cytoplasm II,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
Coccobacillus: Nylon Yellow Membrane I, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm

Paul McClure

$350.00
Coccobacillus: Nylon Yellow Membrane I, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Coccobacillus: Nylon Red Membrane III, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm

Paul McClure

$350.00
Coccobacillus: Nylon Red Membrane III, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Coccobacillus: Nylon Purple Cytoplasm III, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm

Paul McClure

$350.00
Coccobacillus: Nylon Purple Cytoplasm III, Slice Brooch, 3D printed nylon in stainless steel, 8 x 4.5x 2.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this artist
Cocci: Nylon Red Membrane III,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$300.00
Cocci: Nylon Red Membrane III,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
 Spirillum: Nylon Red Membrane I,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$300.00
 Spirillum: Nylon Red Membrane I,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
 Spirillum: Nylon Yellow Membrane II,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman

Paul McClure

$300.00
 Spirillum: Nylon Yellow Membrane II,  Slice Brooch 3D printed nylon, stainless steel 8 x 3 x 1.5 cm, 2020. Photo by Paul Ambtman Click here for more work by this...
Chromosome X Necklace, with sterling silver, 22k gold by Paul McClure

Paul McClure

$590.00
Chromosome X pendant in sterling silver and 22k gold on a 16" 14k gold cable. 5 x 0.7 cm Click here for more work by this artist
Mitotic Cell Pin, with sterling silver, resin, neodymium magnets by Paul McClure

Paul McClure

$360.00
Mitotic Cell Pin, with sterling silver, resin, neodymium magnets, in a 8 x 8 x 1.5 cm petri dish. Click here for more work by this artist
Chromosome X Necklace, with sterling silver, 22k gold by Paul McClure

Paul McClure

$340.00
Chromosome X pendant in sterling silver and 22k gold on a 20" oxidized sterling silver cable. 7 x 0.7 x 0.4 cm Click here for more work by this artist