Welcome!

Chandra Drennen is a metalsmith based in Pullman Washington. After initially working with beads and wire, she quickly sought out more advanced methods for making objects. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College, where she studied art history and metalwork, establishing a studio practice that involved increasingly complex fabrication techniques. Following graduation, she worked as a diamond setter for a major luxury jewelry brand. Currently, Chandra maintains a studio where she experiments with the relationship between form, material, and meaning.  She is also working towards a masters degree at the University of Idaho.

I am drawn to working with metal because of its unique natural qualities. Its malleability allows it to be transformed into nearly anything; using different tools and techniques, its color and texture can be manipulated to convey a specific meaning. Gold, silver, and their alloys  impart a sense of permanence while still appearing delicate and ethereal.

My work is inspired by our shared experiences as humans. Ideas that are both universal and deeply personal, such as love, loss, and the need to belong, guide my process. I am particularly interested in relationships: between people, between jewelry and its wearer, and between materials and their meanings. I often make an object to resolve internal questions: What would a feeling look like? Does an object’s size affect how it is interpreted? Does the color of an element change the meaning of the entire piece? Which details do I put in or leave out? As I consider these questions, I strive to create pieces that are meaningful, and thought-provoking.