Earthly Beauty

Sometimes it’s the unassuming artist who makes the most arresting work. Metal smith and jewelry designer, Lisa  Kinoshita, is a perfect example. Generally large in scale, her creations transform the ancient labors of the earth into beautiful, bold adornments. Reminiscent of a Victorian collector’s wonder room, Mineral (627 St. Helens St., 253.576.1841) her tiny downtown studio and gem of a shop, is an archive of organically inspired designs and natural curiosities, including an array of exotic bugs and butterflies in shadow box mounts. Kinoshita loves them for their perfect union of function and form, as marvels of divine engineering. But the real attraction here is the display case filled with oversized necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. Imagine generous chunks of yellow opal strung with a gorgeous jasper pendant or a stunning slice of Brazilian agate on a buttery suede cord; these are only two of Kinoshita’s many standout pieces. She is currently exploring hammered-metal links and water buffalo horn in her work. As different materials capture the artist’s imagination, her direction shifts — a good reason to visit often and see what’s new.