At her studio in the Humanities Building, UW–Madison metalsmithing student Chloe Darke sketches ideas in a notebook as she puzzles through a design challenge.
The raw materials she’ll use, all donated by strangers, lie in front of her: a strand of fake pearls, three metal brooches, dozens of salmon-colored coral beads.
Darke is taking part in “Radical Jewelry Makeover: Wisconsin.” By the end of the months-long project, she and several of her fellow UW–Madison students will have transformed unwanted jewelry into fresh pieces. The finished items will be displayed at an art exhibit, then available for purchase, with the proceeds benefitting charity.