Rayna Liddell
they/them
Richmond, VA, USA
Rayna Liddell is a metalsmith based out of Richmond, VA. After serving in the US Air Force for six years, they decided to pursue their love of adornment in 2020 and has since received a BFA in Craft & Materials Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. Through fine jewelry and metalsmithing, Liddell explores joy, whimsy, and connection through pieces meant to be worn intentionally.
They are currently a Working Artist at Longwood University.
“One day, we stopped going outside to play, we stopped playing make believe, and we stopped being children; this is where my relationship with materials comes from.
I create with the hopes of honoring and healing our inner child by exploring joy, whimsy, and curiosity. I no longer wish to dwell upon trauma but rather use it as a bed of soil to grow a garden of delight. When you adorn yourself with a piece of mine, I hope to cultivate feelings of beauty, power, and celebration.”
"The Anatomy of You & Me", Sterling silver, colored glass gemstones, 5" x 1", 2023How does your work relate to the theme connection?
“The stone colors were chosen to represent the additions made to the progressive pride flag - pink, clear, and blue for trans pride as well as clear, brown, and black for intersectionality to include the BIPOC community.
Entering into the space is to enter into a contract with the piece and community - while you’re here, you will have an open mind to experiences. It’s meant to be worn with someone that is different to yourself, whether that’s race, gender, sexuality, etc. Whilst wearing, you’re thinking about how YOU are showing up in this space and how YOU are different than the person across from you. Therefore, you see ME. Once you take off the piece and exit the space, you realize the word YOU is imprinted into your skin. You’re now left with the thoughts of how the other person shows up in the world, how they’re different from you, and how you connected in this space and moment in time.
Creating community through vulnerability and intimacy is what this piece is about."
NYCJW24 @ UrbanGlass, Francely Flores
“I'm always thinking about how I am connecting to my materials that come from the Earth - how it came to be and how it will continue on once it leaves my hands. Will it have meaning beyond? Will it be worn and passed down? Is it recyclable? Are my practices ethical? How am I sourcing my materials? These are questions I consider in my creative process."
What role does connection play in your creative process?
"Finding queer joy was the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm from a small town in southern Indiana where it wasn't okay to be queer growing up. Once I moved away, my mind was opened to all the possibilities and I never stopped being curious. I always knew I was queer in some capacity, but to put words to the feelings I was experiencing and meeting new like-minded people meant everything. Now, I'm a working artist at a university in a very conservative area of rural Virginia. I'm the first non-binary faculty this art program has had and being unapologetically myself out in the open has already made a positive effect in our students. Queer students are feeling more comfortable being out and proud and not having to hide certain parts of themselves. The connections I make and harbor through my queerness mean everything to me."
What connection(s) does your queerness make to the world around you?
NYCJW24 @ UrbanGlass, Simon Leung
Anything else you would like to share about this work?
This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“The signets were casted and then the sprues tap and died to screw into the also tap and died tubing. This is so anyone of any size can utilize the ring, as well as make it easier to recycle."
[queerphoria]v4 @ ECU Symposium
