Trevor Mock
They/Them
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Trevor Mock is the artist behind Gilty Boy, a queer contemporary jewelry brand founded in spring 2021 in Tucson, Arizona. Mock began their professional art journey in 2018 with reverse glass botanical painting before discovering lost wax casting, which became their primary medium for exploring themes of sexuality and queerness. Through Gilty Boy, Mock creates jewelry that serves as both personal expression and broader commentary on queer identity and desire. Their work transforms intimate experiences into wearable art, using traditional metalworking techniques to craft pieces that celebrate sexual freedom and authentic self-expression. Since establishing their practice, Mock has participated in various art shows and exhibitions throughout their community. They actively seek opportunities to connect with other jewelers and artists, fostering collaborative relationships within the contemporary jewelry scene. Mock's work continues to evolve as they develop their technical skills while maintaining their commitment to creating art that reflects and supports queer experiences and visibility.
“My brand draws its name from "gilty" (as in gilded, coated in gold) – a deliberate play on "guilty," reflecting my intention to reframe narratives around queer sexuality and desire. Traditional gilding transforms ordinary surfaces into something precious and worthy of attention. My jewelry practice does the same, seeking to recontextualize aspects of queer sexuality often deemed shameful as worthy of celebration. Drawing from my illustration background, I create pieces that function as both personal adornment and storytelling medium. My work explores themes of sexual liberation, transforming what society might consider taboo into objects of beauty. “
www.giltyboy.com
How does your work relate to the theme of flourish(ing)?
“My foray into jewelry has gone hand in hand with my exploration of queer sexuality, from braving the wilds of twitter (baring myself in ways I never thought I would) to my experiences on OnlyFans, sharing intimate moments with complete strangers. Embracing and exploring my sexuality through these experiences of crass tenderness have allowed me to feel a sense of calm and self acceptance in myself as a whole.
This collection is about flourishing through openness. The image used in these pieces is a self-portrait, showing my sexuality in a way that feels honest and unguarded. Creating these pieces has meant letting go of fears about being too visible or too much, and instead embracing shameless sexual expression and connection.
There's something powerful about making beautiful, shiny objects that tell stories that your stuffy Aunt Kathy would view as totally degenerate. They function as jewelry people can wear, but they also carry meaning about queer identity and sexual freedom. When I put these pieces out there, I'm hoping other queer people might see them and feel a little more permission to be open about who they are too.
The work also shows how I've been growing as a jeweler. This collection brings together skills I've been developing and refining over time – techniques that keep getting stronger as I put more love and attention into them.
Personal growth and technical growth have happened together through this work. Learning to be more open about my sexuality has pushed me to be bolder in my artistic choices, while developing better jewelry making skills has given me more ways to express what I want to say.
The collection represents a kind of blooming, taking things that might have stayed private and turning them into something beautiful that can be worn and shared. It's about the confidence that comes from being seen and the satisfaction of making work that feels genuinely mine.”
Tainted (Set) Sterling silver and bronze
Bracelet: 8” x 1” x ⅛”
Brooch: 3 ¾” x 1” x ⅛”
Ring: 1” x 1” x 1 ⅜”
Pendant: 1” x 1” x 1 ⅜”
2025 Col CavanaughHow does your creative practice allow you to flourish (grow, thrive, blossom)?
“Creating things is like my anchor to reality – how I relate to, explore, and understand myself in the world. It has been that way for as long as I can remember, from pilfering tools from my dad’s shed to build magical wands to digging giant holes in my parents’ driveway to excavate and process wild clay.
As I have grown into an adult, my creative practice has become a way to make a living that honors my individuality and queerness. It has also served as a pathway to nurturing self-love and acceptance, and through it I have come to embrace my desires and my identity with confidence and joy.
Jewelry as a creative practice is unique in that the pieces I make become extensions of whoever wears them. In this way, making jewelry is more of a practice of self-determination and expression than many of the other creative practices I have loved throughout my life. This makes it powerful as an avenue for self-exploration and celebration. Making jewelry lets me turn my experiences of kink, love, and desire into wearable art.
My jewelry practice has also become a bridge to queer community, connecting me with countless lovely people. These connections have enriched my life immeasurably, creating a network of support and understanding that feeds back into my creative process.”
As a queer+ artist, what would you like to see and/or what do you need in order to flourish during this time?
“To be honest, flourishing feels like a high bar right now. My day-to-day experience as a US-based queer person and artist at this moment in history is one of uncertainty, anxiety, and survival.
How do we think about queer flourishing in the context of a rapid descent into facism? One way is to think about weeds:
“[Weeds’] willingness to grow in the most hostile environments - a bombed city, a crack in the wall - means that they insinuate the idea of wild nature into places otherwise quite shorn of it… [W]e can’t ignore their beauty either, or their exuberance, or the fact that… many of them may be holding the bruised parts of the planet from falling apart.” (Richard Mabey, Weeds: In Defense of Nature’s Most Unloved Plants)
Despite the fact that the world feels awful and scary right now, it’s important that we still invest in ourselves as queer people and artists, and in our communities.
Here are some ideas about how to do that:
- Push back against censorship through visibility and beauty.
- Making art that refuses to be silenced.
- Remain persistent, keep showing up, and make that money to survive.
- Uplift other queer artists.
- Create spaces for sharing and connecting with each other.
I am also always looking for:
- Professional support in the form of shows and grants for queer artists.
- Artistic support in the form of residencies that adequately support you to continue developing and growing in your art practice.
- Cross-state, nation-wide events that bring together queer communities from around the US to gather and celebrate each others’ work.”
Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“These pieces were made using a mold of a linocut block to create the wax forms that were then cast in bronze and assembled into sterling silver settings. I love that the individual links feel like giant ancient coins. They are very fun to clutch like a greedy dragoness.”
[queerphoria]v4 @ ECU Symposium