Chris Jensen - C3 Designs
he/him
South Milwaukee, WI, USA
Chris Jensen is the owner of C3 Designs, a custom fine jewelry store located in South Milwaukee, WI. He lives with his husband of 25 years and their four children. He is the recipient of over 30 design awards for his one of a kind jewelry designs.
“In my jewelry designs I like to explore the idea of the duality of all things such as light vs dark, rough vs smooth, and so forth. I quite often use faceted gemstones set against a rough or raw crystal. I like to emphasize the design aspects with using a matt or satin texture opposing highly polished design elements. I feel it is the contrast of ideas that can push the creative process and lead to more dramatic and expressive creations.”
“My sexual identity sometimes has an impact on my material choice with choosing the color palette to reflect the inspiration of the design."
What does being queer mean to you in relation to your material choices? Is it something you consider?
Is the work queer because the maker is queer, or is it queer because the subject matter is queer?
“I as the maker would be what makes my work queer."
"Skyline Cuff", Sterling silver and hand cut jasper cabochons, 3.5" x 3" x 1.5", 2024Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“The design sensibility is what places some of my work in the realm of queer related. This piece in particular was created with the rainbow and its symbolism in the queer community being the primary inspiration in the concept of the design."
