Chris Van Dyke is a risk-taker and a faith-leaper who has built a successful business making and selling custom fine art jewelry in Asheville, NC over the last 12 years. He arrived in 1992 on the back of a motorcycle during a cross-country trip. Having ridden for a full month, he stopped here to see a cousin, moved and relieved by the cool Blue Ridge Mountains after the hot lowlands of Alabama. He wanted to find a place with an “intact downtown” and found a home in Asheville; it certainly didn’t hurt that he loved mountain biking as well.
A metalworker, craftsman, and gemologist who began his jewelry making education at the foot of his father’s bench, Chris has carved out a special place in this close knit Western North Carolina community. Originally from Pennsylvania, he studied gemology in California; he refers to himself as “round peg, square hole,” and doesn’t fit easily into any category, much like his work. After ten years on Merrimon Avenue selling only his work, he recently moved his shop to Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville and began showing and selling the works of other artists and craftspeople. Every wall is covered with bright, hand-crafted paintings, glass work, pottery, fabric art, metal work and more in all colors, shapes and sizes. All of the artists chosen by Chris, and many are members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild along with him.
He says his process and its limitations are what sets him apart from other jewelry makers in Asheville and elsewhere – he works directly with metal to make his forms, as opposed to working with wax, which he calls “ubiquitous … and everything you see in the mall.” He uses words like “visceral” and “muscle,” clenching his hands in the air when he describes staying true to the craft of metalworking and is always looking for balance in his pieces. In the Arts & Crafts tradition, he adheres to the fundamentals of metal and takes great pride in this fact. He talks about the lines of objects and how important those lines are for his work as a designer, and finds inspiration for his work all around him, whether it’s the line of a tree branch or the detail a building. When asked about how he settles on a certain composition, he says “when you see it, you know it. It strikes you, and it all comes together.”
Specializing in engagement rings and colored gemstones, Chris works closely with his customers to create one of a kind pieces and has garnered a loyal following over the years. He uses an additive process to build vibrant pieces, starting with a stone and experimenting with combinations of metal pieces and shapes to find the balance he seeks. He wants to constantly try new things from a love of the process of evolution from one idea to the next, and speaks of “the process” as the real joy in his work. You can see his energy and signature lines and shapes in the sparkling collection of rings, pendants, earrings, and other sculptural pieces in his jewelry cases. While the focus is on doing great work, he somewhat sheepishly admits he loves the compliments and hugs he gets from happy customers and that for him, it’s an emotional, personal journey to design and create with and for people who appreciate his useful and beautiful craft.
Stop into Van Dyke Jewelry and Fine Craft on Biltmore Avenue to see what Chris has created over the years; he also does repairs. You can learn more and purchase on line at his website, www.vandykejewelry.com or call 828-281-4044.
