Monika Urbaniak, a metalsmith, studio jeweler and mixed media artist, graduated from NSCAD University in 2008. Over the years she has worked with fiber, paper and metal, but a fascination with sculptural experimentation led her to focus on jewelry.
She is especially passionate about art-jewelry that creates a dialogue between its conceptual and material elements. That pursuit fuels her one-of-a-kind works that aim to tell a story, generate surprise, and alter expectations of what jewelry can represent. Her current choice of materials seeks to challenge the standard notion of value in jewelry.
Monika finds harmony in asymmetry and tensions among varied textures. She often counterbalances precious metals with pebbles and found objects. Her inspiration comes from sculptural forms, natural or human-made; from a curious mind; from walking with her dog.
She works in her studio in Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island.