Presenting the beautiful and very artistic jewelry and metal works of Phil Aleci.  Along with his wife Carla they create Sterling Silver Pendants, Earrings, Bracelets, and Rings using precious and semi-precious stones from all over the world, but also collect quite a bit of local material to use in the jewelry. They mainly use Sterling Silver but some Copper and Red Brass.  Phil started his metal works in 2006 creating one of a kind metal wine racks, candelabras, tiki torches, wall art, and yard art. .  He uses sheet metal in various thicknesses, round rod, flat bar, rebar, and just about anything he can weld or braze.

Coming from Weeki Wachee, Florida, Phil and Carla moved to Portland, Tennessee in February 2010.  Phil said, “We have started a new chapter in our lives, how many people get chance to just pack up and move not because you have to but because you want to”.

This passion started in September of 2007 when Carla talked Phil into going to a two hour Lapidary Workshop and the following week a three hour smithing class at the Tampa Bay Mineral and Science Club.  Before these two classes they had never polished a rock or worked with silver at all.  Phil stated, “that was the last of our official training and the rest since has been self taught.  In February of 2008 they gave their works a name, Steel and Stone Designs. “At the time all we had was one torch, a make shift rock polisher, an old tile saw to cut rock slabs with and not much else. Little by little we added to our tools and eleven months later we had two cabbing machines, four rock saws, a setting and design bench with two complete torch set ups and a much better selection of necessary silver smithing tools”, stated Phil.

Since relocating to Portland they now have a 40′ x 60′ workshop with all of their equipment for the jewelry and space for all of his metal working tools. They cut 95% of all the Cabochons stones that are used in their designs and create all of their settings from scratch. No two Pendants, Rings, Bracelets or Earrings will ever be the same.  Phil said, “Our pieces are truly one of a kind. We take a lot of pride in our work and get great pleasure from seeing customers try on a piece of our jewelry and fall in love with it”.  “What drives me it is the thrill of taking just basic raw materials, the silver sheet, wire, bezel tape, rough rocks that sometimes look like nothing on the outside and turning them into wearable art. I do 95% of the lapidary work for our jewelry and I tell people all the time that cutting and polishing stones is like having Christmas all year long because rocks are like little presents you get to open and see what’s inside. As for the metal and concrete art, I just love creating new things. We both get great pleasure and feel honored when we go to shows and people like what we create and want to bring it into their lives”.  We work on these mainly on the weekends. Carla will work on the jewelry as will I , but I always seem to be out there everyday after work for at least several hours. Our goal is to someday have a successful studio / gallery”.  “Our inspiration would be each other. We seem to keep each other going”, stated Phil.

Since moving to our area they have been able to do two shows so far this year as they missed most of the deadlines for the spring shows. In Florida they were in the Dunedin Art Harvest which was in it’s 46th year and was put on by the Junior Art League of Clearwater – Dunedin that show had 249 vendors last year. Hernando County’s Art in the Park which was in its 25th year and had approx 120 vendors and was put on by the Fine Art Council of Hernando County. They also did several shows a year in Safety Harbor, Florida and other smaller shows put on by local promoters or Chambers.  They have already been accepted and will be showing their creations at the Belle Meade Art Festival in Nashville.

Our goal is to make what we love to do our full time job. We really would like to open up a studio / gallery one day.

You can view Phil Aleci work on his website at: www.steelandstonedesigns.com or contact him through his email at: Phil@steelandstonedesigns.com or by phone: (352) 279-3307.  And lets not forget Face book: Steeland Stonedesigns and also Steel and Stone Designs Jewelry and Art

Phil said, “Don’t be afraid to go all out for something you love to do, you may surprise yourself in what you discover”.

About the author: Ronnie Jaggers is a seasoned sculptor, fine artist and master crafter. Her work can be seen on www.chiseledfeaturesstudio.webs.com. She reminds other artists “Trust the beauty of your art, for if you see the beauty, others will too.” To be considered for the featured artist call Ronnie at 791-3505 or email ChiseledFeaturesStudio@yahoo.com