Phil Janzé's 18k Gold Killerwhale Jewellery

Phil Janzé was a Gitksan artist known for his incredible design ability and mastery of numerous mediums. Phil began working in metal at age thirteen, and would continue to hone his skill independently through his time at B.C.I.T. until, after graduating, he was invited to the jewellery program at Goldsmith's Hall in England, which would jump start his over fifty year long professional career. Phil would continue to garner renown as one of Canada's finest jewellers until his passing in June of 2016. He left behind a stunning body of work in collections all over the globe, some of which we are honoured to have on display at Lattimer Gallery.

One of Phil's mastered mediums was repoussé, a metalworking technique in which the artist hammers malleable metal into a three-dimensional relief from its reverse side. This is often combined with chasing, in which the metal is hammered on its front, to stunning effect. Phil's 18 karat gold Killerwhale bracelet is a wonderful example of the technique. It features a striking hammered frontal face with its finely carved dorsal fins, body, and tail flukes wrapped around the cuff on either end. Human faces along the Killerwhale's sides, along with the primary face's anthropomorphism, indicate that the creature is in the midst of transformation.

The perfect companions to Phil's Killerwhale bracelet are his 18 karat gold hand-engraved Killerwhale earrings. These earrings feature a similar motif to the ends of his bracelet, depicting the Killerwhale's face and dorsal fins. With their smaller size, these earrings help Phil's talent for breathtakingly fine carving pop right out.