Lydia Gerbig-Fast

“In a culture increasingly given to mediocrity and instant gratification, it is essential to combat that attitude with a commitment to excellence in quality and hard work. My work reflects that excellence ... and sets it apart from the standard fare.”

Lydia Gerbig-Fast

CityFort Wayne
CountyAllen
Jewelry
COMMISSIONS / SPECIAL ORDERS
yes

At Ball State on the path to becoming a medical illustrator, Lydia Gerbig-Fast took an elective class in metals and jewelry design and had an epiphany — she knew she had to be a part of this craft. She promptly added metals as a second art major and has since been producing and selling her work for 19 years.

Lydia’s love for fashion contributed to her entry into the craft. She finds making jewelry satisfies much of her need for self-adornment and working with metal and gemstones exhilarates her because of the “ease of expressing fanciful, theatrical and sculptural concepts in a manageable and wearable size,” she says.

Watching her father do lapidary work when she was a child also piqued her interest in working with colorful stones and minerals.

The jewelry Lydia creates is unique and awe inspiring. Although she references ancient Classicism and mid-20th century costume jewelry in much of her work, she does not copy them.

“I reinterpret history through my own design vocabulary, resulting in truly unique, one-of-a-kind compositions,” Lydia says.

Some of her most distinctive designs include combining plating and etching detailed images for further enameling, and using gems and minerals to construct floral elements in the jewelry.

Lydia applied to Indiana Artisan with the hope that it would help her business grow. She also wants to help other artisans transform the reputation of Indiana as a place for the arts to thrive and for others to come for quality crafted arts.

“I am perplexed, even disappointed, when Indiana institutions and cities purchase expensive works of art from artisans outside of Indiana, as though there were no talent here,” she says. “It’s encouraging that Indiana started this organization to highlight and encourage the arts here at home.”

Lydia Gerbig-Fast Calendar

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