Paul DeBlassie has been a metalsmith for nearly 30 years. Taking inspiration from traditional blacksmithing, he has created a line of forged titanium jewelry including rings and cuff bracelets reminiscent of Celtic neck torcs.

“I’m attracted to working titanium the way I would if I were forging a sculptural element intended for architecture – in this case the architecture is the human body. I am also inspired by Victorian, Renaissance, and Baroque scrollwork, and various styles of ironwork. I find it interesting to take design intended to ornament the spaces we inhabit and translate it into embellishment for the body as may be seen in my gold and silver pieces. Each item has been worked by hand, and so each is unique. Ultimately I endeavor to produce jewelry that offers one a sense of distinctive but simple adornment.”

Paul DeBlassie grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He began designing and producing jewelry in 1994 after taking jewelry and art classes in his high school. He went on to study sculpture at the University of New Mexico and received his BFA in 2000. He then pursued further studies in sculpture, receiving his MFA in Sculpture from Hunter College in 2003. After graduating, he spent three years at Parsons The New School for Design managing the metal shop and teaching metal fabrication in the Product Design Department. Since 2003, DeBlassie has been a production assistant for Ted Muehling, in Manhattan.

PDIVStudio is based in Brooklyn, New York.