How This Artist Turns Jewellery Into Living Memories

For our Women in Arts Network, we sat down with New York-based artist Qianying (Rachel) Zhu, whose practice moves between jewellery, painting, and mixed media. At the centre of her work is jewellery, not only as adornment, but as wearable sculpture that carries stories, humour, and moments from everyday life. In this conversation, Zhu shares how her ideas often begin with a fleeting observation, how she experiments with both traditional craftsmanship and 3D printing, and why she believes even the smallest moments can hold meaning.

She talks about balancing spontaneity with precision in her process, the ways cultural heritage and new technology inform her practice, and how working with unconventional materials has led to surprising discoveries.

Through this interview, we learn how her practice is shaped by curiosity, experimentation, and an ongoing dialogue between maker and wearer, past and present. Most importantly, Zhu reminds us that art is not only about objects, but about the connections and conversations they create.

Qianying (Rachel) Zhu (b. Shandong, China) is a New York-based artist whose practice revolves around artistic jewellery and personal expression. Her work explores the interplay of diverse materials and combines traditional metal fabrication and 3D printing methodologies, capturing moments of harmony, balance, and transformation. Zhu believes that every contemporary jewellery piece embodies the distinctive characteristics of its time, a pursuit she consistently explores through playful elements, humour, and whimsical expressions.

Qianying incorporates 3D printing techniques and is actively researching new materials and technologies. These explorations lead to the creation of lively and vivid forms that reflect a dynamic interplay between precision and spontaneity. Her creations often derive from meticulous observations of daily life, translating subtle details and emotions into objects, jewellery, and other art forms, resulting in vibrant and animated pieces that embody her unique artistic vision. Zhu holds an MFA in Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art (2024) and a BFA in Jewellery Design from Savannah College of Art and Design (2021).

Her recent exhibitions include Solo Exhibition: The Second that Twitched, New York (2025) Animalia, New York (2025); Dining on The Stars, New York (2025); Romania Jewelry Week, Romania (2024); I DON’T SHINE, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, Venice (2024); VIII Contemporary Goldsmithing, Madrid (2024); and Milano Jewelry Week Artistar, Milan (2023). Zhu’s work has been featured in publications such as Art News of China (2024), Artistonish Magazine (2024), and IFINE ART (2023). Her practice has garnered attention through numerous interviews with platforms including Klimt02, Lost in Jewellery Magazine，33 Magazine, Trend Privé Media, and Goddess Arts Magazine.

1. You work across painting, jewellery, and mixed media. How do you decide which medium best suits an idea you’re exploring?  

Although I work across painting, jewellery, and mixed media, jewellery and small objects are at the core of my practice. I see them not merely as adornment, but as intimate, wearable sculptures that invite interaction and personal connection. Many of my ideas begin in two dimensions—as sketches or paintings—yet I’m drawn to translating them into three-dimensional forms. Jewellery offers a vast vocabulary of materials and formats, allowing me to experiment freely while maintaining a sense of intimacy and scale. I’m fascinated by the way a piece changes when it meets its wearer—the subtle shifts in meaning, the new narratives that take shape, moments where my vision and someone’s lived experience intersect to create something unique.

Jewelry is not only about the object itself, but also about connection: the dialogue between maker and wearer, past and present, tradition and innovation.

Qianying (Rachel) Zhu

2. Many of your pieces combine traditional cultural elements with new technologies. What inspires you to bring these two worlds together?  

For me, both cultural heritage and craft are meant to be carried forward—first through learning and imitation, then by absorbing, combining, and reinterpreting them in my own way. I’m deeply interested in 3D printing, not only as a tool but as a language that reflects the era we live in. I believe contemporary jewellery should embody the spirit and technologies of its time, just as traditional craft once did. Learning a new technique is not only essential for expanding my possibilities but also an exciting process of experimentation. Researching and “playing” with new methods often leads to unexpected results, allowing me to weave together the weight of tradition with the possibilities of the present.

3. You often experiment with unconventional materials and 3D printing. Can you share a moment when a material surprised you and shaped the outcome of a piece?  

Working with 3D-printed clay and then firing it has brought me a lot of surprises and new inspirations. I’m currently exploring this material to see how far I can push its scale and weight, and it’s already shifting some of my ideas about making. I’m testing how big or how light I can go, and it’s already making me rethink specific designs. Some ideas I once shelved as “impossible” suddenly feel doable, which is both exciting and a little dangerous… because now I want to try them all.

4. Your designs carry a sense of balance between precision and spontaneity. How do you approach finding that harmony during your creative process?  

Much of my work begins with a brief scene or sudden spark of inspiration from everyday life—something that catches my attention for just a second, yet lingers in my mind. That spontaneity is what draws me in, but transforming it into a finished work requires a different mindset. I experiment repeatedly, exploring various materials and forms until I find the one that most clearly conveys the image I want to share. For me, balance comes from letting the initial spark stay alive while refining its shape through patient testing and thoughtful choices, so the final piece holds both the immediacy of the idea and the clarity of its expression.

“I’ve never believed that only big events are worth celebrating; it’s the tiny, often-overlooked moments that quietly shape most of our days.”

Qianying (Rachel) Zhu

5. The “My Dining Table” series connects jewellery with everyday life. How do daily experiences influence the stories you tell through your work?    

The My Dining Table series grew out of moments I notice in everyday life—things that are common, fleeting, or completely unplanned. They might last only a second, but that doesn’t mean they’re small. I’ve never believed that only significant events are worth celebrating; it’s the tiny, often-overlooked moments that quietly shape most of our days. By turning them into my artworks, I’m not just making objects—I’m capturing little snapshots of life that remind me to slow down and pay attention. And sometimes, the way we respond to these small scenes says more than we realise, opening up space for unexpected reflection.

6. You’ve said you believe art can change a person’s life. In what ways has making jewellery shaped your view of the world and of yourself?   

Making jewellery has been more than a creative practice for me—it has shaped how I see the world and myself. Since coming to the U.S. as a teenager, the experience of studying and living between two cultures has naturally influenced my way of looking at things. Through jewellery, I found a way to weave these perspectives together, blending traditional cultural elements with contemporary ideas and materials.

The process of making—whether handcrafting metal, experimenting with 3D printing, or translating a quick sketch into a wearable sculpture—has taught me to value both patience and curiosity. It’s made me more attentive to small details, fleeting moments, and the quiet stories hidden in everyday life. Over time, I’ve realised that jewellery is not only about the object itself, but also about connection: the dialogue between maker and wearer, past and present, tradition and innovation. That understanding has shaped my belief that art can shift how we experience the world—and in doing so, how we see ourselves.

Qianying Zhu’s work shows us how jewellery can move beyond adornment to become a space for stories, experiments, and connections. Her practice reveals how traditional skills and new technologies can meet, how fleeting moments from daily life can inspire objects that carry meaning, and how curiosity can reshape what we think is possible. From this journey, we learn that art can help us slow down, notice details we might otherwise miss, and discover fresh ways of seeing both ourselves and the world around us.

To learn more about Qianying, visit the links below.