Today we’d like to introduce you to Rei Tionko
Hi Rei, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Rei Tionko discovered silversmithing in 2020. With no success in finding an apprenticeship in San Diego, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Gathering all information available through online videos and forums, he purchased all equipment needed to begin his practice and taught himself the process of lost wax casting through trial and error.
Lost wax casting, a technique dating back to ancient times, is Tionko’s main practice. Unlike today’s trend of wax prints being produced through the use of 3D modelling software; Tionko sculpts his wax designs entirely by hand.
With this unique set of skills, Tionko is very open-minded to what his designs may be. It could be a film that a friend has recommended to him, or a video game he has played as a child, or even his admiration for how the ocean glitters in the sun. Once he has decided which inspiration to pursue, he translates it into wax and casts it into solid .925, sterling silver.
Each jewelry collection tends to vary from one another as he tries to encapsulate different worlds with each one.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I really wish it was a smooth road. Not to say I was some sort of tortured artist or anything, but this definitely isn’t a path for the lighthearted.
One thing that I’ve realized over the course of being a creative, is that no one tells us to do this. We give ourselves the puzzle and try to put it together. We make the schedule for ourselves. No one tells us to put 7-10 hours a day in the studio. We do so willingly. If we don’t, then nothing gets done. We don’t know when this journey will pay off, yet we continue to create.
There is no need to get into the certain struggles I’ve encountered along the way. In some sense these struggles can just be viewed as means of procrastination.
All in all, it’s either you do the work or you don’t.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am Jeweler that specializes in the ancient technique of Lost Wax Casting. The material that I work with is strictly sterling silver.
I wouldn’t say that I’m known for one thing truly (design-wise). I wish to have a staple design like Vivienne Westwood’s Orb or Yayoi Kusama’s dots. Maybe I’m still in the process of finding that out. As for now, I just create as to what I’m inspired by and that changes all the time.
I can proudly say that my jewelry is entirely made by hand.
Overtime, it seems that the term handmade has been diluted. Some jewelers will buy pre-designed pendants and put it on a chain and call it handmade or a pre-designed charms and put it on an earring and call it handmade. Yes, to an extent this is handmade but it seems more so as collage than anything. I do not discredit these jewelers but it seems as if it has diluted the term “handmade.”
My view of handmade is a design that is entirely created from scratch. Something that hasn’t existed on this earth that has been brought to life. Pottery is a great example for something being completely handmade.
It’s so popular nowadays to just get everything from a 3rd party manufacturer that it weakens the connection between the creator and what is being made.
I go through so much trial and error, that I am able to truly appreciate and connect with the wax that I’m carving, the molten silver I’m pouring, or the ring that I’m polishing. I wouldn’t want my craftsmanship to be mistaken for anything else.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I never give in. Whether it be the audience, an insecurity, or a roadblock… I never give in. If something doesn’t go accordingly, I find another route.
Another thing is that I am passionate with the designs I create. It’s more than just a flashy design, it holds meaning. The research I go through for each collection can take months to years. I dive completely in. I don’t feel complete until the idea is. I can’t move onto the next collection until I know that I’ve given the current one my all. I would hate to look back at a collection and realize that I half-assed it. It would haunt me.
Once you realize that your ideas are worth millions, you tend to take everything more seriously. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a grand time through my creative process, but I still need to hold myself to a certain standard.
Pricing:
- Rings: $300-800
- Pendants: $200-400
- Bracelets: $600-1200
- Necklaces: $900-1500
- Wallet Chains: $1000-$2000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reitionko.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/reitionko
Image Credits
Graphic Design – @lavonteharv
Models – @corajoyyy & @illigio
Photographer – @damackdiddat
Make-up – @imissyoulikeimdying
