Chris Irick has degrees in jewelry and metalsmithing from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and Texas Tech University, and now teaches metal arts at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, New York. She makes jewelry and other objects that offer a glimpse into a dark, dreamlike world. Her work is designed for solitary contemplation and some of it is enriched by sound effects, such as dripping water or a ticking watch. (Chris Irick, artist’s statement; Tacey Rosolowski, “Observations: The Work of Chris Irick,” Metalsmith, Summer 2001)