Giving life to the bones claimed by the forest

Woman with dark hair and tattoos holding a ritualistic object in a wooded forest.

Hope Bair is a Michigan based mixed media artist with a focus on bone carving and bespoke metalsmithing. Inspired by folklore, bronze age art, and the woods surrounding the great lakes, Sylvan Bones is the embodiment of nature spirits

Close-up of a weathered white wooden surface with peeling paint and some small patches of moss or lichen.
Close-up of a hand with tattoos, wearing a large, textured metallic bracelet on the wrist, and a tattooed forearm with a fern pattern.

Electroformed copper birch bark cuff

A close-up of a pile of autumn leaves on the ground, primarily oak leaves in various shades of brown, gray, and tan.
A decorative pendant shaped like a leaf or feather, made of a metallic material with a rose gold finish, featuring a central red gemstone.

Electroformed oak leaf with garnet

Alchemizing bark into precious metal

Electroforming is a process combining chemistry and an electrical current to grow layers of copper on an object. This process allows me to plate metal on organic materials like leaves, bones, florals, and bark. The process can be extensive, taking days and even weeks to complete in the initial plating stage, but the results tell stories of ancient treasures forged in the earth or washed ashore from the sea

A skull and antlers arranged in a circular pattern, viewed from above, with dark background.

  • All bones used in my creations are found in nature and salvaged

  • Short answer? Probably. But first let’s talk about why; some individuals have more acidic sweat than others. When copper is absorbed through the skin, the interaction with sweat causes the green. Fun fact, not everyone has this experience.

  • Yes! Custom work is so fufilling to me. Reach out at sylvanbones@gmail.com and we can make it happen. I do require a deposit and that amount depends on the project

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