Ben Cooke-Akaiwa - Plus One Collective
Ben Cooke-Akaiwa
USA
Designer biography:
Ben is a jeweler and metals artist in Bloomington, IN. He graduated from Indiana University in May of 2019 with a BFA in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design. He has supplemented his education through workshops at Arrowmont Craft School and an apprenticeship in Japan. He has participated in residencies at the Baltimore Jewelry Center and Arrowmont. Ben has exhibited his work internationally, in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada.
Collection concept:
I have a long-standing love affair with color, the bolder, the brighter, the better. I predominantly work in steel for practical and conceptual reasons. Steel allows me to work at the scale I want without sacrificing wearability. My heavily saturated color pallet works in opposition to the conventional neutral colors of the western world. My work is playful and inviting, meant for everyone.
