[Designer profile]⁠ For Dutch goldsmith Leen Heyne, it all starts with the material. While the handcrafted works that spring to life in his studio in Tilburg can be described as organic, nature is not what inspires the jewelry artist, whose name is becoming increasingly popular among collectors.⁠ ⁠ “I really draw my inspiration from the material,” he says. His fascinating process involves folding and bending single gold strips into elegant, textured rings. Heyne works from a straight piece, pre-sanding it before bending it, as he doesn’t make any further alterations once the circle is formed.⁠ ⁠ This feat of craftsmanship requires expertise and confidence. The goldsmith cites his “hasty” nature as the reason he prefers making rings out of single strips that don’t require different elements. But while the pieces look effortless, they are the result of a thorough trial-and-error stage.⁠ ⁠ “Figuring out the proportions and when and how to apply the strength and the pressure can take, like, 20 tests,” he relates. He conducts these experiments on non-precious metals before entering into a creative dialogue with the gold. “It’s a forceful, bold step that needs to grow organically. I’m looking at the curve, and the curve needs to make sense, because the gold shows the way it likes to move.”⁠ ⁠ [Words by @soniaesthersoltani for Rapaport Magazine]⁠ ⁠ #linkinbio for the full story⁠