About
Ttereve creates one-of-a-kind adornments born from the intersection of Earth and hand.
THE COLLECTION
Every piece begins with a natural specimen—a crystal, fossil, mineral, or gemstone shaped through thousands or millions of years. Each one is selected for its distinct character—textures, inclusions, and colors created through geological time.
Through the process of electroforming, layers of pure copper are carefully grown around each specimen, creating organic sculptural settings that preserve the specimen's details while echoing its form. The process is deliberate and requires patience, precision, and an understanding of how nature and handcrafted metal can coexist.
The result is wearable artifacts that celebrate natural form, texture, and time.
DESIGNER
Cassandra Pennington is a jewelry designer, metalsmith, lapidary artist, and lifelong rock collector living in Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Entirely self-taught, her work is informed as much by curiosity as craft. Growing up building homes alongside her father and grandfather shaped her approach to making—one rooted in observation, experimentation, and finding solutions through handwork. That same mindset continues to guide her studio practice today.
Surrounded by Oregon's extraordinary geology, Cassandra spends countless hours collecting and studying stones, many of which eventually find their way into her work. Every element is chosen not only for its beauty, but for the design possibilities revealed within its natural form.
THE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
The formations are a record of their creation—crystal structures hidden beneath weathered surfaces, ancient forests preserved in petrified wood, or marine life captured in fossilized form.
The creative process exists between intention and discovery—a dialogue between the artist's vision and what each material reveals. The finished work is a composition of natural character and handcrafted form, where specimen and structure exist in balance.
Each piece is a study in contrast: raw and refined, ancient and contemporary, organic and geometric. The result is adornment that feels discovered rather than manufactured, objects preserved from another time and introduced to a new chapter.
MATERIALS
-Metalwork
Copper is the foundation of every Ttereve piece.
Warm, elemental, and endlessly expressive, it develops rich patinas while beautifully complementing the textures and colors found in nature. Through traditional metalsmithing alongside electroforming, copper is shaped into sculptural forms that appear to emerge organically from each specimen.
-Natural Specimens
Among the specimens that find their way into the collection are varieties of agate, jasper, petrified wood, quartz, labradorite, amethyst, ammonites, fossils, geodes, druzy formations, and other natural treasures shaped by time.
PROCESS
Every piece is created entirely by hand.
From cutting, shaping, polishing, and drilling stone to sawing, forming, hammering, and electroforming copper, each design follows its own path. The process is intentionally slow, allowing the materials to guide each decision.
Hammer marks, file textures, and subtle variations remain visible as evidence of the maker's hand. Rather than hiding these details, they are embraced as part of the finished work—recording the journey from raw material to finished adornment.
Electroforming, in particular, feels almost geological itself. Through a slow electrochemical process, copper gradually grows over many hours, creating organic structures that cannot be achieved through conventional metalworking alone. Electroforming exists at the intersection of science, craftsmanship, and time.
THE NAME
Ttereve (tare-eve) was named in honor of Cassandra's grandfather, whose influence helped shape her approach to craftsmanship and making. His example instilled a respect for quality materials and the care required to create work that endures.
The name also echoes “terra,” meaning Earth, and “Eve,” a symbol of origin and creation. Together, these references reflect the foundation of Ttereve: a practice rooted in materials, detail, and design.
Transforming these discoveries into objects of adornment, Ttereve preserves the connection between natural history and the maker’s hand.
Ttereve is a contemporary jewelry studio creating sculptural adornments from collected specimens and handcrafted metalwork, exploring the relationship between natural forms and design—where material, structure, and craftsmanship converge.
© Ttereve