ALEX SOLDIER
Alex Soldier was born in the Ural
Mountains region, city of Perm. This region is known for its abundant
natural resources such as gold and adamants. Based on a Russian folk
legend, in the bosom of these mountains once lived a Russian craftsman
named Danila, who spent seven years of his life to carve a flower out of
malachite which would be ideal in form and beauty. So much time and
effort had Danila invested into his creation that the final outcome
turned out to be a masterpiece—the flower looked as if it had its own
soul, even though it was made out of stone. This legend serves as an
inspiration for Alex Soldier to this day. When designing jewelry,
Soldier strives to create miniature works of art. He gives life to his
work—be it a jewelry design or an objet d’art—making it more a piece of
art than an accessory. Even as a child, Alex Soldier displayed a
talent for sculpture, woodcraft, and painting miniatures. But before
pursuing art as a career, he earned a master’s degree in computer
engineering. In 1981 Alex Soldier made a drastic change in his
profession: in just six months he was promoted from an intern to a chief
designer of the largest jewelry plant in the Urals region. His
unconventional approach to the jewelry-making process has taken the
plant to a new level of recognition by winning numerous awards at trade
shows across Eastern Europe. When he arrived in the United States in
1990, Soldier began to work independently, developing new methods of
designing and producing contemporary jewelry in 18k gold and platinum
with precious gemstones. His innovative approach and artistic
aspirations led to a development of an extensive line of conceptual
jewels, earning awards and professional recognition. In 1998 Alex
Soldier won a Platinum Passion Award from Platinum Guild International
and in 2002 a Spectrum honor from American Gem Trade Association. His
profound understanding of precious metals in concurrence with an
extraordinary gift for improvisation gave birth to an entirely different
and drastically novel line of one-of-a-kind miniatures.
