Ribeiro Costa Ribeiro’s handcrafted silver jewelry conjures an air of ancient craftsmanship with an otherworldly futuristic feel. A sparkling faceted sapphire centers a cosmic spiral and hangs from a delicately braided chain. Green-and-brown polished jade in a half-moon shape balances like a boat on an ocean wave. Unfurling leaves, drops of dew, and concentric circles — emblems, both earthly and celestial, collectively form the Silver Alchemist’s signature.

Having never taken a formal silversmithing lesson, Ribeiro’s designs are inspired by nature and spring from his own creativity. He started practicing the art nearly 30 years ago in his home country of Brazil after helping a friend make earrings for his jewelry business. “From there, I learned the basics,” Ribeiro recalled, “Like how to melt the silver, how to make silver wire, and then how to make the parts and solder.” Presently, at Ribeiro’s studio in Port Townsend, he still uses these centuries-old methods to create his silver jewelry.

Whether sparked by the shape of a stone or a curling vine in his garden, every one of Ribeiro’s designs begins in a similar fashion. Fine silver melts to liquid form in the heat of a propane torch. Ribeiro then alloys the silver with a touch of copper to add strength and stability, as pure silver is too easily dented and scratched. Molten metal hardens into a silver bar as it cools in a plaster mold. Then, with a hundred turns of a hand crank, the bar is flattened and stretched between two grooved metal rollers. “I roll them like pasta,” said Ribeiro.

After the rolling mill, the final step in wire-making involves pulling it through a metal draw plate to stretch it and round the edges. Unlike many modern jewelers who buy their silver wire pre-made, Ribeiro insists on making his own. “It’s how I learned,” he said. “I like the process. I don’t need electricity, and I can do it anywhere.” In Ribeiro’s early years as a silversmith, he did work “from anywhere,” traveling with a backpack toolkit and selling jewelry on street corners in tourist destinations.

When Ribeiro left Brazil in his mid 20s, he set off with little money, his jewelry kit, and no particular end destination. His first stop was in Bolivia, a neighboring country. He sold his wares and wandered the boulevards of La Paz, taking in the vibrant arches, geometric shapes, and curling wrought iron of the Andean Baroque architecture. In Peru, he joined the festivities of Carnival, dancing in decorated streets to the lively music of rainbow-colored parades. “I did that for two years,” said Ribeiro. “I went to Peru, Colombia, and then Honduras…a bunch of countries in South and Central America.”

Free-form travel provided both challenges and adventure. “It was fun to see all these beautiful places,” Ribeiro said, “but sometimes, it’s a little rough to travel like that.” He recalls being robbed on more than one occasion, always landing on his feet with the help of fellow travelers. Eventually, after surviving a harrowing sailboat trip through hurricane winds, Ribeiro made his way to Guatemala. There, people were kind, the landscape was breathtaking, and the jewelry sales were profitable.

During a week’s stay in Panahjachel, Ribeiro met a captivating American woman who was visiting from Washington state. “We met, and we stayed together to this day,” said Ribeiro. “Now, we’ve been married for 27 years.” After several years of living part-time in the states and part-time in Brazil, Ribeiro and his wife settled in Port Townsend, where he started his business, Silver Alchemist.

Ribeiro began selling his jewelry in local galleries and at the Port Townsend Farmers Market. Even 20 years later, the influence of Mayan art, Caribbean seascapes, and street-artisan craft culture that Ribeiro encountered on his travels is evident in the pieces he sells. The spiralized scrolls commonly used in wire wrapping decorate earrings and pendants. Silver wire braided into macrame-style square knots form intricately patterned ring bands. Ribeiro even uses a crochet hook to weave wire together, forming necklace chains or ornamentation around center stones.

Because Ribeiro melts his own silver, he recycles any silver shavings and leftover scraps into freshly made wire for new pieces. He opts for a more environmentally friendly finishing process, using borax and lemon juice rather than the harsh chemicals often used by modern-day silversmiths.

He also sources as many of his materials locally as possible. “I buy my pearls and beads from the bead store here,” he explained. “I also do a lot of trades with people at the market. And sometimes I use stones from the beach.”

Ribeiro continues to draw inspiration from his surroundings. “I’m inspired mostly by nature,” he said. “The pieces I make inspire me, and the people who buy them inspire me.” Ribeiro enjoys the face-to-face interactions that vending at the farmers market allows. He can describe his methods to customers, giving them an appreciation for the steps he takes from start to finish. “Nobody can explain your work better than you,” said Ribeiro, “Because it’s not just a choice; it’s something I love doing, and it makes me happy.”

Silver Alchemist jewelry can be found at Gallery 9 in downtown Port Townsend and at the Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturdays from April through December. Ribeiro can be reached through his website at silver-alchemist.com

Holly Erickson of Jefferson County Farmers Markets presents an inside look at the people, histories, and passions behind the booths of our community’s vibrant marketplaces.