Marlon Obando Solano, Louisville, KY

Nautraleza Organic Jewelry

Organic Jewelry

Marlon Obando Solano creates one-of-a-kind jewelry using natural materials found in his native country of Nicaragua. As a child exploring the forests and mountains of his homeland, Marlon discovered many different varieties of nuts, seeds, and native woods, and soon began to see the beauty in nature’s detail. Marlon’s artistic process begins by collecting seeds and fallen wood from the forest floor. He dries, cleans and cures, carves, sands, and uses inlay to create one-of-a-kind necklaces, earrings, and rings.

Marlon incorporates sterling silver inlay into many of his pieces, using ancient symbols and Mayan numerology. His work reflects a connection to his cultural heritage and to nature, while experimenting with new elements of design. Marlon is innovative in his use of natural materials and states, “I am inspired by the natural patterns and textures that I discover in these materials. No two pieces are exactly alike.”

In 2005 Marlon moved from Nicaragua to Louisville where he creates his jewelry from his home. He also works in archeology and is a talented musician, playing with a local band called Appalatin a combination of Latin and Appalachian influences. He is a juried member of the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, the Kentucky Guild of Artists & Craftsmen and the Louisville Artisans Guild.

Works by Marlon Obando Solano can be found at the Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft, Louisville, KY; Edenside Gallery, Louisville, KY; and at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, Berea, KY.