Natalia Skuba, the artist behind The Copper Oasis, makes copper look like it’s been painted with a brush dipped in sunsets, ocean blues, and electric rainbow sheen, except the trick is that the “paint” is actually the result of heat.
Her flame-painted jewelry and art are created by harnessing copper’s natural reaction when it’s heated. As the surface oxidizes, it shifts through vivid colors in a predictable sequence, but the results are never truly repeatable. That balance of technique and chaos is part of what makes each piece feel like a one-off. But there's also a deeper story behind why she’s drawn to working with fire. After her family lost everything in the 2018 Paradise, California, fire, the same force that destroyed her home became part of a process that helped her rebuild, turning flames into something striking, wearable, and unexpectedly calming.
To learn more about her process and the story behind The Copper Oasis, we reached out to Natalia with a few questions. So scroll down to vote on your favorite pieces and see what she has to say about her artistic process.
