Collection: Maine Jewelry & Art

Bangor Public Library's iconic old copper dome was installed in 1912. It was old, it was leaking, and in the spring of 2013, it was finally replaced. Roxanne Munksgaard, co-owner of MJA, got the idea to use the historic copper to make jewelry and create a fundraiser for the library remodel. Thanks to the great response from the public in the last few years they have been able to raise $38,000 by the end of 2021!

A note about the copper, over time, all copper will get a green patina, called Verdigris. It’s a green pigment that develops naturally as the copper is exposed to air and water. It has been a challenge to work with the copper and preserve the patina. If we used heat or tried to solder the copper, we would lose the patina. We had to come up with many creative metalsmith ideas – such as riveting, stamping, engraving, and etching. So far, we have been able to make thousands of items, both jewelry and accessories with many different designs.