Folium is a study in life rendered through metal. Named for the Latin word folium, meaning “leaf,” the studio is rooted in the idea that jewelry should feel alive, imbued with movement, intention and growth. Founder and master goldsmith Myles Ryan chose the name deliberately. “If a plant has leaves, you know it’s alive,” he explained. “It is my goal with my jewelry to capture the feeling of life and growth. When I think [of] Folium, I imagine a tree in the spring with delicate leaves bursting forth. This is an inspiration for me every time I think of the name and how I want to share my work.”
That philosophy finds one of its most powerful expressions in Folium’s newest body of work, the Serpentis collection. At once ancient and strikingly modern, Serpentis is not a literal depiction of a snake but an abstraction of its essence: rhythm, protection and danger held in balance and constant motion. The collection begins as a study of form, of pattern, of meaning—and is ultimately transformed into precious metal through the artist’s hand.
Across civilizations and centuries, the serpent has appeared as one of humanity’s oldest and most complex motifs. It has been revered as a symbol of wisdom, renewal and protection, while also commanding fear for its power and unpredictability. In the American Southwest, the rattlesnake carries particular resonance. Its patterned skin mirrors the geometry of the land itself, and its image appears in early Southwestern adornments and talismanic jewelry, where diamond-shaped scales were believed to guard the wearer and sharpen the senses.
Serpentis carries this lineage forward. The collection draws on the repeating diamond lattice pattern found in a rattlesnake’s skin, a design that subtly shifts in scale along the animal’s body. Ryan engraves each form by hand, carving individual cells with a precision that recalls vintage desert jewelry and ceremonial objects. Diamonds are set within these engraved forms like flashes of light caught between scales, evoking sunlight glancing off a coiled serpent. The effect is hypnotic, tactile and architectural: jewelry that seems to move even at rest.
“Serpentis is more than a collection; it is a feeling and experience,” Ryan said. “The collection came together when I combined my very personal experiences of rattlesnakes, which are so powerful and dangerous only when threatened, with a very unique pattern that I found in a vintage piece of jewelry. I rescued the pattern and combined it with the power of the rattlesnake. It is this combination that sets the collection apart.”
The resulting pieces feel protective without being aggressive, powerful without excess. Bands become continuous loops of engraved scales, encircling the finger with quiet strength. Pendants elongate the pattern into modern talismans, while earrings and one-of-a-kind works push the geometry into more sculptural territory, echoing the serpent’s unpredictable grace. Serpentis is not about mimicry; it is about distillation. The serpent’s form dissolves into pure texture and rhythm, an homage rather than a portrait.
Ryan’s relationship with metal began early. “I got my start as a boy playing at my godmother’s jewelry bench,” he recalled. “The aspect of play has been integral to my growth as a jeweler. When I took up jewelry in earnest, I was 27.” That sense of play, paired with decades of discipline at the bench, now informs Folium’s philosophy. “Folium is an intensification of all my previous work,” he said. “I take the experience of years at the bench and working for other designers, and let my love of the art express itself through the engraving.”
In an era dominated by speed and mass production, Folium stands firmly on the side of slow craft. Every Serpentis piece is hand-engraved in gold or platinum, materials chosen for their endurance and historical significance. “As everything gets faster and more soulless, more and more people are craving handcrafted things,” Ryan explained. “I know for myself I want things that are made with intention, and it is my core belief that jewelry should be a leader in this. I make jewelry that will endure for people who want the human touch. Gold and platinum have been the benchmark for fine jewelry, and that is why they are the materials I use.”
Ryan’s background in eurythmy, a form of expressive movement, also shapes the work in subtle but profound ways. “Eurythmy is full-body expression,” he said. “My time performing gave me experience and insight into the meaning of gesture and expression that are vital to the way I understand the world and my desire to bring a life element to jewelry.” In Serpentis, that influence is evident in the flow of the engraved lines and the sense of motion embedded in static form.
Ultimately, Folium’s jewelry is meant to be lived in, not simply admired. When asked what he hopes people feel when wearing his work, Ryan shared a quote that has stayed with him: “I feel more myself and ready to take on the world.” He added simply, “This is my goal.”
With Serpentis, Folium offers more than adornment. It presents jewelry as a living object: protective, intentional and rooted in ancient symbolism, engraved forever in motion.
