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Silver Grecian Vessel
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2012 featuring Metal
Finalist |
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Meet the Designer-Artist
Where do you live?
San Diego, California
Describe your artistic style.
Earthy, natural forms that are fun and easy to wear.
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Seeing other artist creations at museums, books and the internet. Also, play of colors and textures.
What materials do you most enjoy working with?
All types of silver and gold and gemstones, also fused glass.
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Silver Grecian Vessel
What inspired this design?
Seeing the Greek antiquities at the J Paul Getty Museum, specifically the Grecian urns.
How did it come together?
I feel this Grecian vessel represents all my years in the jewelry field starting with the learning to make the hand-woven silver chain over 20 years ago to present day when PMC® is now a known and accepted jewelry art form. For me, all my projects are works in progress.
Share Your Background
When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I took my first jewelry making class in 1983. Then later I worked as a silversmith, and in retail jewelry sales.
Who introduced you to beading?
My girlfriends.
Do you have an artistic background?
I have always had a very active imagination and a desire to learn and experiment with lots of jewelry making mediums. I am a trained GIA graduate gemologist and ex GIA employee and had lots of exposure to the best gems and jewelry in the world.
How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
A friend showed me your catalog.
What other hobbies do you have?
I collect vintage 1960s troll dolls and play guitar and sing.
Do you belong to any beading societies or beading groups?
No beading, however, I have joined local rock clubs and PMC internet groups.
Beading Success
What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Part-time hobby and internet sales. Creating and making jewelry keeps me emotionally positive and is great physical therapy for me every day. I have significant arthritis now and my time working with my hands is limited. However, I get so excited over new metal designs and colored gemstones I can’t stop creating new projects.
If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
My shop is Blingthings.etsy.com CHECK IT OUT!
Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
In the past, yes, I have volunteered and taught many people free lessons on jewelry making and beading. I would like to do some instructional videos because I was a GIA instructor and teaching is another passion of mine.
Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Educate yourself first by reading and studying books and catalogs on jewelry and then dive in and use trial and error as your guide. Never, give up! |
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