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Necklace and Earring Set by Esther Pollock featured on the cover of The Jewelry Maker's Comprehensive Catalog 2013-14
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Meet the Designer-Artist
Where do you live?
Grants Pass, Oregon
Describe your artistic style.
I love it all to one degree or the other. I love pieces that move and flow that take on a life of their own. My personal favorite is free-form peyote. It definitely takes on my feelings and moods as each stitch is made and each bead inserted.
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Beads. I love Beads. All of the different colors, textures, sizes. There is nothing like the feel of a gemstone in your hand. It can be smooth or rough, each is magical. As far as designs, I think the natural world really inspires me. It could be the cool colors of the ocean with its sandy beaches or the leaves on the trees blowing in the wind. I dearly love the colors of the desert in contrast to water (Lake Havasu, AZ is one of my favorite places). Each place has its own color spectrum and movement that excite my soul and make my creative juices flow.
What materials do you most enjoy working with?
I cannot pick one of anything. I love it all. I think that mixing materials is really fun. Guess that is why I enjoy free-form peyote, because it is a combination of everything. :)
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Burnished Blossoms
Share Your Background
When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
When I graduated from high school I started making macramé jewelry and selling it. I played with it off and on through the years. However, when we were traveling in Arizona I took a beading class at Casa Grande and fell in love with seed beads. Suddenly I could not get enough of it. This was quite a few years ago now. I went to every bead class I could find and enjoyed it all. I had been bitten by the "bead bug."
Who introduced you to beading?
I have always had the desire to create. The first peyote stitch bead class I took at an RV park in Arizona was a new direction and inspiration to me. From there my desire to learn all I could about different techniques and styles has developed into a deep love.
Do you have an artistic background?
I have taken classes on water color, sewing, fused glass, Art Clay, polymer clay, different beading stitches and techniques. I would consider myself as being more self-taught than "formally" trained.
How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
I first purchased things from Fire Mountain when they were in Cave Junction, Oregon. That was when you could walk in and get things off the shelf. That was a long time ago.
What other hobbies do you have?
All of my other hobbies have been put to the side. Beading is my life and love at this time.
Beading Success
What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
I work full-time as a jewelry designer for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. My life is full of what I am making, what I want to make, what I need to make, and looking for inspiration and ideas to make more. This is my love and my life. It is what makes my soul content.
If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
I am not doing anything outside of work other than for family and friends at this time.
Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Do not let your lack of knowledge and your mistakes set you back. There are many avenues to lead you to find your creative niché. Let your desire lead you and experiment. Let this be a way to express your inner soul. There is no better feeling than making something very special for someone you love for their wedding day. Maybe even yours.
View all of Esther's designs in the Gallery of Designs. |
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