Kristine Porter


Petals

Kristine Porter


Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2010 featuring Crystal
Finalist

Meet the Designer-Artist


Where do you live?
San Antonio, Texas

Describe your artistic style.
My style is eclectic. I start with an idea, but no plan, and let the piece evolve organically.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Color and texture and the need for the piece to tell a story.

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Materials that are tactile in nature and allow me to move and manipulate them including copper, silver, bronze, glass beads and natural gemstones.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Petals

What inspired this design?
A workshop with Bob Ebendorf where we explored the idea of breaking the boundaries of settings and cold connections and using traditional materials in a non-traditional way.

How did it come together?
I wanted to build something with a floral theme using a mixture of metal clay, sheet copper and the Fire Mountain Gems' gemstones and beads I had available. The piece grew organically after that.

Share Your Background


When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I took a metals fabrication course in the fall of 2009 at a local art school, learning traditional jewelry fabrication techniques. I continue to take classes.

Who introduced you to beading?
In the past, I have worked in fiber arts and had a small collection of beads from that work.

Do you have an artistic background?
I have explored multiple mediums including fiber arts, sculpting, drawing, painting and now metal work, all enhanced by the genetically encoded need to create.

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®?
Doesn't everyone know about Fire Mountain Gems?

What other hobbies do you have?
Knitting and spinning wool into yarn.

Do you belong to any beading societies or beading groups?
The Society of North American Goldsmiths.

Beading Success


What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Jewelry-making is an outlet for my natural impulse to create.

If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
This is the first contest I have entered.

Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Start.

View all of Kristine's designs in the Gallery of Designs.