I grew up in a house filled with art painted by my Mother while she was pregnant with me. Maybe it was that early influence, but I have always had an imaginative streak.
Sadly, I could never quite get my visions to work out in reality the way they did in my mind. In efforts to find an outlet for this creative itch, I tried several different arts and crafts: writing, water colors, knitting, basket weaving, drawing, cross stitch & embroidery, sewing, stained glass, cartooning, quilting, writing (again), stenciling, stained glass (again), glass mosaics, and more. I would start and stop, start and stop, but nothing really clicked until I tried jewelry making.
My first beading class in 2007 instructional, but not very inspired. But it did prove to me that “yes, Virginia, you can make something people would wear”. After that class, I purchased a few magazines for inspiration and to research sources. In the back was a small black and white ad for a chainmaille bracelet tutorial kit. Having always been a sucker for a gorgeous silver chain, I decided to give it a shot. That ad unleashed a monster.
Chainmaille provides structure (that my analytical side likes) but lets my artistic streak “sneak in” and make something beautiful. It also appeals to my inner history geek, who gets to make art out of a technique that began as a tool of war.
Chainmaille led to wire wrapping, initially just to make my own clasps and ear wires. Wire wrapping led to fused loop-in-loop chains – yet another historical method of making jewelry. And this led to metalsmithing, because once you start creating with metal and fire it’s hard to stop.
All of these techniques, and a few others I’ve picked up along the way, combine in my work. I hope you’ll find something here that you’ll enjoy wearing as much as I enjoyed making it.
Occasionally, I’ll also have stationery featuring watercolors that my mother made before Parkinson’s stole her fine motor control. My sister and I found stacks and stacks of gorgeous work that she deemed “not good enough” when we went through her studio after she passed in 2009. I’m slowly turning these pieces into notecards, holiday cards, and more.