collections
metal and glass jewelry inspired by mother nature
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i use a variety of metalworking and enameling techniques to create my rings, pendants, and earrings. depending on the collection and the type of piece, i work with either a copper or fine silver base and then add several layers of enamel and often embed metal or glass elements. many of my pieces have been in and out of the kiln 20 times! my pendant hooks and earring wires are all hand-shaped—the hooks are either copper or sterling silver, and the earring wires are all sterling silver. i do also offer leather cords with hand-shaped hooks to go with my pendants.
reclaim
i've always been amazed at nature's ability to reclaim spaces that seem hostile to life—the bit of moss growing in the cracks of pavement, the little pools forming as tides rush out.
i make the ring itself by melting and shaping fine silver, which is 99.9% pure (so unlike sterling silver it won’t tarnish). i use a paintbrush or toothpick to place the enamel grains into the recesses, firing and adding more enamel as many times as necessary. for my reclaim pieces i use either green or blue enamels. i sand the whole ring, then finish it by putting it in a tumbler with steel shot to harden and shine the silver.
bloom
the more i really look at flowers, the more i realize how varied they are in shape, color, texture, and structure. and yet, no matter, as each blooms into something equally stunning.
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i start each pendant by stamping the world “bloom” on the back of a piece of 18 gauge copper or 20 gauge silver and covering it with enamel; the earrings are 26 gauge. the front begins with 3 layers of enamel (individually fused), then I make a design in “separation enamel,” a material which causes the glass to melt at different rates and creates a ghost image. for each bloom piece i use either pinks, purples, or blues. i often embed fine silver that i’ve melted, then i add additional enamel to complete the design.
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grow
after a long winter, i find there's nothing more life-affirming, more optimistic, than the first shoots of growth bursting forth, greening the drab forest floor and the bare tree boughs.
i start each pendant by stamping the world “grow” on the back of a piece of 18 gauge copper or 20 gauge silver and covering it with enamel; the earrings are 26 gauge. the front begins with 3 layers of enamel (individually fused), then i make a design in “separation enamel,” a material which causes the glass to melt at different rates and creates a ghost image. sometimes I embed melted pieces of silver, then i add additional enamel to complete the design.