st. paul 2015
CHARM DIRECTORY
2015 St. Paul American Craft™ Charm Collection participants 2 Donna D’Aquino
12 Tara Locklear
3 Amy Faust
13 Christine Mackellar
4 Mary Filapek &
14 Samantha Mitchell
Lou Ann Townsend
15 Beth Novak
5 Michele Friedman
16 Gabriel Ofiesh
6 Cornelia Goldsmith
17 Bree Richey
7 Lori Gottlieb
18 Meghan Patrice Riley
8 Heather Guidero
19 Laura Stamper
9 Jungwhon Joo
20 Beverly Tadeu
10 Shana Kroiz
21 Erica Zap
11 Keith Lewis
Laura Stamper
Beyond the St. Paul show: Additional Charm artists 23 Debra Adelson
49 Terri Logan
24 Lorena Angulo
50 Jerra Lodge
25 Megan Clark
51 Edna Madera
26 Erica Bello
52 Thomas Mann
27 Shauna Burke
53 Lauren Markley
28 Deborah Bushinski
54 Karen McCreary
29 Emma Chandler
55 Judith Neugebauer
30 Bongsang Cho
56 Michelle Pajak-
31 Elyse Clark
Reynolds
32 Martha Collins
57 Linda Perrin
33 Sonya Coulson Rook
58 Bettina Pressman
34 Parbati Dasgupta
59 Emilie Pritchard
35 Janine DeCresenzo
60 Biba Schutz
36 Teddi Fine
61 Samantha Skelton
37 Lara Ginzburg
62 Erica Stankwytch
38 Christina Goodman
Bailey
39 Vickie Hallmark
63 Hazel Studstill
40 Valerie Hector
64 Tura Sugden
41 Barbara Heinrich
65 Patricia Tschetter
42 Erin Proctor Herb
66 Victoria Varga
43 Estyn Hulbert
67 Kiwon Wang
44 Jacqueline Johnson
68 Sadie Wang
45 Kelly Jones
69 Emily Watson
46 Deb Karash
70 Carly Wright
47 Stacey Krantz
71 Hsiang-Ting Yen
48 Holly Lee
Our collection is designed to fit any budget, so whether you add a single charm each year or establish your collection in one fell swoop, you’ll find wearable art that’s uniquely you. Visit the Charm booth on the show floor to purchase universal links and a variety of chains to help you create a custom piece or add to an existing collection. See something you like but aren’t able to make it to the show? You may contact these artists directly for purchase inquiries. On the cover: Charm artist Michele Friedman in her Chicago, Illinois, studio
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Charms are the fashion accessory that never goes out of style. Check out our collection of one-of-a-kind charm bracelets, necklaces, cluster pendants, and pins that will be at the 2015 American Craft Council Atlanta show. You can shop for complete pieces or mix and match individual charms by your favorite artists. The possibilities are endless!
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Create your own custom piece by collecting charms from multiple artists. This necklace shows charms by Debra Adelson, Megan Clark, and Janine DeCresenzo.
DONNA D’AQUINO
Artist Statement
My ongoing body of work connects my interest in drawing and jewelry, using wire as I would use charcoal. The work consists of a series of wearable pieces that reflect an exploration of line, form, volume, movement, structure, geometry, space, light, and shadow. This work is based in the act of drawing and inspired by interior and exterior architectural structures, such as bridges and telephone towers.
donnadaquino.com daquino15@yahoo.com Booth 200
I find that working in the jewelry arts allows me to think sculpturally, graphically, and painterly. I can also satisfy my desire to make things with my hands, as well as use tools such as files and torches. I love simplicity, color, light, subtle texture, and the mysterious connection that art has to nature. As a visual person, I am always looking for inspiration from both the natural and urban environments. I love finding objects, such as beach and bottle glass with hints of writing or design, or gorgeous, smooth pebbles. Cutting them into specific shapes they resemble gemstones and take on a new precious quality. My wish is that each finished piece is perfectly made, contemporary, elegant, refreshing to the eye and highly wearable.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
amyfaust.com amy@amyfaust.com Booth 1203
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AMY FAUST
Artist Statement
MARY FILAPEK & LOU ANN TOWNSEND
Artist Statement
Our jewelry is about dreams. When we dissect our dreams, we find that they are not ruled by gravity, but rather exist in a state of grace. We aspire to bring a sense of grace and anti-gravity to all of our work. Our design sensibility is heavily influenced by a mid-century modern aesthetic. Crisp, strong lines, clean color, and a relationship to the universe and its machinations, infused with a sense of joy and hope. The creation of our work always begins with the metal. Whether sterling silver, gold, or bronze, utilizing both fabrication and casting methods for manipulation, the foundation is built in metal. After the metalwork is complete, some pieces are further flushed out with polymer clay or semi-precious stones. Mary and Lou Ann met at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque where they were both studying metal arts. They live in North Carolina and have been collaborating for more than 15 years.
maryandlouann.com jewelry@maryandlouann.com Booth 524
My jewelry is inspired by graphic, product, and furniture design, as well as architecture. European and American design movements from the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries have had a profound effect on me and my aesthetic. Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Philippe Starck, Charles and Ray Eames, Vasily Kandinsky, and Marimekko are among the architects, designers, and artists who inspire and influence me. Growing up in Chicago gave me an appreciation of architecture and attending Parsons School of Design in New York City exposed me to the exciting world of design. Since developing my first line of all-metal jewelry in 1994, I wanted to incorporate color into my work without setting stones. The challenge was determining an alternative material. After much trial and error, I decided wool felt was an excellent candidate. It possesses rich, saturated color, a hint of texture, and is flexible and durable. After experimenting, I began to love the interplay between the bright, soft wool felt and the dark, hard, oxidized silver.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
MicheleAFriedman.com mafdesign1@gmail.com Booth 409
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MICHELE FRIEDMAN
Artist Statement
Photo: Cole Rodger
cornelia goldsmith
Artist Statement
Through my jewelry designs, I strive to capture the preciousness of life and its magical flow with elegant and simple designs. I often use many symbols derived directly from nature, such as expansive oceans as a figure to express our interconnectedness, our oneness; or droplets of water as a metaphor for individuality; the warming sun as a giver of life, or delicate flowers symbolizing the beauty and fragility of life. My work is largely a reaction to these kinds of images. At times it contains fragments taken directly from them and at other times contains only abstract offshoots which have evolved indirectly from those images. Furthermore, I feel the techniques I use are merely a tool, a means to get my message across. I believe that the use of various techniques can be likened to something like language, whereas the designs of the pieces communicate the ideas and the real message.
corneliagoldsmith.com cgoldstudio-shows@yahoo.com Booth 518
I have always found truth in “when one door closes, another one opens.” I practiced surgery for 15 years but also pursued art as a hobby. When my vision made it impossible for me to operate anymore, my hobby became my new career. It allows me the opportunity to be creative and also work with my hands.
lorimegdesigns.com lorimegdesigns@me.com Booth 322
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
This career change has had other benefits as well. It gives me the opportunity to pursue my other passion – bike riding. And that in turn provides endless amounts of inspiration for my jewelry. When I ride, I am struck by the beauty around me and am inspired by the textures, patterns, and colors. My jewelry is very organic, and that is a result of the images being blurry, both due to my whizzing by on my bicycle and due to the inherent nature of the issue with my eyes. This translates into pieces that have a certain energy and sense of movement to them. I embrace their asymmetry, fluidity, and lack of perfection in a traditional sense and create pieces that are versatile and make the wearer feel good when they are adorned.
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LORI GOTTLIEB
Artist Statement
HEATHER GUIDERO
Artist Statement
My jewelry consists of a series of simple geometric shapes, inspired by elements of modernist design. I am interested in rendering drawings three dimensionally to explore volume, movement, and pattern. Using wire and sheet allows me to group the shapes into larger forms that are lightweight yet have a presence of their own. I primarily use sterling silver, high-karat gold, and select stones. The materials, along with hand-applied finishes, serve to accentuate the graphic nature of the designs. Each piece is constructed and finished by hand in my studio.
heatherguidero.com info@heatherguidero.com Booth 223
I am drawn to the technique of cloisonné enameling because of its graphic nature. The line work created by cloisonné’s precious metal wires is a special aspect of this age-old technique. The vibrancy of vitreous enamel allows me to attempt bold juxtapositions in color. It is challenging to paint with grains of glass, to build up each layer so patiently throughout the process. But I love watching how a single color choice can change the tone or mood of the line work after each firing. Once the enamel achieves the desired depth, I hand polish the piece and either leave it to a matte finish or flash fire it. Then comes the final challenge of building the setting, during which I often use semi-precious stones to allow the enamel and natural stone to enhance each other.
joojewelry@gmail.com Booth 1209
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
It is what I see while I work, both expected and unexpected, that keeps me intrigued by this medium even after 10 years. The visual dialogues within each piece that develop in my hands are constantly an exciting source of surprise; and when others wear these pieces, a whole new dialogue begins again.
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JUNGWHON JOO
Artist Statement
shana kroiz
Artist Statement
Shana Kroiz creates charms that echo her sensuous and sculptural forms. When worn, these charms create movement and interact with the body in a playful yet elegant way.
shanakroiz.com shanakroiz@hotmail.com Booth 222
keithlewisstudio.com info@keithlewisstudio.com Booth 507
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Technique is crucial, and I embrace it’s importance, but I create more from curiosity than by design. I love the accident, the kind that reveals something unexpected, not packaged and controlled, like dropping white-hot copper on a wooden floor and seeing what the flames do to its surface. Much of what I feel is best in my work comes from appreciating nature, maybe because we all share it’s inspiration. I combine natural materials including mica, lava, and anthracite with pearls, gems, rough opal, and shell which I carve, and with that create work which refers to natural forms such as vines or seed pods. While I also use traditional materials, I’ve recently been offering some sculptural designs I carve from a block made with recycled water bottles, which I color with lacquer and mica dust. I’m just beginning to work with carbon fiber. My fundamental goal is to enjoy what I do, and if I do it right, that curiosity will rise to the surface in my designs.
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keith lewis
Artist Statement
tara locklear
Artist Statement
Inspired by urban environments, Tara Locklear’s designs are comprised of industrial and repurposed materials, which she uses to create a visual dialog in the form of jewelry. Tara’s work can be found online and in many galleries including Velvet da Vinci, California, J.Cotter Galleries, Colorado, and Mora Designer Jewelry, North Carolina. She also shows work in craft shows including Bijoux! at the Norton Museum of Art, Florida and the American Craft Council shows. She has been published and exhibited across the United States and Canada. Tara is a 2014 Society for Contemporary Craft Lydon Emerging Artist Program Finalist. Tara received her BFA from East Carolina University. She currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she works as a studio jewelry artist.
taralocklear.com lockleartara@gmail.com Booth 1006
Growing up on a farm, I naturally absorbed the patterns of changing seasons — noting each year subtle differences. My approach to design is rooted in the observation of these small changes. I’m fascinated with the way repetition of the same shape and texture create the building blocks that form our natural landscapes – a tree is many leaves, a blossom many petals. I explore this idea throughout my design process. The focus of the work is on dimensional form using a limited color palate to create tactile and distinctive wearable jewelry. The work is created by hand, using time-honored techniques in my Brooklyn, New York, studio.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
c.h.mackellar.com chmackellar@outlook.com Booth 211
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CHRISTINE MACKELLAR
Artist Statement
SAM MITCHELL
Artist Statement
Childhood is fleeting, gone the moment we realize how special it is. Adulthood is elusive, ever looming, yet continually out of reach. At nearly 30 years old, I feel as though I am no longer a child, yet not quite an adult. I am constantly in search of the moment when I will transition out of this midpoint. In my current body of work, I am exploring personal memories, imagery from my childhood, and experiences I gain in observing my son, all in an attempt to better understand myself and what it means to be an adult. Drawing inspiration from the illustrations in Dr. Seuss stories and 90s Nickelodeon cartoons, my work filters images and memories from my childhood through my continually maturing vision. This distillation explores the opposing natures of adulthood and childhood. Bright colors and simple shapes become finely crafted, sophisticated forms. These pieces hang in the same developmental limbo in which I continually find myself.
aldentedesigns.com aldentedesigns@yahoo.com Booth 1214
Creating is part of who I am. I can’t imagine life without it. I believe in great craftsmanship, and I am excited by interesting textures, rich colors and soothing forms. My work is often described as industrial and organic in the same sentence. I am constantly taking in inspiration from the things around me – natural forms, like river stones and nests, and structural, architectural details, like rivets in the cross-beams of a bridge. I use the age-old process of enameling to add durable color to my formed copper pieces. I then fabricate intricate sterling silver settings to hold them, incorporating cold connections to hold the enamel in place. This process takes considerable planning and creative problem solving to execute.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
bethnovakenamels.com beth.novak.enamels@gmail.com Booth 711
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BETH NOVAK
Artist Statement
gabriel ofiesh
Artist Statement
When I’m making a piece of jewelry, I think about rhythm and balance. But I also like unexpected details – things that move, flash, hide, or surprise.
gabrielofiesh.com gdoii@aol.com Booth 808
Bree Richey’s jewelry collections are directly inspired by her love of the art deco movement and contemporary architecture. She finds inspiration for her work in the clean lines of modern furniture, the fluid patterns of fabric, and cutting-edge industrial design. All of these elements are immediately apparent in her work, where metal is meticulously handcrafted to create elegant yet highly wearable jewelry.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
breericheydesigns.com breerichey@comcast.net Booth 325
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bree richey
Artist Statement
MEGHAN PATRICE RILEY
Artist Statement
I create light and kinetic, wire jewelry. With a background in math and geometry, each piece is inspired by volumetric forms and is fabricated by hand. Using sterling silver and gold-fill tubing with nylon-coated steel wire as fiber, I am able to form small line segments to create geometric shapes and forms that are lightweight, flexible, and adapt to the wearer. Geometric shapes were chosen as the foundation because they are simple, basic, and elementary, but can be expounded on to create multi-dimensional forms. Each form acts like a link to interconnect with other forms creating an even larger volumetric structure. The resulting pieces are extremely light, web-like structures that have glints of precious metal connectors amongst the flexible metal wire. I love finding the intersection of art, design, and fashion – my collections have received numerous attention and awards in the fashion and art worlds.
meghanpatriceriley.com mpr@meghanpatriceriley.com Booth 1212
Laura grew up in rural Minnesota, and the beauty of the countryside influenced her creative endeavors. “I was always making things with mud and drawing animals on walls,” Laura says. Today she creates oneof-a-kind wearable sculptures that celebrate nature and the female form. Much of her inspiration is rooted in story. Each piece of miniature wearable sculpture has its own personality and story to tell.
laurastamper.com laurastamper.stamper@gmail.com Booth 612
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Laura studied as a painter with an emphasis on portraiture. In 1991, the creative process drew her to work with clay. Laura began by drawing whimsical pictures on her ceramic pieces and glazing them. In 1993, she took the process one step further and sculpted the porcelain to make her jewelry. As the work evolved, Laura developed a desire to work with metal so that she could incorporate the porcelain miniatures with other materials. In 1996 she studied with an accomplished goldsmith to learn techniques in jewelry fabrication.
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LAURA STAMPer
Artist Statement
beverly tadeu
Artist Statement
My work has a fragile, ethereal quality that belies its inherent strength and durability. The open structure of this work allows people to glimpse inside to usually unseen spaces, to the play of shadows and layers revealed. I endeavor to capture, in each of my sculptural pieces, certain elusive and contradicting qualities, asymmetry with symmetry, rawness with opulence, and fragility with strength.
beverlytadeu.com bt@beverlytadeu.com Booth 315
My goal is to design a contemporary look that exposes beauty through the simplicity of form. I am influenced by a combination of ancient and contemporary cultures’ industrial and organic shapes. I use a variety of materials – metals, leather, pearls, and stones – textures, shapes, and color to create pieces that are designed to enhance and empower the women who wear them.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
ericazap.com ericazap@cox.net Booth 1121
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erica zap
Artist Statement
The artists on the following pages are part of the American Craft™ Charm Collection program, but are not exhibiting in the St. Paul show. You may contact them directly or visit their website to inquire about purchasing their work.
I am drawn to working with acrylic because of its versatility. It is virtually weightless, and can easily be shaped, formed, and colored to suit any of my designs, which are inspired by modernist jewelry from the 1930s-’60s, as well as pop culture and design from my childhood in the 1980s. I choose not to treat the acrylic like a gem. I want it to be its own material, so I don’t set it in traditional settings. My newest body of work combines handfabricated hollow formed sterling silver with layers of acrylic that I have carved, heat-formed, dyed, or reverse painted, and then riveted with the settings of semi-precious gemstones. All the work, from start to finish, is done by me. Each piece is a labor of love.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
debraadelson.com debadelson@yahoo.com
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DEBRA ADELSON
Artist Statement
LORENA ANGULO
Artist Statement
Since I can remember art has been a strong influence in my life. I am from Mexico, a country so rich in traditions, culture, and art. Everything that surrounded me when I was a child living in Southern Mexico (Chiapas) was important in my formation. I think I felt more in love with my country when I moved to live in the United States. I missed so many things. This great passion for my culture motivated me to take my first class in metals at SSA in San Antonio, Texas. I had so many ideas in my heart that needed to come to life, and metalsmithing allowed me to do that. My work is a big representation of my big love for my country and culture. This allows me to create pieces with much soul.
lorenaangulo.com info@LorenaAngulo.com
I hand-fabricate everything from silver and gold sheet and wire, and draw my inspiration from a combination of architecture and nature. I enjoy balancing strong structures with delicate textures and patterns. In 2010, I began incorporating stingray leather into my work. I treat it like a precious stone by making hollow forms and inlaying the pieces.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
meganclarkjewelry.com mcmetal24@gmail.com
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megan clark
Artist Statement
erica bello
Artist Statement
Influenced by icons of value and strength, my work communicates a juxtaposition of interior and exterior forms. Through the use of traditional fabrication techniques, minimal forms are crafted as intersecting planes or with exposed interiors. The hollowness and skeletal nature of these objects are amplified through the use of monochromatic industrial finishes.
ericabellojewelry@gmail.com
I am a New York-based artist, art educator, and jewelry designer. The New York industrial landscape and the people who live within it inspire my artwork. My environment is tough, gritty and yet exquisite and vulnerable. I find that this disparity comes together in my art, where a subtle, often elegant interior peaks out of its tough exterior.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
shaunablytheburke.com shaunablythe@yahoo.com
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SHAUNA BURKE
Artist Statement
DEBORAH BUSHINSKI
Artist Statement
My background as a painter has informed both my choice of materials and my approach to jewelry design. The realization that a simple bit of paint on canvas can create a masterpiece was a springboard for me. Using non-traditional, salvaged materials for my jewelry, such as birch bark and copper scrapped from car radiators, shakes up one’s idea of what is “precious.” Sterling silver and gemstones bring bold color and structure to the organic designs. I might begin designing with a concept, or have a shape or color in mind, but free association and allowing the process to unfold is what is inspiring to me. Further refinement comes in removing unnecessary complexity to reveal the serenity and strength. What emerges is always a joyful surprise.
tessorojewelry.com tessoro@earthlink.net
Photos: Gary Ness
I have always been drawn to little bits of found ephemera: seedpods and coins, wings and buttons, and I want to share this world of infinite detail with others. Using cast natural objects and fabricated traditional forms, I transform detritus, both manmade and organic, into precious adornment. I combine materials such as sterling silver, lustrous pearls, and the hexagonal pattern of a wasp’s nest to create bold, beautiful jewelry.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
bitterhoneymetals.com emma.oliviachandler@gmail.com
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EMMA CHANDLER
Artist Statement
BONGSANG CHO
Artist Statement
Bongsang Cho is a South Korea-born metalsmith working in the United States. He combines traditional techniques of forming metal with new technology to create innovative work. Beautiful, strong, and textural, his pieces display the contrast between structural forms and natural beauty of material. Bongsang won the Best of Show award at Washington Craft Show 2014 and Excellence in Contemporary Art Award from the Northern Virginia fine Art Festival in 2013 and 2014. He explains his artistic philosophy this way: “Technology drives innovation. Freely experimenting with traditional materials allows me to express a new vision. By juxtaposing traditional smithing with advanced laser welding, I connect the past and present, build intriguing designs, and exceed the limitations of convention.
bongsangcho.com bongsangcho@gmail.com
Nature has always been the inspiration for my jewelry. I enjoy combining natural objects such as sea glass, fossils, and shells with sterling silver and precious gemstones to create a piece that emphasizes the beauty of the materials. I have a BFA in gold and silversmithing and live on a small farm in upstate New York with horses, dogs, cats, and chickens, where I try to spend at least part of every day outside.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Elyseclarkjewlery.com elyseclark0111@gmail.com
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ELYSE CLARK
Artist Statement
martha collins
Artist Statement
My passion is to create personal, unique, threedimensional works of art with exotic hardwoods and brightly colored veneers that are hand-dyed in my studio. Currently I am creating jewelry, ceremonial bowls, and a complete line of tableware. Each piece is carefully constructed using the colors, grains and textures of the sustainable yield exotic and domestic hardwoods. The natural beauty is then framed and accentuated with the dyed veneer. It is this combination that sets my work apart and makes each piece unique.
studiomarthacollins.com martha@studiomarthacollins.com
Whimsy is an important aspect of my work, and nothing makes me happier than seeing someone pick up one of my pieces and smile. I don’t want my jewelry to be too fussy or serious, so I try to keep the pieces light and easy with an element of humor. To create the pieces, I combine traditional metalsmithing techniques with non-traditional materials. I received a BFA in metal design from East Carolina University and currently work with my husband in our downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, studio.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
metamorphosismetals.com sonyacoulson@gmail.com
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sonya coulson rook
Artist Statement
parbati dasgupta
Artist Statement
I work in metals and other media to create art-to-wear. I design and craft each piece, drawing inspiration from patterns in nature and organic forms, filtered through the sensory continuum of my life. My work melds diverse elements to produce pieces that are imperfect (as is real life), yet reflect beauty, balance, flow, harmony. My pieces run the gamut – from gold, sterling, mixed metal, mokume, precious stones, pearls, polymer clay, beads, enamel, patinas, glitter, inks, to used tool parts from my bench – sometimes alone, often mixed. Having come to jewelry making after a career in technology, I feel I have stepped into a magical world where I can use all that is available to give shape to the ideas swirling in my head. My lines are very different, yet people say that there is a singular sensibility that unites them.
atreyiatelier.com pdgupta1@aol.com
Sculptural jewelry for women and men, fusing antique with space age, balance within asymmetry, and organic with an industrial twist. Starting with a simple sheet of silver, designs are cut, formed, and fabricated, evolving into wearable art. Hand-cut coral speckled with bezel-set stones compliment pierced silver and gold forms. In my studio, I am an engineer, an inventor, and a scientist, working to create jewelry that has a history and tells a story. Jewelry ages with the wearer, gradually picking up patterns from their life. I want those who wear my jewelry to be comfortable with it, and at the same time, I want it to make a statement.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
janine.decresenzo.com janinede@yahoo.com
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janine decresenzo
Artist Statement
theodora fine
Artist Statement
After a career in national health policy, Thea (Teddi) Fine returned to her first love: creating jewelry with tiny glass beads, a needle and thread, in a process called bead weaving. She learned to work with beads years ago, taught by her maternal grandmother, Rose, a Renaissance woman who never met a craft she didn’t love. Like her grandmother, Thea is a self-taught artisan. While beading is often exacting and methodical, Thea still finds “playing with beads” freeing and artistically satisfying. Each piece of her wearable bead art is artistsewn, one glass bead at a time. Beads of varying color often are paired with crystal, stones or found objects to create the optimal palette of hues, textures, and finishes. Then, the Zen of bead weaving begins. The beads and other objects are sewn together, often using stitches with roots in ancient times. At its core, the work is about threading a needle and connecting an ancient craft with a contemporary art form. For Thea, it’s also a connection of the heart across the generations.
theafine.com editted@gmail.com
My jewelry is a reflection of my inner vision. It is inspired by my love of life, nature, ancient world, and my traveling experiences to places near and far. My jewelry continuously interacts with its wearer, expressing its owner’s sense of beauty. Enameling is a process of fusing glass to the metal at high temperatures. To reach desired clarity and depth, pieces needs to be fired a number of times. Enameling is considered to be one of the most intricate and difficult of all jewelry techniques.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
laraginzburg.com lkeginz@netscape.net
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LARA GINZBURG
Artist Statement
christina goodman
Artist Statement
These wearable miniatures are hand-painted using extremely fine brushes and a magnifier. Each piece is made of cast resin, gilded with 22k gold leaf, then individually painted in acrylics.
christinagoodman.com cg@christinagoodman.com
For many years, I’ve collected inspirational quotations and used them in the visual journals that form my art practice when I’m away from my studio. Slowly, I’ve begun to incorporate quotes into my jewelry, typically placing them on the reverse of larger pieces such as brooches and statement necklaces. It’s almost instinctive to flip a piece of jewelry over to inspect the back, and I love the expression of delight that accompanies the discovery of these hidden meanings. With my quote charm collection, I’ve brought that pleasure to smaller, more affordable, and collectible charms.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
www.vickiehallmark.com vichall@austin.rr.com
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vickie hallmark
Artist Statement
valerie hector
Artist Statement
I enjoy designing three-dimensional structures with beads and findings to make themwearable. Some of the structures are simple – the Turquoise Single Ring, for example, which involves stitching beads multiple times into a circle. Other structures are complex, such as the Sterling Windowpane. I learned this technique by studying a piece of beadwork I acquired in China, dating to about 1900. Only by stitching two layers together could I make the technique right for my work. A single layer would be too flat. I lived in Chicago for 20 years. I took every opportunity to walk down the alleys, where I often found unexpected tokens of urban life – bits of metal, pieces of plastic, and so on. I kept some of them as talismans – unpretentious tokens, beautiful in an unassuming way, with shapes to intrigue mind and eye. I hope my Charm pieces will convey a similar kind of feeling – of forms and colors newly discovered, elements of everyday beauty to wear.
valeriehector.com valeriehector@sbcglobal.net
My jewelry pieces are a contemporary interpretation of botanical themes. I instill a delicate sense of proportion, form, and color in each piece to achieve a sense of timeless beauty. The understated look of this collection is achieved by matted-gold surfaces and burnished edges, combined with the masterful use of various ancient gold-smithing techniques. I hope the subtle beauty of my work speaks to you.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
barbaraheinrichstudio.com terri@barbaraheinrichstudio.com
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BARBARa HEINRICH
Artist Statement
erin PROCTOR herb
Artist Statement
My interior design background led me to design contemporary architectural jewelry for my company RINjuel. I draw my inspiration from the sculptural works of Alexander Calder. My focus is on pure form and creating a delicate, almost weightless feel to my pieces. This is achieved by engineering a modern structure consisting of a series of hand-formed 14K gold-filled wire elements. Semi-precious stones are strategically incorporated to balance a dash of luxury with the architectural structure. My process can be best be described as a method of creating architectural sketches using 14K gold-filled wire in lieu of ink. Ultimately my 14K gold-filled sketches become wearable micro-sculptures.
rinjuel.com info@rinjuel.com
I was lucky to apprentice with my late aunt, Jessica Rose, and have continued to use construction techniques she pioneered. Building jewelry from pearls, stones, and wire is a process of working with single units, adding and subtracting them to create shapes, the materials providing a palette of textures and contrasts. Following the thread of an idea leads me from one design to the next, frequently in an unanticipated direction. I’m inspired by the mountains around my home, the plants in my garden, antique textiles and geometric patterns. Each piece is handmade in my 1840s farmhouse studio in upstate New York.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
estynhulbert.com mail@estynhulbert.com
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ESTYN HULBERT
Artist Statement
JACQUELiNe JOHNSON
Artist Statement
I work in single-needle bead weaving. Using only a needle, thread, and tiny beads, I explore the characteristics and push the possibilities of basic stitch structures. Each new piece leads to new “what if ’s.” I just love seeing how ideas develop and fit together. My reward is in capturing space and light in a three-dimensional, textural form that is innovative, yet eminently wearable.
jjattic.com jjattic@gmail.com
I believe in seeing things differently, in the beauty of everyday hardware, in the strength of industrial materials. To form Wraptillion jewelry, I link Americanmanufactured steel hardware with titanium, using traditional chainmaille techniques. Each piece is handcrafted, held together by the tension of the proportions. Using steel and titanium allows me to create lightweight pieces that are dramatic but comfortable.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
wraptillion.com wraptillion@gmail.com
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KELLY JONES
Artist Statement
DEB KARASH
Artist Statement
Jewelry is the most intimate of art forms and can say a great deal about the person wearing it. It’s a topic of conversation, a way of connecting, and a means of expressing individuality. With so many options for subject, technique, materials, scale, and function, my work is a combination of intuition and technique. The technique I have developed is a hybrid of drawing and metalsmithing that allows me to indulge my interest in surface design, texture, and structure. I am completely in love with the process of making. Drawing on metal requires patience but offers unlimited options for color and pattern that can’t be found in traditional jewelry.
debkarash-jewelry.com dkjewelry@msn.com
Recently at a show, a woman said to me “When I look at your jewelry, all I see is peace!” This meant a great deal to me because there are two things that bring me the most satisfaction as an artist – the connection with people and the deep peace that comes while immersed in creating. My work relies on discovering and rediscovering avenues to presence, allowing me to see the endless details in the natural world that surround us and to express the inevitable reverence that rises in the face of beauty. I utilize many materials including precious and non-precious metals, resin, and found natural objects to execute the pieces. I love to combine very precise constructed metalwork with natural, messy, imperfect, directly-cast elements. My deepest desire is for the work to reflect the natural precision in nature and to offer a remembrance that beauty is everywhere.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
inbloomjewelry.com staceymkrantz@gmail.com
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stacey krantz
Artist Statement
holly lee
Artist Statement
Metal is my choosen form of self expression. It is through this form that I have found happiness and fulfillment. It is my ability to create that is my happiness. The finished piece is my fulfillment.
hollyleedesign.com holly@hollyleedesign.com
Becoming a metalsmith was less than a direct path for me. Like most of us, I began making art at an early age, and because I was encouraged, I continued to create. In my undergraduate work at Indiana University, I co-majored in the BFA sculpture program and psychology. Although this path was interrupted, I was able to reunite these passions in my clinical graduate degree, MAT, Master of Art Therapy. After 18 years in private practice, I decided to retire and devote all my energy to the arts. Primarily selftaught, my work is based on formal concerns, design and function. Coming from a fine arts perspective, function is a new and important dimension for me. Coming from a psychological perspective, I make jewelry because of the intimacy the function allows. I use metal and stone (river rocks) because they are inherently strong materials. The combination of metal and stone allows me to integrate the industrial and organic elements of our world.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
TLStudios@aol.com
PAGE 49
terri logan
Artist Statement
JERA LODGE
Artist Statement
Inspired by a love for adornment, my jewelry designs are kinetic, structured pieces of wearable sculpture. Working primarily with steel allows me to build large yet lightweight volumetric forms. The bold, patternbased format of my jewelry has a strong presence when being worn as well as when on display, and the physical movement and variety of textures deliver a rewarding tactile experience in the hand. This multisensory aesthetic experience, combined with playful elegance and a touch of glamour, is the essence of my jewelry-making practice.
jeralodge.com jera.lodge@gmail.com
Inspired by the prairies of the American Midwest, Edna Madera recreates elements of landscape past and present using high karat gold and silver. To illustrate native tall grasses that once covered metropolitan sprawl, 24k gold is razor cut and heatfused one blade at a time over fine silver. Pure gold barbs of a feather are individually pieced to depict a lone feather floating in the breeze before resting on pavement. 22k bi-metal and silver is textured and formed to create fallen flora petals like those that accent urban summer landscape like gems stones. Before working as a jewelry designer and bench jeweler, she received her MFA in metalsmithing at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts and her BFA in metalsmithing at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Edna’s studio is located in Kansas City, Missouri.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
ednamadera.com emt@ednamadera.com
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EDNA MADERA
Artist Statement
THOMAS MANN
Artist Statement
“We’re immersed in an age of ever-expanding information and technology, and it’s sometimes hard to remember that we’re human. Techno.Romantic™ jewelry objects are everyday talismans that talk about our connection to and separation from that technology.” – Thomas Mann Thomas Mann, a full-time practicing professional artist for more than 40 years, describes himself as an artist working in the medium of jewelry and sculpture. He works with a variety of metals, thinking of them as painters think of their palettes — each metal having its own color and luster. Inspired by parts from machines, electronic instruments, costume jewelry, and old postcards and photos, Mann’s recurring but always changing parts give his work its storytelling quality and theatricality. He calls this design vocabulary, which combines industrial aesthetics and materials with evocative themes and romantic imagery, “TechnoRomantic.”
thomasmann.com market@thomasmann.com
Lauren Markley is a native of Kansas currently living in North Carolina. In her current body of work, she uses a variety of materials including sterling silver, brass, reclaimed wood, and textile. She explores themes of architecture, schematics, structural disintegration, and decay through use of surface treatments such as painting, burning, scratching, mark making, and stitching. Her work can be found online and in boutiques and galleries throughout the United States.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Laurenmarkley.com antigenre_arts@yahoo.com
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lauren markley
Artist Statement
KAREN MCCREARY
Artist Statement
My designs are an exploration of light, color, and visual illusion. Combining hand-carved transparent acrylic with 22k gold leaf and sterling silver, I mix contemporary and traditional materials and techniques to create pieces with a simplicity of form, but with enough complexity to hold the eye.
karenmccreary.com karenmccreary@verizon.net
A previous career in classical ballet and theater instilled within me a deep awareness and appreciation for movement, line, and balance. These are the classical qualities I have always tried to incorporate into my jewelry designs ... and my life.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
judithneugebauer.com tomnjudy@ptd.net
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JUDITH NEUGEBAUER
Artist Statement
michelle pajak-reynolds
Artist Statement
I’ve always been inspired by fashion, nature, and my travels around the world. The elegant fabrics in a gown, the striking colors in an exotic flower, the mood of a place, all greatly influence my work. Designing for me is a sacred creative journey. It starts with the raw materials, the weight of a gemstone in my hand, the sparkle of thousands of crystals against the skin, the flash of light from polished precious metals. Purely handmade pieces are rare in our modern world. Every detail in my jewelry designs possesses a love and tradition of artisanal hand-craftsmanship found only in true couture. When I design, I invite you to take a creative journey with me, to explore and be inspired by a sense of wonder and beauty. And my hope is that you will want to take this journey with me again and again.
info@michellepajakreynolds.com michellepajakreynolds.com
Linda Perrin is a glass blower living in Maine. Her work is inspired by art history, travel, and the beauty of nature. For nearly 35 centuries, glass beads have told the stories of not only their makers, but of those who use beads for various purposes and wear them in a variety of manners. Using an ancient Italian glass making technique, Perrin puts her own spin on things and makes contemporary art glass to wear.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
atlanticartglass.com perringlass@gmail.com
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LINDA PERRIN
Artist Statement
BETTINA PRESSMAN
Artist Statement
Inspired by her love of painting, her creativity also was sparked with collecting interesting earrings. Always enjoying things that are creative, jewelry “just happened” as her way of embarking in a business involving her art. Bettina’s interest in designing her own jewelry pieces began at an art festival, where she found a flier to take jewelry classes at a local bead store. She was intrigued and has been creating jewelry designs ever since.
beadsbybettinadesigns.com Bettina@beadsbybettinadesigns.com
My work is about geometric form. I build structures out of beads of glass, gemstone, and metal. Chains of these structures become necklaces, bracelets, and more. The mathematical basis of the work provides clarity within complex designs. At the same time, by varying the size and shape of the individual elements, from long metal tubes to round gemstones to small seed beads, I can create pieces that are free-flowing and spontaneous.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
emiliepritchard.com emilie@emiliepritchard.com
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emilie pritchard
Artist Statement
BIBA SCHUTZ
Artist Statement
Starting at birth, and on every birthday until I was a teenager, my Aunt Helen gave me a charm. By the time I was seven, I had a fabulous charm bracelet, and my collection continued growing. Though my bracelet was stolen when I was in college, I can still remember the links of the bracelet and most of the charms. Memories ... My jewelry is personal, and I hope it makes new memories for you.
bibaschutz.com biba@bibaschutz.com
Photo: Ron Boszko
My jewelry tends to combine line and texture; drawing in space and creating sculptural jewelry that has both a delicate and industrial aesthetic. Combining the materials of sterling silver, yellow gold, stones and enamel, I create a play between the contrasting textures of the metal. I want the wearer to feel the visual impact of the jewelry without being overwhelmed by the physical and visual weight of the metal.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
samanthaskelton.com spskelton@gmail.com
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SAMANTHA SKELTON
Artist Statement
ERICA STANKWYTCH BAILEY
Artist Statement
My work is both organic and architectural, and is created from the visual fragments of a life of collecting images. I inspect the world in great detail and have always collected shells, seedpods, stones and interesting organic elements. My studio often resembles a laboratory with trays of specimens lined in rows. The walls and pages of my sketchbook are covered with myriad images of my world from nanophotography of plant life to the expansiveness of the Grand Canyon. In designing, making, and living I see a strong relevance for the smallest things within the larger context; the seed that becomes a plant, the jewelry on the wearer, our planet within the universe. I use a variety of techniques in an effort to create pieces that are tactile and invoke in the wearer a sense of personal attachment.
ericastankwytchbailey.com ericasbailey@gmail.com
My craft is inspired by using sustainable materials of upcycled plexiglass and fish leathers, combined with traditional metalsmithing, to create a fresh design that turns heads and starts conversations. My charmed collection is inspired by the textures of the ocean. The carp leather “spots” charms are 22mm and 12mm in diameter with a minimalistic sterling edging containing the bright hue of the sea leather. Combined with the bubbled upcycled plexiglass signage, round 25mm diamter, 30mm oval and 20mm square shapes to echo the oxygen bubbles rising from the depths. Blues, greens and clear plexi etude the colors of the sea and compliment the Koi spot hues beautifully. Plexi and Koi spot charms are incased like jewels of the sea in sterling silver with a wave roller texture backs to be enjoyed from either side. I hope that the wearer of my work enjoys it as much as I enjoy making it.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
HJDesigns.com hazeljseyes@gmail.com
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hazel studstill
Artist Statement
tura sugden
Artist Statement
Clasically trained in goldsmithing and fine art, Tura Sugden has a unique approach to fine jewelry design and a traditionally rooted execution. Her atelier is located in San Francisco, where she composes and produces each piece. Specializing in both small-batch production and one-of-a-kind pieces, Sugden is known for her thoughtful color palettes, composition, and distinctive approach to stone setting. With her work she emphasizes the importance of using ethical materials and sustainable practices. She draws inspiration from light, shadow, and the changing seasons, as well as the landscapes and architecture of travel. “I collect inspiration. I find it in the changing seasons, the fog-filtered light of San Francisco, and in the patterns and repititions of language and nature.�
turasugden.com tura@turasugden.com
I’m thrilled to be a part of the Charm program for 2015. This program has enabled me to explore new designs to create something new for customers at a more affordable price point than much of my other work because of my use of high-karat gold. The charms are mostly in the Byzantine Collection, which is more traditional 22k gold granulation and oxidized silver, and my new Dashes & Dots Collection, which has 22k gold lines and granules circling various unique stones. New this year: I have “charm collectors,” which will allow the wearer to easily change charms on a pendant to suit her wishes.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
tschetterstudio.com pt10988@sbcglobal.net
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patricia tschetter
Artist Statement
victoria varga
Artist Statement
For more than 25 years, I have based my line of handfabricated jewelry on a series of precisely cut graphic designs framed in sterling silver and stone rims. By framing my graphics in these bezels and backing them with a variety of inlays, I make art on a small scale that is bold, colorful, and fun to wear. Charms are what I have focused on for most of my career as a studio jeweler. While I am constantly experimenting with different materials and techniques I am guided by an inner sense of how things should look and feel. This vision results in an unmistakable lineage, a signature look. My art is a progression - a fresh journey from what I have made to what I would like to do next. For spring 2015, almost thirty years after making some of my first inlay pieces, I am focusing on a new group of individual charms that customers can combine together to create a unique necklace or bracelet. They can also incorporate my charms with other pieces they have collected over the years and cherish.
victoriavarga.com info@victoriavarga.com
My work is based on a theme: East meets West, paper meets silver, throwaway meets precious. I explore all these encounters through a provocative combination of material and form, using pearls and newspaper, adding gold to create new questions about the role of jewelry in the 21st century. A pearl is believed to have universe in it. It is created from oyster’s suffering yet has the most beautiful luster. This paradoxical quality of pearl attracted me to use it in my work. This creates contrast and tension, yet surprising harmony. I also address the precious within a throwaway Western culture. In every step of my jewelry creation, I test Eastern traditional boundaries and Western modern boundaries in the realm of objects that adorn the body through contrast, tension, absence, and presence, as well as finding a new harmony.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
Kiwonwang.net kiwonwang@aol.com
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kiwon wang
Artist Statement
Photo: Ralph Gabriner
SADIE WANG
Artist Statement
Everything starts with one. I am fascinated with the idea of creating a body of work from one simple single element, which I created. I am drawn to contemporary style and clean lines. This folded-leaf I created in silver/gold is three dimensional and lightweight. I use my artistic ability to create as many different beautiful objects as I can at one time with this single element and skilled hands. As the time goes I allow the ideas to incubate and continue to create more work that consists of this single element that will always be new from before. It is an enjoyable process to share how I grow as an artist when I show my work.
sadiewang.com sadie@sadiewang.com
To create tableaux of vivid color, I work with a wide array of materials. The bright solid colors of corian are suggestive of bakelite and lend a vintage feel. Other colors of corian and formica simulate stone or wood. The matte white of carved faux bone is soft to the touch and suggestive of bone. I combine these with silver, copper, brass, wood, acrylic, bakelite, vulcanite, ebonite, jet, bone, horn, and reconstituted stone. I hand-carve or lathe-turn materials because the directness of handwork allows me to create organic shapes. I love that certain materials, especially removed from their original purpose, can be difficult to identify. Removing the element of recognition makes it easier for the viewer/wearer to focus on subtler aspects of a piece like color, texture, pattern, and to see the relationships between elements of different materials. I think people look closer at things they can’t immediately identify, and that desire to intimately interact with a piece is fundamental to jewelry.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
metalemily.com emily@metalemily.com
PAGE 69
emily watson
Artist Statement
carly wright
Artist Statement
I draw inspiration from the amazing rock escarpments near my home. I look for interesting compositions in the crevasses and sedimentary layers. I aspire to emulate the ancient feel of stone in my jewelry work by texturing and oxidizing the silver, and matte finishing the enamel surface with an acid etch. Fine glass granules are inlaid and fired in a kiln in the technique known as champlevĂŠ. My work has often been described as architectural and painterly.
carlywright.com cb.carly@gmail.com
I am a Taiwanese art jeweler based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jewelry crafting has played a major part of my life ever since I was introduced to use a jeweler’s saw frame on my first day of metalsmithing class in college. In 2008, I decided to come to the United States to pursue my dream in metals and jewelry. After graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012, I started Hsiang-Ting Yen Jewelry (HTY Jewelry) to continue my passion. Through the years, the style of my work shifted from literal context to a more abstract and organic aesthetic. Most of my jewelry is designed for confident and sophisticated women. My jewelry conveys the symphony of bold colors, organic forms, gemstones, wearability, and artistic instincts. My goal is to trust my artistic gut when it comes to jewelry design, and I’m determined to create the most unique and timeless pieces for every one of my jewelry lovers.
AMERICAN CRAFT™ CHARM COLLECTION
hsiangtingyenjewelry.com hsiangtingjewelry@gmail.com
PAGE 71
hsiang-ting yen
Artist Statement