Q. How long have you been making jewelry?

A. About 15 years. I studied jewelry design in college, graduated with a BFA in metals in 2009 & have been working full-time with metals/jewelry ever since.

Q. How did you get into metalsmithing?

A. I met a jeweler, Noel Steinman, when I was a kid & loved his jewelry. He was so kind & patient with me- I would save up my money to buy a new ring from him each summer at the art fair in town. When I was in high school, he took me under his wing & taught me how to forge & manipulate metal at his local shop/studio. That was when I knew I wanted to be a metalsmith.

Q. Where do you get your ideas for your designs?

A. I often dream about creations & let this guide my design process. I’ll see specific stones, shapes, symbols & even hear words that lead me through the process- there’s a specific feeling to these dreams & I consider this channeled information. I am especially drawn to textiles from all over the world & these textiles often inspire patterns and shapes which I use within the details of a design.

Q. How long does it take to make a piece?

A. It can take me anywhere from 1 hour to 30+ hours to complete a piece. Simpler designs tend take just a few hours, while my elaborate “ritual” necklaces and custom designs take 30+ hours.

Q. How is your jewelry made?

A. These days most of my creations are fabricated by hand starting with raw wire, sheet metal & natural gemstones. I occasionally make designs which are created in a computer program & 3d printed in wax, then cast these into metal. I also hand-carve designs in wax from time to time, which are then cast into the metal of my choice. It really just depends on the project as to which approach I will take to create it.

Q. Do you cast everything yourself?

A. No, I don’t. Although I have been trained & have cast my own work in the past, I currently work with a metalsmith out of Colorado, Rick, who casts my original designs for me. His help allows me to focus more time & energy on creating one-of-a-kind pieces.

Q. Where do you get your gemstones?

A. Most of the larger gemstones are either cut & polished by myself, my husband, or Ed, a talented lapidary artist who lives in New York. I get most of the small faceted stones from a gem manufacturer out of India. I only choose gemstones that I feel drawn to energetically, and let them guide me through the design process.

Q. Do you take custom designs?

A. I do! However, my availability varies throughout the seasons. You can check my custom design page to see what my current offerings & availability is.

Q. can you repair or repurpose my jewelry?

A. If it is something that I have created for you- most likely, yes. Otherwise, no, I typically don’t take on repairs, resizing, or repurposing beads or other jewelry.

Q. How do you price your work?

A. The price of a piece is determined based off the materials used & the time it takes to complete the design from start to finish. The price you see is honest & has been thoughtfully determined. I am mindful of this energetic exchange and consider what honors my spirit equally with what honors my customer, whom my work will continue to support.

Q. Do you sell in any shops?

A. No, I currently feel drawn to sell my work independently. I feel deeply connected to my creations & I want each piece to carry it’s pure energy to the wearer. Selling independently means that I’m able to cleanse & prepare a piece for it’s new home. Also, I love to meet my people in-person at shows & to feel the connection between the energy of a jewelry design & the new owner. It brings me immense joy!

Q. Will this metal turn my finger green?

A. If you typically react to base metal, then you can expect a similar reaction with my Brass & Bronze creations only. Sterling Silver & 14K Gold designs won’t cause this kind of reaction.

Q. Does your work contain nickel?

A. No, none of the metals on I work with contain nickel.