About Me |
When I was a small girl, I had my first experience with handmade jewelry while my mother was having her hair "fixed." I wandered off into another part of the building and made my way down a long, dark hallway. At the end of the hallway was a large lighted room full of wondrous things--sparkling gems in all colors and intricate carvings. It was like the treasure room in the cave of Ali Baba. At the end of the room was a man diligently working with tools that had made the wondrous things.
Skip forward to when I was an adult. I began in the jewelry business at a retail outlet in New Mexico in the 1970's. I became manager of the store, as well as buyer, jobber, wholesaler and learned how to do small repairs on the jewelry we carried. I spoke with the artists how they made their jewelry. In particular was an old Zuni man, a fabulous kachina carver who made everything on his kachinas, including the miniature jewelry. Although we couldn't speak each others' language, we could still communicate. He very patiently showed me how to do certain things, and thus began my career in making jewelry. We moved to Wyoming in 1980 and raised kids for awhile. In 1991, I decided I wanted to have my own business in jewelry. I wanted to make things that used beautiful stones I had found--and bought. I had a limited background when I was doing jewelry repairs in the retail end. Although I had some rudimentary experience with this jewelry repair, I had to learn how to make jewelry from concept to a finished design. I have honed my skills over several decades, developing a style that combines ancient techniques in contemporary designs. You'll see the Native American influence in many of my pieces. |
What I Do |
I take pride in my work and I want it to last far beyond my own lifetime. Making my pieces by hand, rather than using pre-made pieces, guarantees the high quality I demand and also guarantees exclusivity of design. Many of my methods are labor intensive, using the same practices that have been used for millennia.
You will find it evident when you see the gorgeous stones glowing with light and color, with unusual cuts and rarity of many of the stones. I just can't do plain. There are too many pretty stones that nature has provided to be limited to the standard fare. I hope this love of fine handcrafted jewelry will also excite you. |
Interesting Fact About Me And Sustainability
|
 Locally known as sage chicken, this is a protected sage grouse.
Our family has lived in a very remote area of Wyoming. Actually it's even more remote than most places in Wyoming. We have lived off-grid in the Red Desert Basin since 1980, using solar and wind for all our electrical power. We have made plantings and improved rangeland for a variety of indigenous wildlife populations. It's our way of saying we care about how we live by using sustainable practices whenever we can. |