Raven II. Nevada Fox Turquoise in Argentium silver.
Custom bridal set with diamond and Amethyst.
Mother Earth is so generous. To give back, 10% of all Bumblebee Jasper sales are donated to the Oregon Bee Project.
Raven I with Australian Boulder Opal in 14k gold.
The textures and patterns of nature blend beautifully with precious metal clay.
Precious metal clay is an immensely satisfying medium. It offers textural complexity and elemental simplicity at the same time.
Lost wax casting. The idea of taking away to create something is a wonderful mental exercise.
Nature gives us such a bounty of color!
I made my first necklace when I was 6. I took a piece of string and threaded it through the hole in a shell I found on the beach where I grew up. To say the rest is history is too simple, as life is never that easy.
In college, I met a woman who handmade sterling and gold jewelry and sold it at the artist’s market on the weekends. I was so mesmerized that she let me help her out in exchange for small pieces. I spent that summer learning how to make beaded earrings and continued to perfect that for several years. Life took me on several journeys and when I ended up in Maine, I began metalsmithing classes. This was such a pivotal moment in my creative life and was really the beginning of where I am now as an artist. Life intervened, and I returned to California where I entered GIA’s Graduate Jeweler Gemologist program.
My passion for minerals has led me to focus my designs around natural gemstones set in sterling silver and gold.
The Raven
Your spirit animals show themselves to you in different ways. Mine were subtle at first, then they became much more persistent. A trip to the Grand Canyon in winter showed me the beauty and elegance of ravens in flight. I noticed they were watching me but it seemed charming and just a lovely moment in time. They became more persistent though and I began noticing them everywhere I went. One day on a walk around a lake, they literally stopped me in my tracks. I appreciate when life stops you and helps you see the importance of what is in front of you and I understood why they were there. Every culture has references to ravens and I feel quite lucky to have been chosen by them. In the midst of this, I was creating what would be my lifelong creative outlet making jewelry. It needed a name that had soul and captured the essence of who I am. I am lucky to be with someone who understands this and when he suggested Raven’s Jewel, I knew we were on our new path.