An award winning jeweler, I am primarily known for my sterling silver jewelry designs featuring handmade ceramic cabochons, created from Jugtown Pottery clay and glazes. My work is primarily influenced by my fascination with the ability to create colors from ceramic glazes mimicking natural stones, the malleability of metals and my appreciation for the variety that mother nature offers. I have recently started working with enamels (crushed glass) that I am incorporating into my work, with and without the pottery stones. I use my torch to create the enamel pieces. This is just one more addition to the ceramic materials that I am working with, clay, minerals, stains. Glass and glaze have much in common, so I am utilizing these materials in different methods, often bringing them together in one piece. All my work is handmade from sterling sheet and wire from start to finish.

 

I love creating pieces that not only speak to my love for the natural world, but also fuel my passion for the materials and techniques that have been used for many centuries and have rich and unique histories of their own. I am honored to be able to put part of my own life into them and make unique and beautiful pieces. 

 

My jewelry seeks to inspire people to wear handmade art and to enjoy the beauty in the small things. I use traditional metal smithing techniques, such as hammer forming, hand piercings, roller printing, etching and reticulation as well as the recent changes adding a contemporary style with my torch fired enamels. Fire always raises a level of excitement within me, as I know something new and exciting will result, and I am always eager to try new techniques.

 

I work mainly in sterling silver using my handmade ceramic stones as a focal point. Sterling silver is malleable and adding texture, marks and form to it is integral to the design of each piece. My pottery stones are all hand formed, going through many steps and firings to achieve the depth of colors. Accenting with semi-precious stones and occaisionally gold, each piece is unique and mostly one of a kind. I create a line of jewelry, meant to be worn often, dressed up or down. Mostly self taught I love to experiment with materials to create new and one of a kind pieces. My hope is that my work will be worn and passed on. That I leave a mark of creativity behind.

My work has won awards including Best of Show in at Winston-Salem Artsfest, 2nd Place at  Art in the Arboreteum, Honorable Mentions at Art in the Park in Blowing Rock and honorable Mentions  Art on Main, Hendersonville.

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I was raised in New Hampshire, and graduated with a BA from the University of Colorado. I lived in Colorado until July 1999,                       working for many years in Hotel and CVB Tourism Sales and Marketing Management, both nationally and internationally.

My work is made in my studio in the Pottery Capital of the US in NC. Sometimes I begin with a drawing, but more often than not I veer off path and go with what comes to mind in the moment. Each piece is a labor of love and begins as sterling silver sheet or wire. Each piece is unique and one of a kind.

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I have collectors from all over the world, and occasionally works on collaborative pieces with my sister Pamela Owens, Jugtown Pottery. One of our silver and clay collaborations is in the Mint Museum collection. In 2021 I was awarded an Artist Support Grant by the NC Arts Council which allowed me to purchase two new pieces of equipment that will expand the creative and productive aspects of my work. I remain very grateful for this as I continue to expand with ideas.

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