Detroit born and raised, I have spent the last 30 years in an Illinois town so small and rural that it’s nicknamed Forgottonia. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. It was initially a culture shock until I decided to embrace the old adage “bloom where you’re planted” and ever since then I have grown to love the remote, natural beauty of my home. Today, as a jewelry maker, it’s what inspires me most.

In my previous incarnation I was a painter and taught at a local university for 25 years until I became a student myself and took a metal-smithing class. That was almost seven years ago and I haven’t touched a paintbrush since. It took a while, obviously, but I felt like I had finally found my true passion and my purpose.

My mother was an antique dealer specializing in Victorian and Edwardian jewelry and I can remember rummaging through her inventory as she set up for antique shows completely absorbed by the complexity and beauty of those old pieces. The rapt joy I got from those times together have remained cherished memories that seep into my work today.

I am pleased to find that my jewelry resonates with women who express themselves by the way they adorn themselves, as do I - sometimes quiet, sometimes fierce, and sometimes wonderfully feminine, but always strong and confident. These are the women I think of when I design my work.

So here’s to you individuals who want to wear something to express the wonderful person you are – I hope I can play a small part in helping you do that.