I remember being a little girl and cutting a picture of a beautiful diamond and emerald pendant out of a magazine. I glued the pendant on a piece of cardboard, carefully cut it out, and used a ribbon to tie it around my neck. I think this was the first piece of jewelry I ever made, and I was very proud to wear it. I spent many Saturday afternoons shopping with my mother looking at all kinds of jewelry from small, movable gold charms to large turquoise necklaces. I've loved jewelry as long as I can remember.

While attending the University of California at Berkeley, I began making earrings and pendants from hammered brass wire and wooden beads. Lucky for me, I had the good fortune of starting my jewelry making career when primitive looking jewelry was very much in style. I had little money for supplies, so I bought a pile of tin scraps from a can factory and sawed various shapes to make tin and beaded earrings and necklaces. I even combined these tin shapes with macramé to make some rather unique pieces. After a year of hammering, sawing and beading, I began making jewelry by welding bronze brazing rods into bracelets, pendants, and rings. With a desire to incorporate more detail into my work, I switched from welding to using the lost wax method. I have been making sterling silver and 14k gold jewelry using this method since 1977.

In 1975 I was licensed by the San Francisco Art Commission to sell my work as part of the San Francisco Street Artists program. In 1986 I participated in my first arts and crafts show. I have won numerous awards at the craft shows in which I have participated. I have won best jewelry of show at the Millbrae Arts and Wine Festival three times. I have also won best of show at the Art on the Main in Walnut Creek (CA) twice. I won the creativity award at the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard (CA) two times, and was selected as an invitational artist at Tapestry In Talent in San Jose. In 1995 my jewelry was selected for QVC's 50-in-50 special to be sold when that TV shopping network highlighted Californian artists. My work was one of twenty chosen from more than 800 Californian applicants, and the only jewelry picked for that show. In 2002, I won the best jewelry of show award at the Mill Avenue Merchants' Association Art Festival in Tempe, Arizona.

My Work
I create rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and pins in 14k gold and sterling silver. My work reflects my love of children and animals. Incorporating these passions into my work, I have developed a line of jewelry that portrays a whimsy and fascination to appeal to adults, children, serious collectors, and anyone who is young at heart. My rabbit bracelet depicts a series of sterling rabbits chasing a 14k gold carrot. My dog bracelet, which consists of dog paw links, is clasped, toggle style, by a bone that fits through a dog collar. I designed my teddy bear charms with moving arms and legs so to be a fine jewelry representation of a childhood treasure.

I believe that my designs have broad appeal, and that my work has created a following of faithful customers. At shows I will often encounter those looking to complement a previous purchase from me with another item of my work. In fact, repeat customers have become a major part of my business, and I am flattered by the loyalty of these customers.

The Creative Process
To create a new design, I start by envisioning the piece. I try to imagine a design that thematically suits my other work, but incorporates the theme in an interesting fashion. For instance, to create a ring that can be worn with my puzzle bracelet, I fashioned a piece consisting of two interlocking pieces to form a greater ring. I make a detailed drawing of my design, and then begin creating it in carving wax. Using dental tools, some hand-made tools, razor blades (Exacto knives), and a torch, I add and remove wax until the desired form is attained. I then produce this new design by encasing the sprued piece in plaster, melting the wax, and centrifugally casting sterling silver or 14k gold into the cavity created in the plaster.

I file and buff the piece to produce a smooth, mirror finish. If there is any assembly required for the piece, such as soldering of bracelet links, attaching (soldering) jointed arms and legs onto articulated pendants, etc., I then do that. Finally, I oxidize (antique) and polish the piece to highlight the detail.