About the artist

I have been a professional metalsmith for more than 25 years, showing one-of-a-kind, hand-fabricated jewelry in more than 50 galleries, museum shops, and boutiques. Recently, I have been exhibiting my work at well-known outdoor art fairs. I have also reviewed gallery shows for trade magazines, co-curated metalwork exhibitions, served as visiting artist lecturer at universities, and was a co-coordinator of the art awareness program at the Solomon Schechter School. I have an M.F.A. in metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

My sculptural jewelry is an eclectic mix of materials. I juxtapose pearls, opals and other socially acceptable stones with non-traditional elements: fossilized alligator teeth, arrowheads, guitar strings, weathered nails, rubber, uncut gems or any interesting and beautiful discarded object. Opposites attract creating a comparison of materials designed to excite the eye. Gold is creatively wrapped, twisted, bent back, to cage, and elevate stones. Non-traditional bezels add to the texture and fluidity of the piece.

Another technique employed in my jewelry is one of my own creation.  I call it heat-treated sterling. While experimenting with metal, I discovered I could make beautifully colored metal. Blue, green, yellow, and rust tones are created by heating the sterling silver with a torch and the metal is melted to give an organic effect. I add different colored freshwater pearls to complement and accent the colorful sterling. Most people are shocked when I tell them it is sterling not abalone, PMC clay or enamel. To make it more special, add one of my unusual pearl strands to the pendant or earrings.

I pride myself on finding and selling some of the most unusual pearls in the marketplace - fresh water, baroque, keishi, biwa. Keishi pearls have the greatest lustre of any cultured pearls and are hard to find. They are also exceptionally soft and extremely lightweight. I have a unique double clasp system so the pearl strand can be worn as a necklace and the pendant can come off and be exchanged for another pendant, or both clasps can be separated and the pearls can be worn as two bracelets.

When my daughter was Bat Mitzvah age, I wondered how I would afford to buy Bat Mitzvah presents for my daughter's many friends. Thus, heat-treated sterling Stars of David! The stars quickly caught on with women of every age.

Each piece of my jewelry is hand-fabricated, a one-of-a-kind creation, and signed on the back. I know you will find my jewelry to be unlike anything else in the marketplace.