Studio B.log

"Paper Petals" Bracelet

05.16.2026

When a potential customer is looking at my work, I am occasionally asked if I have a bracelet to “go with” a particular necklace. Or vice versa – a necklace that “goes with” a desired bracelet. I’m not sure why this is so. Could be one of several reasons. No judgement implied. But I almost never think this way about my work. I think I once made a pair of earrings to go with a necklace and that was to accompany a commission done for a very good buyer (and no, I rarely do commissions either…I’ll explain that too.) I’m not someone who looks to coordinate my own jewelry wearing choices. I prefer to let individual pieces stand on their own. I will choose multiple pieces to wear that to my eye work together, but not because they were created to wear together. So I guess that’s why I don’t engage in what I’ll call “Matchy – Matchy” design.

So when, Bruce Hoffman, the Artistic Director of Gravers Lane Gallery (and someone to whom I probably owe my fiber career) asked me if I had a bracelet to go with the Paper Cascade Necklace I had just brought to him (see the previous post), I had to stop and think. The truth was, being so inspired by the rolled paper beads I used in the necklace, I had already begun thinking about other ways to use them. And no sooner than the word “bracelet” left his lips, the idea for this bracelet sprung to mind. I came home, did a little R&D, and this Paper Petals bracelet was done in a week. Matchy matchy? Maybe a little, but only because the primary material is the same. Design-wise, they are very different.

And my feeling about commissions? I did them earlier in my jewelry knitting career but always found myself having to design to someone else’s taste and color palette. I found the process very confining and unsatisfying. So, call me selfish if you will. But at this point in my creative life, I prefer to create what pleases me first. And fortunately I’ve found that while the occasional piece stays with me longer than others, most eventually find another person who loves them as much as I do. Patience grasshopper. In all things.

"Paper Cascade"

This necklace is a perfect illustration of how an unusual component can inspire a design.

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04.20.2026

Sometimes you just get lucky. Such was the case on my last visit to Material Culture, an eclectic gem of a warehouse store in Philadelphia. I always seem to find unusual beads or objects there, things that delight my eye and often serve to jumpstart a new design. This time I found a 60’s era (I think…) beaded door curtain, the kind of hippie, beatnik chic I remember from my teenage years. Except the beads in this curtain were all individually rolled paper and had been treated in some way that makes them hard and much less fragile than a plain paper bead. VERY stringable. This necklace is just the first of what I hope will be a series of designs that showcase these beauties. My left brain creativity is a hummin’ !

Here I provided the link to my interview with Valerie Hector. Want to see and learn more details about my work? Valerie, bead weaver and educator extraordinaire presents it in her inimitable fashion.

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04.22.2024

Exciting news! I’ve recently had the great privilege to be interviewed by Valerie Hector as part of her new series, Beading Globally, that appears on her You Tube Channel. Called “Bead Knitting Now,” it is a recorded visual interview with Valerie about my work, interspersed with a slide show of images. The interview has gone live HERE (There may be a skippable ad prior to the interview’s start.)

As time permits, I hope you will check out at least some of it. (Fair warning: it’s two hours long!) This is kind of a big deal for me. ;-) No actually, it IS a big deal for me.

An invitation to show my work at The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City was beyond imagining, even this far into my design career. And yet it happened. An extremely knowledgeable attendee at an earlier show brought my work to the attention of the show's curator at the museum and the rest was history. Seeing my name written on a museum gallery wall. Selling 26 pieces! An experience I will never forget. And long cherish. 

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12.04.2021

Yes, I guess dreams do come true! This is where you’ll find me and my work from 12/6 – 12/11.

"Loopy"

2019 brought many firsts for me as a designer. Of particular note, two pieces, seen above (Loopy) and below (Meander II), were acquired by major collectors of art jewelry. This post shares the excitement I felt as my work was recognized in several ways I couldn't have imagined when I began this journey.

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08.24.2019

As fall approaches (my FAVORITE season of the year), I feel my creative juices starting to flow again. This year has brought so much activity – two wonderful, successful new shows, a second gallery signing on to showcase my work – The Society of Arts and Crafts Retail Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts– and the best sales I’ve had since making the hard decision to give up teaching for awhile and deciding to focus on creating new work. Having this difficult decision validated by the amount of work created and the way it’s been received has been so encouraging and inspiring.

I must showcase two necklaces , Loopy (TOP) and Meander II (BOTTOM). Each was purchased by a noted jewelry collector. This is a first for me. My special thanks to Bruce Hoffman – Director of Gravers Lane Gallery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – who facilitated the sale of Loopy, bringing my work to the attention of the buyer. His initial support and affirmation came at a much needed time. I hope I can continue to validate his belief in me.

As I return to the studio from a gorgeous summer in Maine, ideas are bubbling up and I look forward to sharing whatever comes next. Thanks to ALL for the continued support. It is appreciated more than you know.

"Meander II"

Click here to start customizingThis post is my reflection on the decision I made several months prior to this post to stop teaching and focus on studio time, on the creation of new work, like the Myra necklace, seen above. It was a seminal decision. While I loved teaching, this was a decision I've never regretted.

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05.25.2017

Yes, I miss my students, my colleagues and the markets of my teaching days. But given the results from these months of sustained, productive time in my studio, I am more sure than ever that I am on the path that is meant for me at this time of both my personal and professional life. As evidence, I’m offering some samples of the work that has me so invested and energized. Why do these the pictures look different from the others in the Gallery? Well, given that I am preparing to start submitting my work to some juried craft shows, I have put on my “Big Girl” pants and begun to work with a professional photographer. I have taken my own photos in the past and while they have done the job in adequately displaying my work for the website and for class examples, jurors for these shows expect a different level of image. I’m pretty excited by the first results from this new partnership. I’ve continued to shoot some of the latest work just to have a record of it for now but some of the newest pieces will also eventually be shot professionally. I have to be selective as it is NOT an inexpensive enterprise. 

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PS Still working with the same photographer today! Shout out to Larry Berman Art.