my jewelry and designs.

As an artist I am intrigued by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which is (loosely translated) the beauty of things that are unpretentious and unconventional. In our mass-produced world my jewelry celebrates the one-of-a-kind feeling of the handmade object. Art that shows the hand of the maker inherently in the work inspires me, and I try to reflect this idea in all the pieces I make.

All my pieces are 100 percent sterling silver and 14 karat gold. I use real semi-precious and precious stones in my designs and everything is made by hand in my home studio. I have been trained in the art of traditional metalsmithing, so all of my work has the highest attention to detail. Every piece goes through a rigorous five-part process, which includes stamping, soldering, adding patina, setting stones with special hand tools and adding a lustrous brushed finish.

I started making the Hot Mama Designs jewelry line in addition to my other boutique and gallery work in 2003 around the time I gave birth to my son. I started giving my work as gifts to other "new mama" girlfriends. Nearly every woman who received a piece of jewelry with their new baby's name on it would cry, and I realized I that this line work is something really amazing. This feeling of connectedness, of celebrating mothers and families, is what I love about my work. I am so grateful for all the encouragement and compliments I get from the fabulous men and women who are my customers.

Please contact Swim 'N Surf if you are intrested in ordering.