Barbara Ivy gemstonedesignsforyou.com Artist Statement |
| Barbara Ivy |
Jewelry making is for me pure pleasure. Choosing wonderful gemstones
and pearls and combining them with radiant sterling silver beads and
pendants from Thailand’s hill tribe artists is a labor of love.
Choices in my handcrafted jewelry often reflect my favorite colors – the
royal blue of lapis lazuli, the variety of greens found in turquoise and the
rich purples of amethyst and sugilite are especially appealing to me.
The lustrous radiance of freshwater pearls intrigues me. Cornflake
“Keishi” pearls paired with hill tribe seashell beads are a new favorite of
mine. It is exciting when I discover the oomph of amber beads paired
with green turquoise briolettes that are mottled with matrix. Or when I
notice that sparkly yellow citrine nuggets strung with blue Sleeping
Beauty turquoise can be extraordinarily beautiful.
Some of my earliest memories are of the Native American turquoise and
sterling silver bracelets and rings brought home to my mom and to me
by my dad from his travels in New Mexico and Arizona. I treasure a
necklace my dad bought for my mom on their honeymoon in Arizona. My
interest in turquoise began during those childhood years and has never
waned. I’ve been intrigued with jewelry making for many years, but only
recently began to design and make gemstone and silver jewelry myself.
I recently discovered the work of the Karen Hill Tribe
artists of Thailand and have incorporated their beads and pendants in
my jewelry making.
and pearls and combining them with radiant sterling silver beads and
pendants from Thailand’s hill tribe artists is a labor of love.
Choices in my handcrafted jewelry often reflect my favorite colors – the
royal blue of lapis lazuli, the variety of greens found in turquoise and the
rich purples of amethyst and sugilite are especially appealing to me.
The lustrous radiance of freshwater pearls intrigues me. Cornflake
“Keishi” pearls paired with hill tribe seashell beads are a new favorite of
mine. It is exciting when I discover the oomph of amber beads paired
with green turquoise briolettes that are mottled with matrix. Or when I
notice that sparkly yellow citrine nuggets strung with blue Sleeping
Beauty turquoise can be extraordinarily beautiful.
Some of my earliest memories are of the Native American turquoise and
sterling silver bracelets and rings brought home to my mom and to me
by my dad from his travels in New Mexico and Arizona. I treasure a
necklace my dad bought for my mom on their honeymoon in Arizona. My
interest in turquoise began during those childhood years and has never
waned. I’ve been intrigued with jewelry making for many years, but only
recently began to design and make gemstone and silver jewelry myself.
I recently discovered the work of the Karen Hill Tribe
artists of Thailand and have incorporated their beads and pendants in
my jewelry making.