So like my bio says, I started metalworking in high school and later went on to pursue a BFA
in Art Metals & Jewelry as well as Oil Painting - but here is the real story.
It all started with a love affair with a museum - the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Growing up my mom used to teach a few classes for kids at the HMNS and because of this, I spent a lot of time there. When most girls were having Disney Princess birthday parties, I was having dinosaur parties in the museum so when I was awarded an internship working in Museum Collections my senior year of high school, I jumped at the chance - I had been given my dream job as a kid, being the one who got to touch everything behind the cases! I had the pleasure of assisting with the set up for the Secret World Of The Forbidden City: Splendors From China’s Imperial Palace Exhibit, and un-crating John James Audubon originals, but the highlight of my experience there was setting up the new exhibit in the Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals. Handling, cleaning, documenting, setting up, and lighting the specimens in the cases alongside Joel A. Bartsch Curator of Gems and Minerals and now President of the HMNS was truly a life changing opportunity.
When I first went to college I was full steam ahead with my Anthropology degree, wanting to ultimately pursue Archaeology after my experience working on a dig for 2 years. Before I transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University I had completed nearly all of my hours in my major including the field school. It's funny how sometimes life has other plans for you. Soon after I followed the scholarships to the university from which I would graduate, the accreditation for the program was lost and I was stuck with all of these hours and no chance to finalize the effort. Not wanting to loose the scholarship, I decided to turn to my Fine Arts minor where an Intro to Metals class fit nicely into my schedule - after learning the basics in high school, I was excited to get back to it. When I got my hands on the materials the addiction returned, and that folks is how an eager anthropology nerd found her calling making jewelry.
The two most important days in your life are: the day you are born, and the day you find out why. I have created Modern Artifacts from a distillation of my entire life and the path I have taken to get here - it is the reason I wake up in the morning and what I think of as I go to sleep. I hope my jewelry can bring you as much joy as it brings me creating it!
Proud to be a Houston, TX born and raised multi-disciplinary artist/artisan, and small business owner.
Wanna be friends?
Follow me on Instagram and come see me at a show! I always love geeking out with anthropology nerds, geologists, jewelry lovers, boho souls, nomads, and trend setters!
Love your necklaces, I own two now with my eye on another one at Anvil Cards. Suggestion,
slightly larger last loop on the chain for older hands that are no longer limber.