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Allison Korn is a metalsmith located in Brattleboro, Vermont. She is a self-taught artist originally from Washington, D.C., and spent 10 years in Ecuador before eventually moving to Vermont. She draws inspiration from her life experiences, the Andes Mountains and the Green Mountains. While studying for her masters in anthropology she felt a deep pull of wanting something more. She had always been creative throughout her life but seemed to push these passions aside in pursuit of academia. Between finishing her masters and having two young children, she managed to teach herself in her spare time how to make jewelry. Upon moving to Vermont she had decided jewelry was her true path and turned it into her full time goal.
What goes into each piece of jewelry
"I find inspiration in the everyday world that surrounds me - in the slow process of bark cracking as a tree grows too big for its skin; in the curves, wrinkles, rolls, and openings of our bodies; in people's resilience as they move through the pain of trauma and the power of healing; in the beautiful and life-changing process of pregnancy and birth; in the emotional journey that is parenthood; and in a leaf's perfect map of lines and ridges."
"After walking (and continuing to walk!) a winding path, I have found that this art allows me to bring my inner creativity to life and help others on their own journeys. My intention is to give back to life by creating wearable pieces of art that carry the light, the struggles, and the joys of life – wearable stories that help take you where you need to go. "
"With each piece of jewelry comes a dose of gratitude – gratitude for each moment that life gives us and for the lessons learned and to come, all of which make us who we are."
June Mendell of All That Glitters is a jewelry artist in Elmore, Vermont. She works in sterling silver, copper and gemstones.
"I have been making jewelry for over 25 years. I work by myself, by hand in a variety of mediums, including but not limited to beadwork, micro-macramé, copper, wire wrapping, silver, polymer clays and casting. I make bezels and set stones. I love creative projects. I majored in sculpture and ceramics. I am more than happy to work on your custom designs. I do my engraving by hand."
Angela Talbert was born and raised in the rural landscapes of Northern Vermont. An avid maker since she could grip a pair of safety scissors, she experimented with every craft and art form she could get her hands on over the years before deciding to pursue studio art as her line of study in college. As an undergraduate, she focused on illustration, painting, and printmaking, until she took an Intro to Jewelry and Metals class in her last semester and fell in love with the medium. After graduating with a BFA from Johnson State College in 2011, she put together her own metalworking studio, where she has been creating botanical jewelry and other treasures as Angela Jean Designs since 2015.
Her work is inspired by a strong connection to the environment of her home state, as well as a background in botany and herbal medicine—lifelong interests that inform and inspire the forms you see here. Each piece is an original design based on real leaves she finds while exploring and is hand fabricated with care in Vermont.
Antonia Kontos is a beadwork artist in Hyde Park, Vermont. She works mainly with the peyote stitch, also known as the gourd stitch, which is an off loom bead weaving technique in which a single seed bead is stitched one at a time. It has been used in cultures around the world - found in artifacts from ancient Egypt to Native American beadwork. She first learned her craft 25 years ago while on the road seeing live music and vending her crafts along the way. Antonia recently started working with a loom to create wrap bracelets, belts and hatbands. In addition to beadweaving, Antonia draws, paints, does woodcut prints and is an avid vegetable and flower gardener.
She's also one of our own Northwood Gallery associates!
BRUCE BAKER STUDIO is a Vermont based jewelry design and manufacturing company located in Middlebury, Vermont. All of our jewelry is made in sterling silver and usually we have it in stock and ready to ship. We can create any of these designs in 14K or 18K upon request. Call for pricing and availability or to discuss different stones or metals.
We strive to create quality jewelry that is easy to wear. All the components of our jewelry are soldered to be sturdy and hold up to everyday wear.
A statement from the artist:
Hi! I am Courtney and I founded Courtney Reckord Jewelry in 2009. I was a high school art teacher at the time, and took a lot of professional development classes in different art media.
The first time I took a jewelry making class I fell in love and was immediately hooked. I started teaching and learning as much as I could and sold some jewelry on the side too.
My jewelry line was inspired by a wax casting unit that I created. I had hiked Camel’s Hump mountain that weekend and was making a model for demonstration purposes. I decided to carve a model of the mountain when I wondered if it would be possible to make models like that with actual data.
I then spend the next two years and countless hours trying to find out. When you do something new, there is no instruction manual, so I hit a lot of dead ends and found a lot of kind people to help me through different challenges with learning the skills I needed to make this project successful.
Finally I had a finished virtual model that I could create into a physical model, beginning with low resolution 3D prints using regular 3D printers, and ‘lost plastic’ casting. It was incredible to have a physical model after so many hours creating something virtual. It was rewarding and motivated me to continue.
I have build a great relationship with Ace Castings here in Vermont that does my casting work, and I am proud to have my work made in Vermont.
I love working with people to create one of a kind pieces to commemorate special occasions, childhood homes, and meaningful moments in life.
From the artist:
Born and raised in Vermont I have always had a love for nature and all things crafty! I started Fernwood Arts over 25 years ago as a way of sharing my love of art with others. Over the years my focus has shifted from mural painting to hand painted earthen ware and currently as a jewelry artist. I strive for a natural organic look with a little bling thrown in.
I currently live in Colchester with my wonderful husband Jim our Labradoodle NoVa and two fiesty cats.
Gina Petteys is a jewelry artist in Morristown, Vermont. Gina strives for unique designs giving the blank metal canvas new texture, color and form with an organic feel. Each one-of-a-kind piece is a pure work of art, as unique as the woman who wears it. Gina Petteys Design jewelry can be described as having a rustic elegance and is made for the strong and feminine woman. Gina is inspired by her everyday life and the abundance of natural beauty that is the Green Mountains.
Jess Dudley of Jeshali Designs is a 28-year-old jewelry artist from Colchester, Vermont. After learning different bead weaving techniques from her aunt at a young age, she fell in love with crafting beaded wearable art. In 2016, she opened her shop on Etsy and has been sharing her work with us for about four years. Her main designs include fringe earrings, wrap bracelets, and hair accessories. Some of her materials include a mix of leather, seed beads, thread, and various types of hardware.
Jess currently loves designing big, beautiful statement earrings. In addition, she has begun exploring digital art and recently released a small collection of summer chiffon bandanas that feature her artwork. Jess often also takes on custom orders that bring customers’ visions to life. If you’d like to reach out to Jess, please connect through any of the following ways:
Email: jeshalidesigns@gmail.com
Instagram: @jeshalidesigns
Facebook: @Jeshalidesigns
"I was born in 1947 and grew up in the lovely countryside of northern Westchester County, New York. I was inspired as a young boy by visiting the great art museums in New York City, and spent many hours in the Egyptian wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art looking at the gold jewelry.
Both my parents were artists, so I knew it was possible to make a living in the arts. After high school, I moved into the City, where I attended classes at the School of Visual Arts to study abstract painting.
In 1972, I traded NYC for a mountaintop in Vermont. I set up a studio space in an old barn and began painting and sculpting and designing art jewelry. After much twisting, torching and pounding, my jewelry took on a distinctive look and feel. I am most grateful that for over thirty years it has been the sole means of my support.
I now live in Montpelier, Vermont with my wife, Marietta, and one of my sons, Julian. My daughter Zea lives right down the street with her husband and 2 children. Two more kids round out our family - Tessa in San Francisco and Stephan in New Jersey.
As a business owner, I am privileged to work with others. I turn to my wife, Marietta Rhyne, for help, all the time. She is our Creative Director because she is a fount of good ideas and common sense. The women I work with on the production side of things in the shop have always become very close friends and I love them all, past and present.
When I go to work, I just walk out my kitchen door, down a spiral staircase and into my shop. It is a magical space overlooking the city of Montpelier and the hills beyond. Here I make bronze jewelry as well as larger pieces such as clocks, mobiles and garden sculpture.
I have been blessed in my life to be able to express my creativity every day. One of my greatest joys is to know that so many people wear my jewelry as a way to express themselves."
Cindy Weed, DBA Jewelwood of Vermont, is a purveyor of a small wooden jewelry studio in Enosburg Falls, Vermont. Weed began her woodworking career making softwood children toys at the Montgomery Schoolhouse in the early seventies. In 1987, after many years of creating a variety of wooden craft projects, and helping her husband in his wooden sash windows and door business, she started making jewelry full time. Weed strives to bring the inherent natural beauty of native and exotic hardwoods alive in each piece she fabricates. She designs all of her own pieces and especially enjoys using recycled woods such as woodworkers’ cast offs and pieces too small for their projects. She accents her high quality, unique creations with semi-precious stones, sterling silver, copper, brass and gold-filled embellishments. Her work, including earrings, barrettes, pins, necklaces, and an assortment of men’s bolo ties, tie clip and tacks, sells nationwide at fine gift shops and galleries.
“Born and raised in Vermont, I first pursued my artistic ability in the comfort of my home under the guidance of my highly skilled crafty mother Mary Young. While handmade art was always a passion in my life, I pursued and excelled at a career with IBM for 24 years.
In 2000, I made my first pieces of jewelry: I strung pearls for my wedding party. I was instantly hooked and making jewelry has been a passion of mine ever since. In August of 2011, I decided to make a shift in my career direction and retired from IBM to become a skilled goldsmith and live my passion full time.
Currently, I have a working studio in a Olarge converted dairy barn at Shelburne Pond Studios in Shelburne, Vermont. This remote beautiful landscape, abundant wildlife and nature inspire me to create natural depictions of my surroundings.”
Shannon Gillespie created Prairi Lu Studio in 2019 after having a serious pin collection of her own.
“I loved the idea of carrying a piece of art with me wherever I went, and wanted my own art to reflect my love of the outdoors. Growing up near prairies has brought me a deep appreciation for the abundant wildlife it provides, and the rose-gold glow over the fields during sundown. Each piece is inspired by a moment in nature with a geometric interpretation and a touch of simplicity.”
Made in Hardwick Vermont from ethically sourced silver, brass, and other materials, Athena blends the wild, the change in seasons, and the beauty all around us into wearable pieces of artwork.