About Beth
Beth was born and raised in California. She has long had a natural interest in jewelry, always noticing a new necklace or ring that someone wore. Little did she know when she was young, that this interest would become her passion. Beth received her teaching credential after completing studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. She then moved to the East coast, became an educator and has resided in Maryland for over thirty five years. Beth began silver-smithing classes in 1987. She has been trained by award winning instructors. Though she now devotes herself to designing customized jewelry, she still finds time to teach others. Her interest in water sports continues, which she teaches others to enjoy. Teaching Jewelry Design is also on her agenda. Read more about the method Beth uses, below.
Beth's Instructors
Award winning instructors: Beth has studied silver-smithing, fabrication, Kumboo (24K) gold enameling, marriage of metals, lost wax casting, hydraulic press and other metal-smithing techniques with the following instructors:
Komilia Okim -
Featured in ACC Craft Magazine for her fabricated sterling silver (with 24K Kumboo gold) sculptures
Jan Maddox -
Artist at Pleiades Arts Show, on board of James Renwick Alliance; former president of MD Craft Council
Brian Meek -
Renaissance Fair Silver Artist
Na Mu Cho -
American Crafts Council Jewelry Design Award - 2003
Barbro Gendell -
Saul Bell Design Award - 2003
Fred Woell -
Featured at: Renwick Gallery and Smithsonian; American Craft Museum, NY; Contemporary Art Museum, Hawaii; Museum Het Kruithuis, Netherlands
The Method
The pendants are made of fine silver (.999). This means there is no copper or other metal in the alloy, as there is in sterling silver (.925). Fine silver is a whiter silver (unless oxidized on purpose) and tarnishes more slowly than sterling. The chain, that is included for each pendant, is made of sterling since even the tightest woven links of a chain need the strength of copper in the alloy. The stones are high quality "cast in place" lab created stones and each has been through over 1,600 degrees of heat. A diamond is carbon based and would burn up like a piece of coal, or inclusions in the stone would cause it to shatter. So the "diamonds" in Beth's jewelry are the finest quality cubic-zirconia that she can find. Colored stones are lab created corundum (sapphires and rubies), spinel, tsavorite, and cubic zirconium. There are no prongs and seldom a bezel. The stones are flush set. On some pieces, you will see touches of gold. It may be the ancient Korean art of applying 24K Kumboo gold to pure (not alloy) silver. On others, you may see the newer Japanese technique of applying 22K gold to pure silver
"I love texture and contrast," says Beth. "I wire brush the silver for a matte finish and burnish higher surfaces to be shiny. I have made molds from many unusual places,
and even antique pieces. I have found textures and designs from items
that were not originally jewelry."
Beth's training and expertise is waiting to make your customized piece.