This is My Story:

I have been creating art for over 30 years.  (Unless you want to discuss what magical architecture my big brother and I created with milk cartons and cereal boxes at the age of 6.) I started at 16 yrs old painting wood items and placing them on consignment in a little gift shop to earn spending money.  Through the years I moved through several phases of art and craft.  From painting murals, sculpting, and sketching to composing jewelry.  I find jewelry to be most unrestricted in regards to mixing elements, textures and colors.  The options are limitless.

In 2004, I started making jewelry, self-taught, as a hobby/craft fair enthusiast and called myself the Bag Lady. In 2006, I opened a small working studio called The Bag Lady Studio. At the Studio we offered space for local artists and crafters to display and sell their items.  It was a working studio, so artists and crafters could work in the space as well as conduct workshops to share their trade.  We hosted events such as Wine and Cheese “Meet the Artist” nights, Story-and-Craft Time, Birthday parties, taught soap making, knitting and jewelry making.  But our ‘handcrafted’ storefront couldn’t compete with mass produced machine-made items available in the marketplace so we closed.

Still selling jewelry under the Bag Lady name, I moved into regional art shows and craft fairs.  As I love to add multiple mediums, organic with man-made, smooth and rough textures and colors together I still felt limited in my design options. I always created one-of-a-kind as I believe everyone deserves a unique piece whenever you buy wearable art. Then I thought about the possibilities of passing the creative process to my client, producing a distinctive piece of their own. Creating a variety of pieces that allows everyone to design jewelry that reflects their own personal style. From those thoughts Stranded was born.