Jewelry & Beadwork

Alicia Armstrong Alicia Armstrong Designs, Asheville NCAlicia Armstrong has been making unique handcrafted jewelry since 2000. Working in sterling silver and copper, her designs include earrings, pendents and rings. Each piece she makes is hand formed and hammered individually which leaves no two pieces exactly alike. She is continually inspired by the materials and the natural world around her. Website:http://aliciaarmstrongchatham.com

Linda Bellino Burnsville NC Linda is mostly self-taught even though her introduction to fiber art began in her family. Since then, she has become well known for imaginative lampwork beads that are featured in her eye-catching line of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. The line of jewelry, frogs and lizards she started in the 80's has naturally expanded since then and continues to bring joy and smiles to her customers.
(Linda is also listed under Gifts & Specialty.) Website: n/a

Jamie Frank Boccardy Asheville NC Jamie Boccardy began her artist journey several years ago, here in the Appalachian Mountains, as an effort to create unique gifts for her family and friends. However over time, her artwork has become a creative outlet that focused on creating jewelry made from copper and mixed metals. Each of her unique designs is handcrafted from both raw metals and recycled materials. Website: n/a

DeAnna Buell "Ann-in-Chains",Canton NC DeAnna is a graduate of Haywood Community College's Creative Arts program. Her level of skill as a silver artist in chain is excellent. She has created many beautiful one of a kind pieces that are simple and elegant. Website: n/a

Leon Cassada Appalachian Jewelry, Asheville NC Leon uses pressed flowers and leaves to create lovely handmade jewelry in all original designs. His unique line of fashionable barrettes, earrings, pendants and lapel pins is appealing and long lasting. This distinguished one-of-a-kind look is created by using “liquid glass” with a paper backing to display the flower or leaf inside. The natural jewelry pieces have a fine high gloss finish. Leon is also an alumni of the Mountain Bizworks program for area enterpreneurs. Website: n/a

Sheri Cohen Indigo Lights Jewelry, asheville NC Sheri says, that since she could remember, she had been interested in fashion. After earning a BS in retail management a friend suggested that they should take a beading class together. And from then on she was hooked! Sheri then worked on learning about and using the best gemstones. Within ayear she was selling her work professionally. Website: http://www.indigolights.com/jewelry/index.html

Keri Kelley Hollifield Earthstar Studio, asheville NC Keri Hollifield's jewelry comes from natural world around her. Many of her designs are inspired by birds, flowers, trees and mountains that the artist sees in her daily life. Keri says she loves the 3-dimensional and tangible aspects of jewelry. She thrives on knowing that each piece of her work is meant for someone special, even if she never knows who that person will be! Website: http://www.earthstarstudioart.com

Lisa Joerling Penland, N.C Lisa received her Fine Arts degree in 1982 then promptly accepted a job tending bar in Atlanta. After many years of bending over backwards to please picky customers her back finally went out. In an effort to reinvent herself, Lisa returned to a life-long love of working with her hands. For the past 12 years Lisa has been a studio artist working in figurative clay and fine metal jewelry. She moved to North Carolina recently and is enjoying the change of view, savoring a new daily source of inspiration in the local flora, fauna and flavor of the mountain lifestyle. Website: http://www.lisajoerling.com

Jamie King Asheville NC Jamie King is both a web designer as well as a jewelry artist. art and design has been her passion for as long as she can remember; growing up her bedroom was a veritable art supply store! Jamie says you would be hard-pressed to find an artistic medium or craft that she have not tried at least once. But her artistic voice was honed in traditional art classes, where she earned a BFA. Her current works include jewelry made from beaded Swarovski crystals. Website: http://sparkingdesign.com

Julie Larson Larson Porcelain and Design Studio, Asheville NC Tyrone and Julie Larson have been practicing studio potters and designers since 1966. Tyrone does most of the wheel work, while Julie concentrates on glazing, painting, and designing new pieces. But at Mountain Made Julie displays her love of the natural beauty found in WNC by creating a one-of-kind jewelry made from natural flowers and petals. Her wonderful wearable flower art actually changes colors as a piece ages, like leaves in the fall. Website: n/a | Read More: About this Artist on Our Blog

Kathy Lightcap Lightcap Glass Art, Weaverville NC Kathy has shown a flair for jewelry making since childhood. Today, she uses kiln formed and cast glass pieces with handmade sterling wire beads and accents to create unique jewelry pieces. She has studied fused glass and other glass working technologies as both a student and master artisan. Kathy says, “Glass is fascinating. In the kiln the shapes and colors change and always surprise you." Website: n/a

Jill Love Black Mountain NCJill’s jewelry is inspired by her passion for gemstones, the mountains, the rivers and the ever changing colors of the sky. By combining a variety of gemstones with silver, she creates designer jewelry pieces of understated elegance, very tactile, dimensional and wearable. Her designs include necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets created using a variety of gemstone and metal combinations. Website: n/a | Read More: About this Artist on Our Blog

(Mama) Ruth Lowery Asheville NC Blind and deaf since age ten, Mama Ruth uses her acute sense of touch to create jewelry. She has been living in Asheville since 1998 and is the artist-in-residence at the YMI Cultural Center. Website: n/a

Sharon McCollum Creations by Anne, Asheville NC Sharon first started making Jewelry in 2006 as a hobby and it soon became a growing passion. However she never seemed to have enough time to do what she loved due to caring for family members during various medical emergencies. But in the quiet hours, in her spare time, Sharon went back to handcrafting her jewelry. Her designs are created using the earth's natural gems, lead crystals, wire work and fused glass that incorporates Dichoric or Iridized glass.. Website: www.creationsbyanne.artfire.com | Read More: About this Artist on Our Blog

Donnabeth Mitchell Asheville NC Based outside of Asheville NC, jewelry designer Donnabeth creates contemporary necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in a sophisticated palette of glass beads, sterling silver and bronze based on nature. She is also well known for her Buenas Ondas graphic design work along with her glass leaf and raindrop shaped jewelry. Website: donnabethmitchell.com | Read More: About this Artist on Our Blog

Stuart Nye Stuart Nye Jewelry, Asheville NC Inspired by the blooms outside his workshop window in the mountains of Western North Carolina, company founder Stuart Nye made his first Sterling Silver dogwood pin by hand in 1933.  Since then his original designs have become nationally known and loved. Today, the jewelry line includes numerous nature-inspired collections of earrings, pendants, bracelets, and lapel pins that are handcrafted from Sterling Silver, Copper and Brass. Website: www.stuartnye.com

Pegi Pike Echo Handcrafted Jewelry, Asheville NC Pegi Pike hand crafts designer art jewelry in Sterling and Fine Silver. She has studied with several master jewelers and has taught herself how to express her love of nature through her sterling silver jewelry pieces. Enameling and Precious Metal Clay add an exciting dimension to her work - allowing the use of texture and color in a way that can't be replicated with sterling and stones at the workbench. Website: echojewelry.net

Gayle Ray Gayle Ray Fine Art, Asheville NCGayle is a fine painter who also designs beautiful gemstone jewelry. With an eye to unique color and texture combinations as well as the light within each stone, her handcrafted Necklaces, Earrings, and Bracelets are stylish wearable art pieces Gayle combines semi-precious stones, sterling silver, soft flex wire and blessings to create unique pieces with the intention of bringing peace and harmony to the wearer. Website: www.gayleray.com

Jennifer Salak Winston-Salem NCJennifer is a jewelry and mixed media artist, originally from upstate New York, now living North Carolina. For the past two years she has combined her love of ceramic beads and metal into creating beautiful leather bracelets. These elements all come together in perfect union and stand out in one-of-a-kind bracelets; all have magnetic closures. Website: n/a

Anne Stafford Asheville NCAnne creates jewelry that is uniquely reminiscent of Western North Carolina by combining local gemstones with hand crafted little black bears. Her pieces often have black beadwork and bear carvings made from hematite and feature natural organic textures. Hematite is found in many locations in NC and is highly regarded by some for its magnetic and therapeutic properties. Website: n/a

Judy Tanner Unique Clay Creations, Dana NC Judy grew up with an artistic family and especially enjoyed her childhood imaginary world of dolls, doll house and miniature collectibles. As an adult, she explored many different types of art works but always wished she could find one special medium that she could call her own. In 1997, she discovered polymer clay and finally found her true bliss. Since then and to the delight of many, Judy has developed an enchanting and whimsical line of handcrafted jewelry and gift items. Website: artsyclay.blogspot.com

Kim Thompson Kim thompson jewelry, Waynesville NC Kim says her grandmother often told her "The most important tools you possess are your own two hands." She has applied hers with skill and dedication to her passions and was rewarded with the deep satisfaction crafting by hand can bring. As a jewelry designer, her stone and sterling silver pieces reflect her reverence for Nature and an awareness of the sublime beauty and timeless elegance inherent in simplicity. Website: kimthompsonjewelry.com

Sally Timmel-Gammons Dred Works, Waynesville NC Dancin' Dreds is Sally's unique character line of wearable art jewelry. Based on her philosophy of life: Live, Love, Laugh, these designs are inspired from her background in elementary education and creating simple forms with bright colors. These colorful art piece earrings display her unique and playful signature that is found in all of her artwork.
Website: n/a | Read More: About this Artist on Our Blog

Frank Tuuri Renaissance Glass Studio, Alexander NCUnlike other dichroic glass, Frank Tuuri's art glass has incredible color, depth, brilliance and evokes a captivating and colorful, artistic expression. Years of experimentation and testing have lead him to the gorgeous result that is seen in his brilliantly colorful line of fashion jewelry. Frank's jewelry is available in 8 color lines of dichroic glass set in sterling silver and includes: barrettes, beads, earrings, necklaces, pendants. Website: www.renglass.com

Edwin H. Weaver, Jr. Asheville NCA self-taught glass blower, Ed has been creating works of art for 33 years. Ed is a master artisan who uses both lampwork and the furnace to shape, blow and spin crystal and colored glass. His work ranges from exceptional one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces to "little works of art" in the form of glass art marbles. Many of his art objects are in private collections around the world including the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. (Ed is also listed under jewelry.) Website:n/a