For the past 10 years I have rekindled my love of jewelry making through my local gem and mineral club. I have taken some classes through the club and from a local adult education school to learn new techniques and expand my designs. In addition, I have set up a make shift studio in my home using YouTube videos and online tutorials and subscribing to jewelry making magazines to further my knowledge base and gain inspiration.
WHAT’S THE GOOFIEST/MOST EMBARRASSING MISTAKE THAT YOU EVER MADE?
I bought a pair of leather gloves thinking I could pick up a hot piece of silver and burned a hole through the fingertip right through to my skin.. Ouch, yeah it hurt!
WHAT STYLE OF JEWELRY DO YOU MAKE? HAVE YOU EVER WORKED IN DIFFERENT STYLES/MEDIUMS?
I mostly fabricate from sheet, tubes and wires. I also like direct pouring methods like broomstick casting and Delft clay casting. I like organic textures, with lots of depth and abstraction to accent the stones I am setting. I tend to work with silver sheet, rolling mills, hammers and stamps, tubes, hinges, various gauges and shapes of wires. I am currently working on a hollow-link knuckle-hinge bracelet with a dino-bone fossil focal point which is quite ambitious for me.
WHERE CAN PEOPLE SEE MORE OF YOUR WORK?
Find PJ on Instagram at @rockrage_lapidary or on her
www.rockragelapidary.com.