New Members: cindyhoo and lisaflanders

cindyhoo

Cindy says: "I was born into generations of artisans ranging from painters,sculptors to woodworkers. A little different art from that of my family, I've built a relationship with my own rustic style of art that has been touched by the vast beauty on this earth as well as life experiences.

Growing up in the southland of California, I had the opportunity of living near the beaches and deserts. I made jewelry out of shells, leather,feathers and beaded onto my dads fishing swivels making bracelets or anklets out of them.

My father was a fireman who started a prospectors club with a co-firefighter. The Prospectors club took monthly camping trips all over the southern California, Nevada and Arizona deserts. We went to Turquoise mines, dug for rocks, dredged for gold, explored gold mines, visited ghost towns and spent a lot of time searching for treasures that were beneath our feet. As kids, we felt like we were truly experiencing the "Wild west". I guess my parents truly instilled in me a passion for metal and stones. It's no surprise that I would creatively grow and find myself where I am today.

I'm now settled in the foothills of the Sierra's and blessed to have the opportunity to spend each day down at the Creekhouse working with my torches and melting metal only to expand my horizons as I learn new technique and spread my wings.

I don't think it gets any better than this!"

Lisa Flanders

Lisa says: "My jewelry adventure began more than 20 years ago in Gainesville, when I went to purchase a vintage Volkswagen. At the end of the transaction, the seller, who turned out to be master jeweler Richard Beardsley, told me that he made jewelry and, when I expressed an interest, asked me if I'd like to see his work. When he opened the case, I was just blown away! It was the first time I had ever seen true "art jewelry" and I was amazed by his extraordinary creativity and by his metalsmithing skills, and I knew at that moment that I wanted to learn to make jewelry myself.

I design and create my handmade sterling silver and gemstone jewelry in my home studio, using traditional fabrication techniques of texturing, forming, forging, soldering, stone setting and finishing. To me, earthy, organic, hand-wrought shapes and textures, combined with beautiful natural gemstones, symbolize the essential, primeval energies of life and hearken back to a simpler time in our complex human journey. And just as I am inspired to create jewelry that reflects the beauty around me, so I hope that each piece may in turn be an inspiration for others and a talisman for love, truth, hope and peace."