Lisa Krikawa: Wonderful Wedding Rings and more!

Lisa Krikawa

I heard about Lisa Krikawa of Krikawa Jewelry Designs upon learning that she won the latest Mort Abelson Scholarship to the Revere Academy Masters Symposium. It was the first contest I’ve entered as a jewelry designer. I didn’t expect to win, but I approached it as a new experience to learn how these things are done. It took me hours just to figure out how to submit the photos properly! So when I learned that a winner had been selected, I was fascinated to find out that it was Lisa.

Lisa specializes in custom wedding rings and unique lockets. She is more than a single artisan; rather she has emerged as a small business owner with a staff of skilled goldsmiths.

Here’s a few minutes with Lisa:

Congratulations on your win of the Mort Abelson Scholarship to the Revere Academy Masters Symposium. What class will you take and what do you hope to get out the experience?

I am taking the micro-pavé class with Christo Kiffer. He is a master of micro-pavé, and an internationally respected, award-winning jewelry designer and goldsmith. Christo's vast experience includes a specialty in diamond setting which lead to his signature "Floating Channel" designs. I will be learning to set diamonds as small as .003ct, which is about the size of a ball on the end of a fine ball-point pen. I am a sucker for fine, microscopic detail. Truly fine jewelry should retain it's beauty under magnification.

Your work seems to specialize in interesting and unusual wedding rings. Why is this your focus?

I have a hard time with making jewelry just to make pretty jewelry. My passion lies in putting my talent (and that of my extremely talented staff) to use by making something that is meaningful. One of the most rewarding experiences for me in this business occurs when I collaborate with my client and my staff to create a beautiful wedding set that is designed around our client's specifications and brought to a fabulous 3-D existence by my creative team. As it turns out, this is an incredibly meaningful experience for our clients as well, and the icing on the cake occurs when we get their response to the final rings and their exceptional experience with us.

What appeals to you about mokume-gane? Do you make your own?

From the beginning, I have considered myself a metalsmith first and foremost. As an artist, my preferred palette has always been the palette of precious metals, from green gold to gray gold and all the colors in-between. Mokume-gane was a perfect medium for me. We hand-pattern our mokume in-house.

You also do fantastic specialized work in lockets which is unusual....what do you like about creating lockets?

Lockets are precision projects that contain meaning inside and out. Mechanisms such as hinges and catches give me a technical challenge, while the concept of hidden compartments capture my imaginiation.

You have a larger staff and business than most art jewelers. What do you think it requires to come to your level of success?

My greatest asset to my success has been my tenacious spirit and my business minded approach. I take nothing personally and look at nothing as a failure, only an opportunity for growth. My professional experience is enlightened by collaborating with other passionate and talented individuals, working together as a team, maturing and growing together, and resolving issues in a loving manner.

What do you see as the particular challenges and opportunities during these economic times?

The challenge of course is the consumer's general resistance to spending money. The opportunity is to help people express themselves through customized jewelry, as the general opinion of mass produced merchandise flags.

What advice would you give to fledgling jewelry designers?

Always follow your heart and do that which you are passionate about. Passion will provide sustenance regardless of monetary gains; it will sustain you in lean times. Enter into business only if you have a penchant for it, otherwise you will be miserable, bogged down in paperwork. Don't consider outside employment as a failure; rather use the time you have wisely and don't give up on your dream. And for success in any endeavor, embrace the four agreements: be impeccable in your word; don't take anything personally; don't make assumptions; and always do your best. We are each 100% responsible for our lives. Never, ever put blame on others. Let gratitude lead your way.

I love Lisa’s advice!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sally

Kim Fox: Texture and Tenacity!

Kim Fox

As we look around at the state of the economy, any one who is not at least a bit scared about their own well-being is probably...lying. So it is with admiration that I present this profile on Kim Fox, creator of beautiful and unique jewelry with a story that inspires:

In 1999 I was at a watershed in my life. In one year I had lost my marriage, suffered financial reverses in my business and then lost it, filed corporate and personal bankruptcy, the stress had taken itself out on my body and my health suffered severely. In the following years I took a job to repay part of the bankruptcy debt and started examining what I had done and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. During this time I started writing again and took up making simple jewelry.

In 2003 I had completed the repayment of the bankruptcy and came to the conclusion that the second half of my life was to be lived out of my heart – not my mind. Though I had taken art and had written through most of my schooling – my mind told me that I could not make a living at it – so when I was young I used my analytical skills to make a living in sales and teaching technology.

My mother died in 2003 and I decided to take the money that would have been my retirement and use it to invest in me. I sold my home in Phoenix, and in the beginning of 2004 moved to Carlsbad, Ca to attend GIA (Gemological Institute of America) where I completed two six month courses – one in design and the other in Gemology. From there I went to San Francisco to study with Alan Revere. In the middle of 2005 I took a job in San Luis Obispo in a jewelry store – the job lasted a month. I started my studio, did my first shows on the beaches of central California.

In 2007 I moved back to Arizona and live simply in a double wide mobile home, I travel to shows all over the United States and spend time at home designing new pieces, managing the manufacturing of my collection. I get scared but have learned my gut instinct is my best friend. I have no regrets about spending the first part of my life in other areas. I have used all of it in the second half of my life.

If times get really bad I know that I can use my skills old and new to feed, house and clothe me.

What especially caught my eye with Kim's jewelry is her interesting use of texture.

When I work to get textures I use old fashioned tools like hammers, drills, fire and rolling mills, but sometimes I use technology where I import images or textures in gray scale into sections of my CAD design. My style I would say is intercultural. I use what I have seen in my travels, studied in art and what comes out of my imagination. Depending on the context of the viewer I have been told that my work is similar to the early Taxco Work, Craftsman Style or Art Deco.

The tool that has worked well for me is my computer. I used it to design jewelry using a very sophisticated CAD program. Ideas for my future work come from photos of architecture, nature, and art that I store on my computer. Sketches made by me are duplicated and stored there on my computer. While I use technologically sophisticated tools, I do not want people to look at my work and see that I used a computer to create it. Simple shapes are beautiful, when you add relevant texture to the simple shape it makes is visually interesting, especially if the texture is random or natural looking. In some of my pieces I have added gray scale textures of water, fire, mountains, flowers and shapes I have seen in architecture and used as cultural symbols. The textures are picked for their meaning as well as visual interest. On my Phoenix pendant the background is the base of a flame, the background of my Tree of Life is running water.

My jewelry design has evolved into three distinct areas.

The first is the area of Jewelry Components or Findings. This started with my desire to have my jewelry to be different. Initially some of the components were hand carved or made using traditional methods such as assembly. Those methods are very time consuming and the results were sometimes great and sometimes not.

The second area is custom design for other designers and customers. This started with friends who wanted special pieces for themselves and moved to other designers who had ideas and didn’t know how to make them.

The third area is the area of finished work of my own design. Some of these pieces are hand made, some cast, fused, strung, whatever I put my hand to. This is the area where I play. Sometimes it turns out well sometimes it gets put into the recycle pile.

Despite Kim's extensive training, she continues to take classes regularly. I asked her about that.

Most artists pretty much work alone. I know that I do. I have contact with my partners over the phone most of the time. Taking classes allows me time to experiment, see a master’s perspective on creating things and offers me an opportunity to socialize and share with other artists.

It was a pleasure spending time with Kim! She has my deep respect for the journey she has traveled.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sally