Growing up, Detta Poster was always a crafty girl. I remember my mother sending me to a neighborhood craft camp. The cost was a whopping .75 for the day. Yeah, she sent me A LOT! I graduated onward and upward to my first big challenge... a belt made for my mom with cardboard discs covered in foil, string and lots of Elmer's glue. Truly a work of art (in the eyes of a seven year old). Imagine my shock when she left for the store that day and forgot to wear my newest creation!!My grandfather did lapidary work and often made me treasured trinkets. A turtle pin using turquoise, a flower necklace using opals. I still have them today. Now when I hold them I am amazed that he took the time to make them for me and at his craftsmanship. It is true that a well made piece of jewelry is timeless and will last for generations.
I have been making jewelry for many years. I don't have a signature "look". I wander from piece to piece, looking for inspiration in a beautifully faceted stone or a lustrous pearl. They truly inspire me and sometimes it can take days or weeks to plan what to make with them. I love mixing and matching and creating and wrapping and...well I could go on and on. Most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. Recently I have started using pmc clay to make interesting pieces. I have painted twigs with the pure silver paste and after firing it in a kiln, only the graceful shape of the twig is left. Truly unique.
I love walking into a store and seeing someone wearing one of my pieces. I am honored that they value my pieces and still wear them years after I've made them.
I am hoping to expand the number of stores that carry my jewelry. As with many artists, marketing myself is not a strong point. It is the love of creating a piece that keeps me going.
Visit www.jewelrybydetta.com. Manlius, New York
Beth Anderson is the Editor in Chief of Chic Galleria.com and Co-Owner of Chic Galleria Publications.
What a great interview! Creative people and their stories always inspire me!
I so understand the struggle of creativity versus the mundane world of marketing and sales! It's a constant challenge to look at our work as "product" instead of art but a necessary challenge to overcome.
That's a great looking necklace in the photo, btw! Yum!
It was wonderful to hear that you have the skill passed on by your grandfather! You are truly an artist. Love the necklace!