12/17/03

I first embarked on crafting jewelry in 1984 while living in Santa Barbara, CA.  Ten years ago while living in San Francisco, I rediscovered the metal that truly delights me and have been working with silver almost exclusively ever since.  I use gold usually only to complement the silver.  My pieces are all originally designed with an emphasis on structure and size.  They are meant to be noticed and to define what a person is wearing.   I now live in Ireland where I enjoy the differences between traditional Celtic and modern Celtic styles.   I especially like the way nature creeps into most silver and gold jewelry design.  I use a lot of natural cabachons (cut of gemstones), hematite being my current favorite for it's silvery quality.  I like the challenge of working with irregular finds or beads of glass as they seem to decide the design for themselves.  It is a pleasure for me to figure out those designs and to present them to you here. 

                                                            -Mary Weiss