Presents

October Featured  Jewelry Designer

LINDA LAWRENCE

“ I just go wild experimenting with color combinations, styles and techniques.”

Linda Lawrence, married to hubby Peter for 15 years, is an art teacher, bead maker and jewelry designer.   Having always been involved in the arts, Linda was also involved in dance and was a contortionist… she could sit her fanny on her head!  Linda now admits, “I can’t do that any longer!!!”  She has also designed pottery, particularly raku as well as pastel painting.   Linda has been making glass beads for 10 years and uses those beads to create the unique jewelry designs she has been creating since 1998.

Linda tells us, “When I was in High School, I worked with beads and decorated a pair of jeans with bead work that I taught myself to do. These jeans were truly spectacular and appeared in several art shows. I don’t know what happened to them.  I used to actually wear them.” 

When asked if there was a particular event in her life that triggered her interest in jewelry designing, Linda replied, “What girl doesn’t like jewelry?!  I have always liked to adorn myself with unique or unusual things.  I love the colors & symbolism of jewelry of many other cultures.  I consider jewelry not only adornment but a kind of communication of who I am; I like jewelry that communicates.  I don’t think there was a particular event that triggered my interest.  Adornment, no matter what form, has always attracted me.  I was drawn to glass beads & jewelry making for this reason, and to help others identify themselves.”

At first, Linda made the jewelry for herself and family, stating, “I didn’t expect others to really like it since my taste is very colorful and at times flamboyant.  I was actually encouraged by a friend, a glass blower extraordinaire, to start selling my work.  My expectations were low at the time, and I was delighted with the initial success I had.  This spark of success pushed me to give jewelry making a more serious try.”

Linda loves to experiment with glass and her jewelry is primarily glass beads that she makes herself.  She is also exploring using silver clay.  She adds traditional silver work and silver clay as additional elements to her glass bead jewelry designs.   Linda explains, “When exploring, I tend to move rather slowly.  I like to play around with the new material before I present any of it in my jewelry.  I try to always have a critical eye when evaluating my work.”

When I am not pressured to get ready for a show, Linda says, “I just go wild experimenting with color combinations, styles and techniques.  I use my sketchbook to jot down ideas and then try to make these ideas come to life.  When I work this way I design around the “experimental” beads that I like to create a piece of jewelry.  Sometimes I am pressured by getting ready for consecutive shows.  So then my designing feels a bit different.  I look at my current designs and use them as starting points for “new” work.  For me, I can’t push ideas.  I need to let them come when they want to.”  Although she goes back and forth between planning a piece and letting it happen, Linda states, “I am most happy when I let things happen,” adding, “These designs seem to be some of my most successful pieces.”  Color, texture and movement are Linda’s first considerations when designing.   She says, “I might do some prototypes beforehand to figure things out and to help me choreograph a piece.” 

"There are so many wonderful jewelry designers!” Linda exclaims.  “The designer who first inspired me was Jes MaHarry.  I liked her sense of randomness.  Everything didn’t go perfectly but did go together perfectly!  You know what I mean?  I also like Native American jewelry; the larger pieces.  I like the meaning behind the images or pieces.  I [also] like Miriam Haskel’s costume jewelry.  She is a famous costume jewelry designer that did some large, flashy things,” she adds. 

Inspiration is no problem for Linda, besides being a glass artist and jewelry designer; she is also an art teacher.  Linda states, “I teach young children and WOW are they a source of inspiration.  I love being with them since they remind me that anything is possible and that even “mistakes” can work and be beautiful.”  Linda often gives her students a chance to design a glass bead and then they watch her make it on video. Some of the things they design amazes Linda.  One little girl created a “violin” bead.  Linda says, “I thought that was pretty incredible for a 7 year old to think of.  I also get a lot of ideas from nature, particularly water, the elements, famous art work, and cultures that I like.  My eye goes to different shapes, colors and texture.  Sometimes even lyrics to songs inspire me. I really just try to be open to everything.  You just don’t know when inspiration is going to knock.  [Y]ou always have to be ready to answer!”

“I LOVE making necklaces.  My necklaces are generally short in length since I like them to be [very] noticeable.  I like necklaces & bracelets to be universal.  You can dress them up or wear them casual,” says Linda.   Her satisfaction comes from the feeling that you have inside when you just “know it’s a cool piece.”  She confesses, “I do get a thrill when someone wears my work or just exclaims “Wow, this is great!”  When asked if she had a favorite piece, Linda replied, “I do love my Chaos necklace.  It is very sculptural and it looks just like its name!  Whatever I just finished is my favorite.”

Linda says about her jewelry designing, “it [is] not my fulltime job, but it’s much more than a hobby - a part-time jobby.  My aspiration is to one day make it full time but I don’t feel I have reached that point yet… close, but not yet.”  

Linda says her husband is her biggest supporter, stating, “He always encourages me and rarely holds me back.  The only thing he holds me back on is giving up my day job!!  That’s okay.  I like a good paycheck, and I LOVE those kids”.

Linda believes that the most essential tool one can own, particularly when starting out, is a sketchbook/journal, the desire and a “critical eye” towards developing your work.  She says, “Tools are tools.  You use what you like, but without the ideas, the kick to do it, and the “eye” to know when it’s a keeper or a dud, not many interesting things will emerge.”

“I’m always searching for new & different ways to grow my style.  I would like to do more metal work and continue to develop my lampworking skills.  Off mandrel work is exciting to me, and I know I have a ways to go before I can say I have that mastered.  So in the near future, I expect that I will have more metal included into my lampwork jewelry & that off mandrel ideas will be incorporated,” says Linda.

Linda sells her jewelry in several places; at festivals, museums, shops, and her website.  She hopes to have her designs displayed in more galleries.   Prices for Linda's jewelry designs range between $30.00 for earrings to $350.00 for necklaces.  A