Meet the makers while shopping for beautiful jewelry and stylish accessories—the perfect occasion to help you celebrate Spring in style. Bring a friend and enjoy this exclusive Walker Shop event.
Walker members receive a 10% discount on all purchases.
The Jewelry & Accessory Makers Mart features 28 jewelry and accessory designers each presenting their original, hand-crafted designs. All proceeds support the Walker’s artistic and educational programs.
Walker Art Center’s Jewelry & Accessory Makers Mart:
Saturday May 4, 2019, 11am–4pm
Walker Art Center, Skyline Room, Free
Member Mimosa Preview: Jewelry & Accessory Makers Mart
Saturday May 4, 2019, 10am–11am
Walker Art Center, Skyline Room, Free
Members shop first at the Jewelry & Accessory Makers Mart. Bring a guest and enjoy complimentary mimosas and first pick of the wares. Don’t forget, Walker members receive a 10% discount on all purchases! RSVP here or call the box office at 612-375-7655. Not a member? Join today at walkerart.org/membership.
Featured artists include: Dominique Bereiter, Emma Carroll (EMDsign), Yen-Ying Chee (Yen-Chee Design), , Bridget Clark (Bridget Clark Design), Elara Coleman, Nicole Collodoro, Ashley Delmonico (La Donna Jewelry), Desdamona Doolittle, Kaja and Zoë Foat (FOAT), Camille Hempel, , Madison Holler (Rubinski Works), Karin Jacobson, Tia Keo (Silvercocoon), Jen Kreilich (Jlux.co), Nicole McIver (Acanthus Jewelry),), Julie Meyer (Julie Meyer Handbags), Robin Ann Meyer (Robin Ann Meyer Scarves), Karen Morris (Karen Morris Millinery), Meghan Nelson (Dottir Jewelry), Beth Novak, Robyn Robinson (ROX Jewelry), Jovy Rockey (Jovy Rockey Jewelry), Meg Smith (Cosette Designs), Molly Spilane (Unique Art Pendants), Barbara Stellmach (Seventh & Stone), Amy Torello, Jeannie Trelles (Vikse Jewelry), and Helen Wang.
Throughout the building, family events during Free First Saturday are also taking place at the Walker Art Center from 10am–3pm.
FEATURED ARTISTS
All photos courtesy the artists
Dominique Bereiter
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver, Gold and Copper
Dominique Bereiter describes their work as a “reflection of my imagination, my spirit, and my connection with people.” Bereiter’s work is hand-fabricated from sterling silver, gold, and copper. Most of the pieces are sawed, textured, filed, and soldered together. They are also oxidized, giving a darker and richer appearance.
Emma Carroll (EMdsign)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Plastic, Leather and Copper
Product and jewelry designer Emma Carroll is interested in materials and design processes that combine hand-made and ready-made. Apprenticing with a German silversmith at a young age gave her a solid foundation in construction and Bauhaus philosophy. This influenced her later decision to obtain a masters in product design and jewelry at The Peter Behrens school of Art and Design in Düsseldorf Germany. When asked about her design process, “I am inspired by the possibilities of geometric form and the idea of reducing them to their truest form.” Her methods include unusual material and color combinations. Best known pieces have been showcased in Europe and published in FRAME Magazine’s “Master Class” book series. Her newest series highlights the materials plastic, leather and copper along with her desire to create work that is wearable and lightweight.
Yen-Ying Chee (Yen Chee Design)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver, Quartz Crystal, Onyx and Tourmalinated Quartz
Yen-Ying Chee has always been drawn to creating clean, unique, modern jewelry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston University, as well as a bachelor of science in interior design from the University of Minnesota. Prior to working as a full-time jewelry designer and mom, she worked as a commercial interior designer at architecture firms for over a decade. These experiences greatly influenced the “miniature sculptures” she creates. Besides being inspired by her travels, furniture, and architecture, Chee’s designs often come from a deeper spiritual place within. She is especially drawn to working with clear quartz crystals due to their natural beauty and healing properties. Clear quartz known as “universal crystals” are completely natural and from the earth, believed for centuries to attract positive energy that enhances the mind, body, and spirit.
Bridget Clark (Bridget Clark Design)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver, 24-Karat Gold, Semi-Precious Stones
Bridget Clark came into jewelry design after a career in science. She held passions in art and science, which led her to study science in college. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in clinical laboratory science, she worked in toxicology for several years. In 1998, she decided to leave for a more creative pursuit and set up a studio in her home. Exploring metalsmithing through classes and mentorship, a complex, three-dimensional and asymmetrical body of work emerged. Clark recognized elements of science and biology in her work, noting a botanical and marine aesthetic with an industrial edge. Clark is currently a charter board members of the Minnesota Jewelry Artists Guild (MNJAG) and is working to build community within the craft and engage the greater public with their awareness of the work, value and satisfaction of being a collector.
Elara Coleman
Traverse City, Michigan
Materials: 100% Recycled Sterling Silver, Repurposed Copper and Lead Free Enamels
Elara Coleman’s daily inspiration comes from metal, its properties and processes around it. She likes to let the material show off its natural raw beauty with simple shapes and lines. Her approach to jewelry is similar to as one would sculpt a sculpture, always thinking about the space it will occupy. She also turns to nature for all lessons in design and beauty.
Nicole Collodoro
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Materials: Silver, Wood, Stone, Fossils, Paper, Fabric, Clay
Nicole Collodoro grew up in rural Wisconsin. With her father—who was a geologist—she spent most of her youth exploring the surrounding wilderness. Her background in the outdoors is reflected in the stones and natural materials she uses in her designs. In 2000, she began attending Minneapolis College of Art & Design, where she graduated with a BFA in Sculpture in 2004. Since then she has focused on creating small scale works and jewelry. Collodoro works and lives in Saint Paul with her husband and two daughters.
Ashley Delmonico Holm (La Donna Jewelry)
Lakeville, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver and Beads
Ashley Delmonico is the designer and creator behind La Donna Jewelry. She is often traveling as she creates, picking up inspiration from mother nature as she goes. Originally from Minnesota, she now lives and creates in a travel trailer with her husband and fat, black cat. Much of the inspiration she picks up along the way comes from the beauty of American landscapes, her most cherished being the deserts of the American Southwest. Delmonico hand solders each pair using sterling silver or brass before attaching the hand woven glass seed beads. La Donna Jewelry is made with the intent to take each person who puts on a pair to a place where their uniqueness feels like their greatest strength.
Desdamona Doolittle
Burnsville, Minnesota
Materials: Repurposed Leather
Striving to keep leather out of landfills, Desdamona Doolittle is a unique accessories line handcrafted from repurposed leather. Made from scraps, remnants and other discarded items that would otherwise crowd our landfills, each piece is one of a kind. Desdamona Doolittle believes that small changes in our everyday choices can result in a significant environmental impact.
Kaja and Zoë Foat (FOAT)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Sustainable Fabrics
Twin sisters Kaja and Zoë have shared a lot in life — a last name, a love of color and nature and a vision for a more ethical world. In 2002, at a time when women’s active wear was unflattering, environmental concerns were negligible and style was homogenized, they followed that shared vision to create FOAT. The goal was to offer a refreshing, eco-conscious alternative in women’s fashion, starting with yoga apparel. Since then, they have expanded their designs to additional lines of one-of-a-kind garments and wedding gowns.
Every FOAT garment has a story to tell. Each piece begins as an idea, inspired by the unique fabrics and materials they source and salvage from sustainable suppliers and vintage shops. The Foats develop new designs almost weekly, based on the new materials they discover, to create very limited edition runs, each with a history and story all its own. All of the production work is then completed by hand—drawing, cutting, assembling and sewing every garment in studio.
Camille Hempel
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Rose Gold, Sterling Silver, Semi-Precious Stones
Camille Hempel is a jewelry designer with no shortage of creativity and range. Her interest in jewelry making sparked while studying Art at The University of Wisconsin Madison. She learned the trade as an apprentice at the Jewelers Workshop in Madison. She then acquired the tools of the trade after college while at a farm auction with her grandfather. Hempel has always had a workbench set up somewhere so she can bring her ideas to fruition, but she likes to keep her “jeweler at large” status—finding inspiration while pursuing her other passions away from the studio.
Madison Holler (Rubinski Works)
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Materials: Beads and Sterling Silver
Madison Holler was born and resides in Central Minnesota. She received her BFA from St. Cloud State University. Holler’s work explores her Native American and Scandinavian heritage and folklore. Her 2D practice includes painting and drawing, her 3D pieces consist of ceramics and beadwork. Primarily, she constructs her 3D work into wearable jewelry as well as wall hangings. She has also worked as a freelance graphic designer and photographer for the past 5 years.
Karin Jacobson
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver, Topaz, White Quartz and other Lab Grown Gems
Karin Jacobson is committed to meticulously crafted, art jewelry and wedding rings. Each piece is hand-fabricated and focuses on ethically sourced materials. This collection was inspired by Origami and Kirigami, (a variation of origami that includes cutting of the paper). She wanted to try to take flat shapes and fold them into voluminous 3D forms. Metal does not fold the same way that paper does, but to Jacobson, these pieces capture the spirit of the form.
Tia Keo (Silvercocoon)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Wood, Acrylic, Sterling Silver, 14K Gold-Fill
Fascinated with things and how they are made, Tia Keo incorporates architectural design to create pieces made from wood, acrylic, and metal. Color, texture, repetition, and light are important considerations in her work, whose forms and compositions respond to the natural and man-made world around her. Practicality and simplicity transcend her work in any medium or scale.
Jen Kreilich (J. Lux)
Golden Valley, Minnesota
Materials: Gold-Toned Brass, Sterling Silver, Premium Leather
Founded by Minneapolis-based artist Jen Kreilich, J.Lux is a jewelry and accessories brand bred in the North with roots in the west. Kreilich describes her work as a little bit bohemian with a sophisticated edge and an easy demeanor. Each piece is handmade by Jen and typically one-of-a-kind or small batch. Her process is organic, ever-evolving and imperfect by design.
Nichole McIver (Acanthus Jewelry)
Sartell, Minnesota
Materials: Sterling Silver, High-Karat Gold, Diamonds and Semi-Precious Gemstones
Nichole McIver is the maker behind Acanthus.
Her background in fine art and art history informs her work, as she finds inspiration in sources from Ancient Roman adornment, to Medieval manuscript illumination. She works in her home studio in Central Minnesota, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Acanthus jewelry is handmade with materials such as sterling silver, high-karat gold, diamonds and semi-precious gemstones. A self- taught metalsmith, McIver uses traditional techniques to handcraft each piece in her home studio. She believes strongly in retaining the sacred relationship between artist and patron, so she is solely responsible for carefully creating each piece for her clients.
Julie Meyer (Julie Meyer Handbags)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Cowhide, Top-Grain Leather
Since 2008, Julie Meyer has been crafting bags in small quantities from her Minneapolis studio. Each bag is constructed with skilled workmanship using top grain leather, hair-on cowhides and finished with full interior linings. Meyer enjoys turning raw materials into functional items people love using. Julie Meyer Handbags are designed to be used every day and to last a lifetime.
Robin Ann Meyer (Robin Ann Meyer Scarves)
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Materials: Chiffon Silk
Robin Ann Meyer’s work is heavily influenced by the environment which surrounds her, travel and nature. She completed her degree in the visual arts in Europe, receiving her bachelor’s degree in design from University College Falmouth in Cornwall, England and Master of Fine Art from La Complutense in Madrid, Spain. For several years she worked in the New York City home fashion and apparel industries as a textile designer for various large scale manufacturers. Her artistic philosophy is acceptance within persistence. She chose to embrace the old and the new, employing traditional hand drawn motifs that are then manipulated digitally and printed using the most modern printing technologies.
She loves the digital sphere as a lover of earth and nature, for its extensive versatility and its eco-friendliness.
Karen Morris (Karen Morris Millinery)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Each Hat is Handmade of Exotic Materials Sourced from Around the World
The brand philosophy of Karen Morris Millinery is Quality, Simplicity and Elegance. Karen Morris aims to develop a variety of hat shapes and textures, transformed into multi-functional collections that can be worn in an everyday environment, and yet still has a modern twist.
Meghan Nelson (Dottir Jewelry)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials Used: Sterling Silver, Brass
Dottir is a Minneapolis based jewelry line by artist Meghan Nelson. She uses silver and brass to create work that focuses on clean lines, geometric shapes, and elegant forms. Ranging from the perfect everyday pair of posts to the dramatic statement collar, her pieces strive for wearability and functionality. All elements of her jewelry are hand fabricated in her Seward studio.
Beth Novak (Beth Novak Enamels)
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Materials: Enamel on Copper, Sterling Silver
Beth Novak grew up in an artistic home believing that just about anything is inspiration. She is originally from Wisconsin, where she attended the University Wisconsin–Stout and got a degree in Studio Art, with a concentration in art metals. Novak has since lived in St. Louis Park for the last 17 years, and after experimenting with many different mediums, she has returned to her first love: metals. Her works include enamel on copper and sterling silver. She loves to explore texture and color and finds that both silver and copper allow her to do so. Novak often manipulates the copper before enameling it, to accentuate the layers and texture under the enamel. The patina she finishes her pieces off with is quite durable and has a wonderful depth of color.
Robyne Robinson (ROX Jewelry)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Semi-Precious Stones, Pearl, Sterling Silver, Brass
ROX jewelry is exotic, one-of-a-kind affordable jewelry created with semi-precious stone, pearl, and artisan brass and silver for men and women for the environmentally conscious consumer. Sold at exclusive museums, jewelers and boutiques worldwide.
Jovy Rockey (Jovy Rockey Jewelry)
Winona, Minnesota
Materials Used: Precious Metals and Gemstones
Jovy Rockey is a self-taught artist who continually learns new processes and creates work that resonates with her taste. She studies geometric shapes and soft curves, along with kinetic elements. Her jewelry is crafted using cold-forging, wire-wrapping, cold-connection and hammering techniques. Rockey incorporates precious and base metals along with semi-precious gemstones to create simple, yet unique adornments. Her studio and curated sales gallery is located in Winona, Minnesota where she also lives with her husband and three children.
Meg Ann Smith (Cosette Designs)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials Used: Vintage Glass Rhinestone
Meg Ann Smith is an impeccable designer and creator of original lines of unique clothing and accessories for women. Her artistry has been represented in many boutiques across New York City, Chicago and Minneapolis. Cosette Designs represents a culmination of Smith’s overall passion for fashion and fabric, painting, illustration, vintage glass rhinestone, ornate pillows, and imaginative millinery design.
Barbara Stellmach (Seventh & Stone)
Two Harbors, Minnesota.
Materials: Metal, Sterling Silver, Resin, Spray Paint, Precious and Semi-Precious Stones
Barbara Stellmach is a self-taught metalsmith who works primarily with sterling silver and incorporates precious and semi-precious stones, Lake Superior stones, laminate, resin, spray paint, Keum-boo, filament, and fiber into her designs. Stellmach draws inspiration from the materials she works with, mid-century design, and the great Northwoods that surround her. Clean lines, texture, color, and movement also play a role in much of her work.
She currently resides in Two Harbors with her husband and their two little girls. There, in her childhood home, she owns and operates a small gift shop (Seventh & Stone) showcasing her work.
Molly Spilane (Unique Art Pendants)
Richfield, Minnesota
Materials Used: Gold Toned Brass, Silver Plate, Resin
Molly Spilane attended the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, MN and is known for her quirky and unique wearable art. Spilane’s work is known for her ability to tell a visual story or evoke personal memories with just one image. She uses personal photos and drawings, turn-of-the-century illustrations, vintage designs, and heartwarming retro images from the public domain to create her graphic pieces.
Amy Torello
Mexico City, Mexico
Materials: Solid Sterling, Fine Silver plated over Bronze, 24K Gold plated over Bronze, or Mixed Metals over Bronze
Amy Torello uses a variety of methods to bring her ideas into life. Embracing both traditional hand-crafting skills as well as modern technologies such as 3D printing and custom colored resins, she strives to create something that brings true joy to the women who wear her collections. Finding inspiration everywhere, she is particularly fascinated with the relationships between color, texture, movement, and form. Her jewelry involves mixed metals over bronze– coated with a clear lacquer to keep the sparkly finish clean and bright.
Jeannie Trelles (Vikse Designs)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Semi-Precious Stones, Sterling Silver, Gold, Leather and Feathers
Jeannie Trelles first began making jewelry in junior high school. A hobby that turned into a business in 2009, her work is influenced by her love of travel, nature, and fashion. As her business has grown, so has her desire to learn new skills to further her ability and to realize her creative vision. Since taking metalsmithing and lapidary classes, her work has developed from the beading and crocheted work she started out with. She enjoys using a variety of natural materials in her work, including semi-precious stones, sterling silver, gold, leather and feathers.
Helen Wang
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Materials: Semi-Precious Stones, Mixed Precious Metals
Wang creates each deftly designed one-of-a kind or limited-edition piece with the person who will eventually wear it in mind. Whether it’s a druzy quartz marquis earring or the vintage luxury feel of a genuine Swarovski crystal bridal choker, Wang’s hands create the jewelry to reflect her vision of the consumer.