Inspiration

Evenings at the beach spent watching the silent splendor of the moon and the clear night sky reflected in the ocean brought a greater understanding of me. Soft breezes and soothing sounds heightened my senses and further inspired my development as an artist. I reached the 'point of no return' and fell into an obsession with creating jewelry. Driven, I dedicated myself to experimentation and perspicuity and so began Moonwater Designs.

Owing to a 2005 appearance on the Home and Garden Television Network's (HGTV) series "That's Clever!", my artistic gifts gained nationwide recognition. This acknowledgement adds to my growing list of honors that includes 2007 and 2006 First Place MJSA Vision Award for crystal distinction, awards in Swarovski's 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005 design competitions, 2008, 2005, and 2004 First Place awards in Fire Mountain Gems & Beads design competitions, 2006 Best of Competition Jewelry Arts Award, and finalist status in the 2004 Saul Bell Design Award, to name just a few. I am both grateful and thrilled to see the opus of my heart and dreams gaining this widespread attention.

I am fascinated with body adornment, as fashion can be anything from refined to imaginatively outrageous. Beauty, self-expression, and tradition are the driving forces behind my inspiration. Each design is individually hand crafted and comprised of a skillful variety of influences and approaches to jewelry-making. I enjoy the continuing challenge and expression that the age-old beadwork medium offers. Listening to my intuition, I "play" using various off-loom weaving techniques. It continually astonishes me that when woven together beads have the fluid beauty to transform into any number of poetic shapes and stories. After weeks and sometimes months of creative problem-solving, the joy of the journey climaxes, and the sense of wonder I feel when holding a finished work is nothing short of triumphant. It is the first and last precious moments of the process that give me the most pleasure and will forever keep the artist in me fresh, active, and alive.

It's a love affair that I have with beads. Every bead, just as every perfectly cut diamond, has its own magical shimmer deserving its own diverse setting. A feeling of sacredness develops when making each piece and sharing the intimate intricacy of the ornament with others. Each one of us is a glistening jewel made up of many facets. Every bead, just as every person, presents endless possibility. My creative vision rages within these dual fascinations. My desire is that when a person is drawn to my jewelry, the beauty of the materials and my passion join with the individuality of the wearer to elevate the accessory into a wearable piece of art.