Chris Carlson has been involved in the creation of fine craft for most of her adult life. Inspired by a contemporary fiber exhibit in her hometown of Chicago, Chris began with an exploration of weaving. While living in Hawaii during the mid 70’s, she studied with nationally and internationally known weavers at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Bishop Museum. She exhibited and sold her work in local art shows and galleries and also taught off-loom weaving techniques through leisure programs at the University of Hawaii, Hickam Air Force Base and Barbers Point Naval Air Station.
After the birth of her son and a gift of her first SLR camera, she shifted her attention to photography. She studied fine art black & white photography and found a connection with the pure, unembellished style of the WPA photographers. Her work reflected that straightforward, documentary style. Her strong darkroom skills and sharp eye landed her commercial work, a Photographer’s Forum Magazine award and exhibition opportunities.
Ironically, it was a photo assignment to cover a Native American Pow-Wow that introduced her to making jewelry. Moved by the tribal traditions and the lure of turquoise, Chris began investigating places to study jewelry making. Classes were being offered at the DeLand Museum of Art and after attending a lecture there by world-renown Native American artist and jeweler Michael Kabotie, Chris knew her art-life would take a new direction. Chris began taking jewelry classes and workshops through the Florida Society of Goldsmiths and local gem & mineral societies and has continued ever since. Working with beautiful stones was just a natural progression for a person with a degree in Earth Science.
Since her focus on jewelry, she has participated in over 100 art festivals and is a consistent award winner. In 2006, her work was selected from over 5000 entries to appear in 500 Necklaces, Lark Publications. Also in 2006, her work was included in the Feminine Adornment Exhibit at Gulf Coast Community College, and the members Biennial Exhibit at the DeLand Museum of Art. In early 2007, she received a Volusia County Individual Artist Professional Development Grant. Later that spring, her work was again included in the newest Lark jewelry book, 500 Earrings.
You can see Chris’s work at art shows throughout Florida during most of the year and in the Chicago area during the summer. She is also happy to meet clients by appointment in her studio in historic downtown DeLand, Florida.
"I can’t explain why I’m drawn to a turquoise nugget more than a sparkling diamond, or why I’d design a necklace around a seemingly ordinary rock or walrus tooth instead of faceted crystals or shiny metal… It is certainly not jewelry by traditional standards, and it doesn’t 'speak' to everybody, but I’ve come to accept that this is just what I do.
For me, the difference between fashion or bridge jewelry and art jewelry is that art jewelry elicits questions and evokes a feeling inside. It reveals something personal about us that we might not otherwise be able to articulate. We may not even fully understand why we are drawn to it--art doesn't always need to be an intellectual exercise. If it touches the soul in some way, that is enough. Just as the art in my home reflects my spirit in a private way, jewelry reflects that spirit to others in a public way. But sometimes an interesting stone or strand of pearls stands alone--it's not art, it's just beautiful--and that's enough, too.
Even though I’ve been involved in some aspect of creating art or fine craft most of my adult life, I didn’t start out on that path. Somehow I just kept crossing that path until a 'light bulb moment' made me realize I shouldn’t be crossing it—I should be following it! I gave my 2 weeks notice, left my 'day job' and never regretted the decision for a minute."