About the Artist

About the artist . . .

It is more than a pleasure
for me to find inspiration
in a rock, a tusk, a shell,
an ancient bead . . .
It is an honor.
I have profound respect
for these "found objects"
whose origin is nature.
I feel they have been
entrusted to me
until I can create an object
of personal adornment
that can be entrusted to you.

Chris Carlson has been creating unique contemporary jewelry for over twenty-nine years. If you knew her in the early days, you probably remember her as "Rocks In Your Head." Finding her inspiration in natural materials and ancient cultures, a design may feature a beautiful stone such as turquoise, exquisite coral and pearls, ancient African river rocks, fossil walrus and Woolly Mammoth, or just a modest beach stone.
With meticulous attention to detail, she blends fiber techniques from her years as a weaver with traditional and creative lapidary and metalsmithing techniques. While preserving the spirit of the primitive tribal and ethnographic artifacts that touch the soul, her appreciation of minimalist design integrates ancient with modern in a pure and straightforward style.

Her work is featured in two Lark Books, 500 Necklaces and also 500 Earrings.

During the Summer of 2020, she received GIA's (Gemological Institute of America) Applied Jewelry Professional diploma, and concurrently completed the Cultured Pearl Association of America's Pearl Specialist Certification Course.

________

"For me, the difference between fashion jewelry and art jewelry
is that art jewelry evokes a feeling inside
and somehow goes a step further
to create a connection with the observer/wearer.
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.
But appreciation of 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 our home reflects our spirit to those who enter,
our jewelry offers a glimpse of that spirit to others when we are out."

Turning 61- just a day at the beach.... (oh to be 61 again!)