Adorn Artist Biographies 2023

ADORN
A Jewelry Invitational

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Click on artist's name to browse jewelry or explore the entire collection here.

Linda Azar.is a studio jeweler living in the mountains of Western North Carolina. She grew up in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and received a BA in Architecture from the University of Florida. After moving to Asheville, NC, she studied metalsmithing and jewelry at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC, and has been a full-time jewelry artist since 2013. Her jewelry compositions incorporate organic and architectural elements using sterling silver, semi-precious stones, steel, and brass. Her pieces are created using lost wax casting, traditional metal fabrication techniques, and powder coating. Linda is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and has exhibited at numerous fine craft shows nationwide. 

Kathleen Dustin has enjoyed a somewhat nomadic lifestyle living in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon as well as traveling extensively through the Middle East and Central Asia. Her jewelry creations are influenced by the rich material cultures of these exotic places. She employs surface techniques that reference the intricately detailed patterns and craftsmanship of textiles and jewelry made by and for women in these cultures.

Currently living in New Hampshire, Dustin has been working primarily in colored polymer clay for 35 years and is considered one of the pioneers in working with it as a serious fine craft medium.

Gabrielle Gould is a St. Augustine-based jeweler whose work is inspired by coastal Florida. She frequently incorporates elements such as feathers and shells in her designs that are set against a silver or high-karat gold framework. Gabrielle is the recipient of many honors including the Southern Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the American Craft Council Award of Excellence. Her work has been featured in prominent museums and galleries across the country and recently featured on the Peabody award-winning series Craft In America, now available for streaming on PBS. (watch HERE)

Jason Janow creates nature-inspired jewelry consisting of cast branches, tree bark, river rocks, and gemstones. By using the lost wax casting process, Jason is able to process tree branches and bark into silver, bronze, and gold. Janow graduated from Haywood Community College with a Degree in Applied Science-Jewelry and is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. He also creates high-end custom designs using materials such as gold, platinum, diamonds, and precious gems. Jason currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife and son.

Lisa Johnson is the Director of Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Fiber & Textiles, and Glass at The Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta, FL. After receiving her B.F.A. from Miami University and M.F.A. from Indiana University in Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design, she was awarded as Artist-In-Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She exhibits art and conducts workshops nationally. 

Johnson's work utilizes traditional metalsmithing and jewelry design techniques alongside processes used in ceramics and glassworking. For this display, she explores the use of beach treasures found over the last several years of living in South Florida. She enjoys repurposing unique pieces of rock, shell, coral, and other beach finds into wearable art.

Allison Kline received a BFA in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. In addition to her graphic design business, she pursues a range of creative endeavors in her New Smyrna Beach studio, with an emphasis on creating jewelry as wearable pieces of art. Her bold, colorful work typically involves using vitreous enamel on copper, handmade silver chains, and the occasional found object. She is introducing a new collection of sand cast jewelry for this exhibition. This metal casting process uses sand as a mold to create an imprint of an object. The object is then removed and molten metal is poured into the recessed cavity to create one-of-a-kind metal forms.

Jennifer Letter is a silversmith who uses traditional techniques to create modern pieces in sterling silver. She first discovered this passion in San Francisco, where she learned the craft and served as a studio assistant at the Sharon Arts Studio.  Her recent move to Colorado is proving to be a fertile environment for creativity, teenager-wrangling, and making shiny things.

Peter Schilling has been creating sculptural objects for over 50 years and holds a BFA and MFA in Sculpture.  He now specializes in creating finely designed and crafted contemporary art in jade, stating, "I think of my jewelry as small-scale sculptural artworks that are also wearable objects."

Schilling draws inspiration from natural objects such as shells, seed pods, fruits, and nuts.  Each piece is hand carved using an abrasive process of sawing, grinding, sanding, and finishing. The handwork involved gives his pendants and earrings a unique, personal feel that mass production cannot.  

Wendy Thurlow earned her BFA in metalsmithing from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has produced one-of-a-kind and limited-edition jewelry for over 18 years. Her award-winning creations have been exhibited and published widely, and she has private collectors worldwide. Thurlow's pieces incorporate centuries-old techniques with mixed metals, surface embellishments, and high-quality stones to produce jewelry that is both organic and sculptural.  Her collection is award-winning and has been praised for its individuality. Wendy's eye for composition and attention to form and detail enables her to create a distinct jewelry style.

Mary Timmer's sense of design and technical skill come together in her contemporary yet classic jewelry creations.  Using sterling with gold accents for the basis of most production pieces, she adds the beautiful luster of pearls and the shimmer of precious stones to achieve a look of simple elegance. Mary received a B.F.A. in Art Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and continued her technical education in jewelry with classes at Penland School of Crafts and a specialists’ degree in Professional Crafts Jewelry from Haywood Community College near Asheville, NC. She is a member of The Southern Highland Craft Guild, The Piedmont Craftsmen Guild as well as The Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild. She participates in juried art shows around the US and teaches classes at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.

Jeff & Susan Wise have been making jewelry together as a team for 35 years from their studio in Durango, Colorado. Working in high karat gold and precious stones, they create dynamic, one-of-a-kind sculptural jewelry that is also light and comfortable to wear. Their bold and elegant forms finely balance organic shapes, architectural elements, and geometry. Their award-winning work is exhibited nationally and can also be found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institute National Museum of American Art, Washington DC, Boston Museum of Fine Art, and the New York Museum of Art and Design, among others.

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