Jewelry Designers San Francisco
5 San Francisco Jewelry Designers that…We Love!
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day (or any time for that matter) than with a little bling! And living in the San Francisco Bay Area…there are many jewelry designers who create pieces that offer you the perfect expression of your unique self!
by Charlotte Manz, Staff Writer SF BAWJ
And where better to find these unique, handmade designs than at Etsy shops! We love shopping at Etsy stores because you’re sure to find unique one of a kind items that are handmade by the artisian who owns the shop! Here are the San Francisco Bay Area Women’s Journal’s 5 favorite Etsy stores owned by San Francisco Bay Area Jewelry Designers!
1. Shana Astrachan
Hand Made by SF jewelry designer Shana Astrachan , this tiny gold heart on a chain is so sweet it tugged at our heart strings! We just loved the simplicity and beauty of this necklace.
Shana’s jewelry evolves from her love of metal. She loves to experiment with unexpected materials and unconventional ways to use them in her jewelry design process. You can see more of her work at her estsy store ShanaAstrachan and at her website.
2. Rachael Adams
Combining a passion for the past and present, Rachael Adams combines vintage and antique pieces to create “nouveau” jewelry at her Nouveau Motley Etsy shop. We fell head over heels in love with the Anastasia necklace.
This choker length necklace features a Victorian locket dating to around 1860 suspended from a 15 inch strand of hand-knotted vintage French Jet beads.
You can see all of Rachael’s jewelry at her Etsy shop, Nouveau Motley.
3. Natasha Grasso
Love Knot…says it all! This pendant created by Natasha Grasso represents all the twists and turns we take in our life and in our relationships with friends, family and loved ones. The result is complicated, beautiful and unique…we agree and that’s why we love this piece!
This simple gold-filled knot is classic, but still has a modern organic feel to it. Perfect for everyday wear. You can find more of Nataha’s work at her Etsy shop, NatashaGrasso!
4. Alicia Bleuer
These are not Your Mother’s Pearls! Hand made using vintage pearls; Alicia Bleuer adds beautiful satin ribbon to transform Pearl necklaces from staid and proper to Fabulous and Fun!
It’s easy to adjust the length of the necklace from short to long…or even better…wrap it around your wrist to create an instant eye-catching bracelet! You can find all of Alicia’s designs at her Etsy shop, Frills and Furbelows, and see the entire Pearls collection in her “Pearls of Wisdom” section!
5. Manette Belliveau
Are you ready for the sweet sun-filled days of Spring? We sure are and that’s why the Ocean Tumbled Sea Glass earrings from the Etsy shop, Newsprout, stopped us in our rainy boot tracks!
We loved the green color of these earrings even more when we learned that the natural frosted look comes from years of exposure to the salt water, sand and surf.
Native Californian, designer Mannette creates handmade jewelry from genuine California sea glass…all that have been naturally ocean tumbled! Each piece is hand collected along the CA Coast. Please visit her Etsy shop, Newsprout, to see the complete collection.
Handmade and Unique!
Jewelry offers us a quick and easy way to express ourselves. So have a little fun and add a handmade piece of jewelry to your collection. Not only will you be expressing your unique self…but you’ll also be helping to promote a local San Francisco Bay Area Jewelry Designer!
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As we watch people and organizations help to rebuild Haiti and listen in on discussions about the role of design in the face of disaster, we can't help but consider how our discipline might continue to impact those who are displaced by traumatic experiences. Losing belongings affects an individual on one level, but losing a home impacts a person's sense of place and security. While there are many responding to tragedy in various capacities around the world, we are aware that it takes time before homes are restored and lives are, dare we say, regained with some sense of normal routine.
The Displaced Project by Raneen Nosh, of Citizen Designer, questions the emotional impact of displacement and explores the meaning of home for those who have been affected by damaging events such as natural disasters or political conflict. Nosh, a recent graduate from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, created a textile-based object that is "designed to suit the nomadic needs of a displaced person, while also serving to recreate a sense of domestic comfort to preserve personal and cultural memory."
She began the project by using cultural probes as a means of collaborating with individuals from Iraq and Africa who had experienced some form of displacement. During this preliminary research, Nosh asked for feedback using various methods to understand daily routines and how these were affected by trauma. Using color, texture and image, Nosh explored how people's emotions were affected and pursued a means to address these needs during a time of trauma or loss.
What resulted was an adaptable and versatile garment that is all at once a bag, a bed, and a seasonable tunic. As a tunic, its two layers can be worn together or separately, depending on the climate. The outer layer is an altered wool army blanket, which can easily be delivered to conflict areas, whereas the inner lining is basic cotton that can be recycled from old clothing or other familiar textiles. The piece can also be rolled up and carried as a bag, or rolled out and used as a space on which to lie.
The project simulates a sense of domestic comfort to preserve personal and cultural sentiments. Pockets have been integrated throughout the object to store personal belongings such as important documents, photographs, or jewelry. Consideration was taken to place the pockets to correspond to particular emotional associations of the body. For example, a high collar has been incorporated in order to protect the vulnerable space on the back of the neck.
For Nosh, the next phase of this project is to connect with organizations, such as MSF/Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF, and to propose this garment as a valuable complement to their disaster relief initiatives.
Photos courtesy of Christina Ladwig from Gene Doe
