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"I have always loved jewelry, and derive great satisfaction from the creation process. All of my jewelry is handcrafted by me incorporating various techniques including enameling, cloisonne, metalsmithing, bead artistry, and stone setting. Utilizing many jewelry techniques provides great variety in my designs; many of which are one-of-a-kind pieces.
My pieces are intended to be wearable, functional art. They can simply be used as a fashion accessory to complete the perfect outfit, or they can serve as a reflection of one's whimsy, formality, funkiness or elegance. My jewelry can be designed to adhere to current trends or to create new ones.
I use quality materials such as sterling silver, fine silver, copper, silver foil, lead-free glass enamels, Swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls, Bali silver, and semiprecious cabochon stones and beads in my designs. I strive to create beautiful jewelry using quality materials.
I enjoy creating and designing all of my rings, pendants, earrings, pins, and bracelets. If I had to pick a favorite technique, I am most passionate about my colorful enamel and cloisonne jewelry. Glass enamel's seemingly effortless intertwining of bold and subtle color combinations has always intrigued me. Enamels provide a depth and brilliance of color that is not often found in other jewelry mediums. To me, these colors reflect the natural beauty of a cloudy sky, a field of flowers, or a rocky mountainside.
Whether I am designing a labor-intensive cloisonne piece or bezel-setting the perfect cabochon stone, I am always drawn to interesting and unexpected color combinations. My inspiration comes from the endless intermixing of materials, colors, shapes, and textures that can be used to create unique pieces of jewelry."
- Susan Franke