As a jewelry collector, one of my favorite experiences is searching out and collecting the work of the jewelry artisans of today. Every new place I travel to has a thriving artist community, and there’s always a jewelry artisan there, designing modern, funky, hip, high fashion jewelry. The kind of jewelry that makes a dramatic statement. And, of course, the Internet is a great resource for finding fabulous jewelry artists. Although the designs are always quite different, they have in common a lavish, richly colored, bold, and exciting look and feel. I love to collect and wear these kinds of pieces that stand out from the crowd. Jewelry that people ask about—jewelry with pizzazz!

Part of what makes collecting this kind of jewelry such a wonderful experience is understanding the artist, learning the creative process behind the designs. Knowing something of the way the artist thinks and feels makes their designs come alive— the jewels and stones and other materials used become more beautiful the more you understand why the artist may have chosen to use those particular elements and their symbolism in their designs—in various combinations and configurations. For me, knowing all the intricate little details, gives even greater significance to the jewelry, and makes me appreciate and treasure it more.

As Editor of the Bella Jewelry Collecting site, I have created the Artist Interview series for those fellow jewelry collectors who are also interested in knowing about the person behind the collection. In addition to asking the artist questions about their work, I spend a lot of time researching any material I can find about the artists themselves—reviewing their web site, looking at links to their blogs, reading press, etc. I like to reveal the very soul of the artist, in his or her own words.

Upcoming interviews include Alexa Hirst of Loopy Monkey in June.