Hello and thank you for stopping by my page! I am a self-representing jewelry artist and have been designing, making and marketing my own jewelry lines since June of 2005. Like so many other jewelry designers out there, I use the best quality components I can find (in the "semi-precious" category). I love working with stones and pearls and crystals. I'm a stiffled rock hound since I live in an over-developed, flat-as-a-pancake area of Texas. But everytime I travel, I look at hills, mountains, creekbeds, riverfronts, etc with a whole new appreciation.

Because jewelry designers are ubiquitous - there are a lot of folks stringing beads and stones - I have been focusing on the less common forms of design and discovered chainmaille. An ancient craft that was always more funtional than decorative, our modern times has rediscovered the craft and reinvented it so that there is a wide variety of beautiful pieces of adornment for both men and women. And I find the weaving of metal rings together to be a relaxing exercise, as much as cross stitch and crochet. Fortunately, chainmaille can command a better price in today's market than crochet!

My dream is to someday open an artisan "barn" in my area to bring together a variety of local artists and crafts people in a cooperative and friendly setting open to the public. That way the public can see the creation process from the beginning through completion and hopefully will leave with a higher level of awareness regarding the artist process. They may be less likely to ask the artist to come down in their price!

My personal goal for artistic growth is to learn to cut stone. I've thought about smithing and lampwork and fused glass (dichroic) but I keep going back to the fact I love rocks!

Please drop by my website or my Etsy shop or my blog. If you like my sense of design, feel free to inquire about commissioned pieces. If you're in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, feel free to contact me to arrange for a showing. I love helping women accessorize what is in their closets for a whole new look!

Website: '57 Design Studio
Etsy: hiljohn
Blog: Designing Hilary

As for my work, pictures speak a thousand words ....