MEET KATHY

Although Kathy was born in a small town in Maine, most of her childhood memories are from North Carolina, where she grew up in the mountains of Asheville. Her roots as a crafter took hold here, where she was easily able to explore the arts of beading, weaving, sewing, needle arts, and even woodworking in that community, although jewelry was one of her main interests. College took Kathy back to the Northeast, where she spent 2 years at Smith College exploring liberal arts until she headed to Carnegie Mellon University to pursue graphic design, in which she received her degree. Jewelry became her focused hobby, providing an artistic, hands-on pursuit away from the computer, the most pervasive tool of her career. This hobby gained attention as Kathy started to sell her pieces to friends and acquaintances, and she picked up her first gallery while still in college.

While in Pittsburgh, Kathy met and married her perfect match, Dan, and their two crazy mutts Peeve and Iris came into their lives. After college, Kathy and her family lived in Boston for five years where her jewelry hobby blossomed into a side-line business. In 2001 the family packed up and headed to Chicago, where Kathy’s brother and his family had settled. Chicago was (and is) a very supportive artist community — Kathy’s jewelry passion grew into a full-time business in 2005. She now runs a studio with four assistants, participates in 15-20 shows a year, and in 2007 Lark Books published “Elegant Wire Jewelry,” showcasing her unusual jewelry techniques that’s available nationwide. Her work is currently represented by more than 40 galleries, boutiques, and museum shops around the country.