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Meet Mary Ellen Merrigan of Mary Ellen Beads
Mary Ellen Merrigan frames her life perspective as a string of colorful beads. Every bead, every day contributes to the whole. Her passion for all things bead-related ignited in 2007 when she made her first treasure necklace. The more she shares her heart’s delight, the more energized she is by creativity. Teaching, learning, and making call out Mary Ellen’s soul.
Her study of bead history, bead techniques and women artists continues to weave its way through her creative works. Mary Ellen, currently enrolled in a silversmithing series, is making precious metal clay components for her bead designs. Her enthusiasm for craftsmanship, fine detail, and style infuses her jewelry. She maintains she never meets a bead she doesn’t like and encourages everyone to play with beads. Yet, it’s her special penchant for matching the perfect bead and its properties to others that draws customers to her again and again.
You can find Mary Ellen at maryellenbeads.com
Meet Carl and Kathy King of Katrina Rey
Katrina Rey is the creative collaboration of Carl and Kathy King, a husband and wife team. Carl has had a passion for painting and photography that has spanned over 40 years. His style is defined by vivid colors and bold textures. Kathy, for as long as she can remember, has had a love for fashion and a passion for art and design.
The paintings that inspire Katrina Rey's designs are brought to life in our South Fork, Colorado home. They take Carl's art and design clothing and accessories that will surround you in the colors of the canvas. Their goal is to make unique designs that will allow the woman wearing it to feel an inner sense of confidence.
You can find Carl and Kathy at www.katrinarey.com
Meet Don McGuire
Don, our local new jewelry artist, found a job as a silversmith quite by chance. As an early "twenty-something" college student he was "door knocking" looking for a part-time job and found work at a local metalworks shop specializing in silver trophies and awards.
At that time a childhood friend had broken a leg in a motorcycle accident and learned silversmithing also while his leg was immobile in a cast. This friend turned out to be quite talented in turquoise jewelry design & fabrication and took Don under his wing and taught him the craft.
After a brief hiatus (40 years 😁) Don retired from healthcare and rediscovered his passion for silversmithing. With encouragement from his lovely wife Liz, a local Realtor, he continues today. We hope you enjoy his work.
Meet Linda Reyes-Alicea
Linda is a one-woman-owned business that started after a 30-year corporate career. Retiring in 2003 allowed Linda to explore her love for design. After experimenting with several different mediums, she found her passion was silversmithing and metalwork, specifically jewelry-making. Jewelry has always had a special place in her heart.
She is handcrafting all her jewelry in a small home studio in Albuquerque.
Influenced by her surroundings- simplicity, lines, angles, and form- she has always had an eye for contemporary, clean, and minimalistic design.
Linda is drawn to detail and feels the connection when her designs include these elements.
Each piece of the jewelry is created from sterling silver, fine silver, 14k gold, or 14k gold filled. She uses traditional metalsmithing techniques and appreciates the transformation that can take place from simple wire and sheet. Linda, inspired by color, carefully chooses each stone for its beauty and vibrancy.
She strives to make jewelry that is comfortable for everyday wear. She hopes the jewelry brings as much joy to those who wear each piece as it was for her to create it.
Linda is a native New Mexican and feels very fortunate to live in a place where inspiration is all around.
Linda is represented by Yucca Art Gallery in Old Town, Albuquerque.
