[Welcome] New Members for April 3, 2011

Orchid Circulation: 11,500 members!

Please welcome our newest members…

Spring Rees
Upper hutt, New Zealand

My home is in Whitemans Valley in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. I have
lived here for 19 years with my family and pets surrounded by
beautiful native bush and birds…I am still building my home (!)
which we started when i was pregnant with the eldest of my two
beautiful girls. Film and TV was my first career but I left that to
look after my kids full time when they were little and after some
soul searching decided to follow my real passion in my 30s which was
art. I signed up for a degree in applied arts at Whitireia Poly under
Peter Deckers and was HURLED unwittingly in to the world of
contemporary jewellery. That was about 7years ago and i haven’t
looked back. I’d been ‘making stuff’ most of my life but i never
expected those god awful fimo brooches (made aged 10) to eventually
lead me to consider jewellery my lifes work. i guess it’s really
about time i stopped reading these forums over the shoulders of my
friends and colleagues ay?

Patience Lowe
PatPerks
Colrain, MA. USA

Interested in Art Jewelry

Jo Martins
Kingsbridge, UK

My mixed-media work is gradually getting smaller and becoming
wearable, so I guess I’m making jewellery. Lots to learn though.

Barbara Carter
Ellerslie, PEI. Canada

Hi - I’m a beader turned precious clay worker when beading no longer
did it for me. I’m enjoying the learning curve even though it has
flattened out a bit. I live on Prince Edward Island with my husband,
2 cats and 6 dogs. It’s a busy place around here with all those
legs!

Jose Gasteazoro
Gainesville, Florida. USA

My name is Jos. I was born in the US and Raised in Central America.
Jewelry making started as a hobby/occupational therapy and became a
cathartic and therapeutic outlet to my mechanical and artistic
abilities. I have always loved tools and intricate objects. Slowly
but surely I got better and better at what I was doing by learning
from a few friends I have that backpack through Central and South
America making, sharing, selling, teaching, and learning anything
they came from the local and other transient artisans they meet in
their travels. I have yet to get a chance to accompany them on one
of their trips, but I did have the pleasure of spending a week
sleeping in a tent on the beach selling my jewelry with a few of my
artisan friends one summer…