About
With a degree in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology and a career working in museums and international education, I have always been interested in how objects carry meaning across cultures and across time. Living and working in Greece, Russia, Tajikistan, Jordan, and Egypt shaped how I think about material culture — not as distant artifacts, but as living traditions.
Connecting my interests in archaeology and traditional craft, I studied, apprenticed, and now teach at the Jewelry Arts Institute in New York City, which for over fifty years has been dedicated to researching and preserving ancient goldsmithing techniques.
Process & Materials
Working from my studio in Brooklyn, I research and handcraft 22k gold jewelry inspired by the ancient world. My work begins with close study of historical jewelry from the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean—Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman—with particular focus on form and construction.
I examine how ancient metalsmiths alloyed gold, formed wire, and fused without solder, as well as the designs and motifs that have endured across cultures and millennia.
High-karat gold defines my work, as it did for ancient goldsmiths. Its malleability preserves the subtle variation and character that results from hand-forming. Each piece is constructed with careful attention to proportion, balance, and structural integrity—translating ancient forms for everyday wear.