college student turned cake decorator turned secretary all the while working behind the scenes on my passion and drive to create eclectic art that is wearable. i grew up in a small town in southern illinois and went to college about 45 minutes away at SIUE. i got a BFA in studio art in metalsmithing. per suggestion from a close friend i applied to a couple local art fairs. i was lucky and got in the first, the second, and third one i applied to. i was thrilled but pulling at strings to figure it all out. insert crash course learning curve....make work, figure out my display, apply to more shows, learn to talk about my work to interested people or not so interested people (lololol) create a mailing list, business cards, logos, a website......yikes. it was overwhelming and crazy and exciting. i had art fair fever and loved making work to show and display and even SELL, huh?!?!?!?!?!?!? that was back in 2000 right after i graduated from SIUE. from the bottom of my heart i'm so grateful. i love what i do. i'm a metalsmith. i make each piece one piece at time, in solo fashion, in my tiny studio. thank you for being here and thanks for your support. love & light, xoxo, jaimejo

a bit about my creation process...
i am drawn to candy colors & good textures. from there my intention is to build a funky yet timeless wearable piece that can be loved forever. focusing on the color and texture i look everywhere i go for the next best "stone" for my work. things i find and use might be a bundle of old squishy rubber grapes, a scattered pile of broken windshield glass or a broken reflector. i also use more conventional materials for my work like glass beads, vintage glass cabochons, gemstones and even diamonds. i enjoy combining materials of different origins. sometimes the best combination could be a piece of coral i found on the beach combing the shores with my kids along side a beautifully honed and polished tiny opal. the contrast between the two materials brings to life an energy much like contrasting colors would. this is the vibe i am seeking as i work. to make a piece of jewelry that has a certain magical energy about it. handmade jewelry has a living quality to it from the finely skilled hands that create it along with the materials that are used. this is the energy i hope and strive to impart on all my pieces. my wish is that this love, magic and energy is imparted on the piece and passed to the wearer along an invisible, seamless thread.