Getting to know Karryn from Part of the Heart Jewelry

My name is Karryn Mahle. I live in Novi and have loved living in Michigan my 40 plus years (oh no! I am old! wink) While Michigan has been "home base" ... I have traveled the world. The wanderlust attacked me at the young age of 15, when I went to Australia with Musical Youth International. I love to sing. My voice was the conduit to a "whole new world." Australia being the genesis of what then launched me to embark on wonderful adventures. That experience was the key that unlocked my passion for travel, piqued my curiosity regarding other cultures, inspired me to work harder - so I could take time and TRAVEL. To see the various countries was incredible .. to actually meet the locals and truly learn about "their" life was amazing to me. I went to MSU and have a degree in Speech Pathology ... yet, never worked a day in my life in the field. Isn't that how life so often happens? You start down one path and you find yourself on another.

swarovski & sterling earrings - $32
I actually "fell" into jewelry. I have always been creative and yet it wasn't until working with cancer patients that I combined one passion (travel) with a soon to be other (jewelry).

In my late 20's I was working in Radiation Oncology, at Providence Hospital. I was seeking to find what I wanted to do with my life. College was done - yet, I knew Speech Path wasn't for me. It was while working with the cancer patients that I discovered and began my quest of jewelry design. The patient's courage while fighting for their lives - ignited within me a will to live my life fully. I truly was blessed to be working with cancer patients. Those people ,I met, made an impact on my life/my heart in such a way that I will never be able to describe - nor will I ever be able to thank them for their gift to me. I was dabbling with jewelry when we decided to do a support group for the patients ... let them experience the 'fun' ... take their mind off their cancer for a few hours .. expose them to something new .... Well, that was the intention - however, in the end - the patient's hated the beading (it was too tedious to say the least) - I was completely bitten by the creative bug.

swarovski earrings - $34
I began creating jewelry in 1995 ..I would burn the candles at both ends .. working with cancer patients during the day and creating at night. I got very little sleep. Yet, when you are ensconced in your passion -- you don't realize the time that is passing. I began to sell to those I worked with, did home parties, internet sales, art fairs, and then started selling in boutiques/galleries across the U.S. and Internationally. I could no longer burn the candle as I was ... it was taking a toll on my life. It was in June of 2001 that I left 17 years of "security" to follow my passion. There I was .. I took the leap .. no fear ... just excitement ... I was going to create and sell my jewelry ... what could be more exciting?

Life is funny ... 2 months later I was diagnosed with cancer. What a strange turn of events ... I was now being tested on a level that I never thought I would face. Thankfully, the cancer was caught early and I am cancer free to this day. While my health has been very rough over the years, making it difficult to work for months at a time, I still have the desire to keep touching lives. Ironic how my jewelry became therapeutic for me and it allows me to still touch loves.. What I once offered to others to help them through a difficult time was now helping me.

swarovski & sterling bracelet - $65
My art is expression of my soul .. my passion ... hope .. overcoming any challenge ... empowering. Nurturing the inner spirit ... expressing one's self/soul. My pieces aren't about buying into what mass media tells you what you should be, but about finding a piece that speaks to the individual and echoes their personality. I believe that jewelry can influence the way you feel; it can say and mean something different to every wearer.....

My creations are from my heart. The energy, the love, my passion are all wrapped up in every treasure I create. Whether it be a semi-precious or precious stone (ahhhh), a piece of hand blown glass, incredible Thai or Bali silver,or the amazing Swarovski crystal ... it's not that I have a design planned when buying the beads. Quite the opposite .. it's as if the stones speak to me .. I am drawn to beads and when I touch them .. feel their energy ..I see a design in my mind. I know to some ... this may sound like "freakish" .. but, those of you who know what it's like to be in your element and to feel the excitement bubble up within you .. can appreciate what I am trying to say.

glass & swarovski necklace - $45
My work station is a complete and utter mess .. yet, it's a colorful, yummalicious mess! .. Amazing beads! My studio is my haven.

Unfortunately, I have been very ill for the past few years. I literally died in March 2006. My health has taken me on a journey of sheer depths .. but, may I say .. there have been many moments of unbridled and earth-shattering joy. Blessed am I to be able to turn to my jewelry for comfort. Not only is it my livelihood - it's what makes my heart beat. It has gotten me through my darkest of moments.

To be able to touch a life with my jewelry means everything to me. On my earring cards .. I have words that express my love for life, for art, for the moment. I have a story card that is enclosed with every purchase ... sharing the story of how Part of the Heart came to be and what Part of the Heart truly means. I am continually asked ... Do you still love creating? My answer: Absotootinglootly ... I am amazed that after 14 years I am still lucky to be following my heart. My designs are forever changing ... it's part of my journey ... the creativity is telling it's own story. I just appreciate 8 years ago - the leap of faith I took - to follow my heart.

swarovski, stone & sterling necklace - $100
As I create for the first time in almost a year .. you will see the changes in my creations... influenced by the journey I have been on ... I hope to take some classes in the future .. to further enhance my lines ... I would love to learn to work with metals more and I am sure once the door of soldering and molding silver opens up to me ... look out .. the possibilities are endless for what I will birth.

Believe in yourself and it's amazing what you can achieve!

Devour life! Don't waste a moment!

Share a smile , take a moment to breathe in life, cherish those around you and be grateful for the opportunity to touch a life.

xo Karryn .... (FINALLY, back in the studio ...creating ... WAHOO!!!)

glass earrings - $30

Featured Artisan - JoAnn Aquinto

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is JoAnn Aquinto. I am a native Detroiter and currently live in Eastpointe, an inner ring suburb of Detroit. I have been making my living, from clay work since 1992. I was first introduced to clay in 1975 and have been involved with it, in varying degrees since then. I studied clay at the Mt. Clemens Art Center, Oakland County Community College, and Pewabic Pottery. I returned to college as an older student and received a BFA in 1990 from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, majoring in painting. Shortly after graduation, I focused on clay, deciding to make it my profession. I take my wares to market at art fairs, galleries, and private shows. Current passions besides clay are studying the lovely Italian language and culture, gardening, and learning to teach through the patience and guidance of my students!

What first made you want to become an artist?

Art has always been a good companion. Being an only child, I had a lot of alone time growing up.

I always liked to draw and make things. In junior high, I had a great art teacher and an honors art class after school. I fit in with this group, loved it, and discovered that I wanted to do something that involved art. Mrs. Shelton encouraged me to go to Cass Tech High School and I majored in commercial art. I think in retrospect that it wasn't physical enough for me. I loved painting in college but couldn't see supporting myself with it. After college I returned to clay with a new passion for it and felt that the majority of my knowledge was with clay. I can't say there was any one moment of realization, art has just been a constant.

Describe your creative process.

I work in cycles that are dictated by kiln firings or upcoming shows. I work in stages of the process of clay. The first stage, I am making pieces, wheel thrown, hand built, slip cast, and press molded, enough to fill a kiln. Very often this stage feels like I am making canvasses and I choose to make simple forms that will support later decoration. I strive for good craftsmanship and as my mother used to say... finish. I load it all up and bisque fire. Then they all come back to me ready to be dressed, decorated, painted. Now I get really excited and a little scared, similar to looking at a blank canvass or blank piece of paper. The next week is spent dipping glazes, decorating with brushes and wax resist, washing off unwanted areas of glaze, and refilling these areas with final color choices. I think by busying my hands with all the tasks of clay, true expression comes through unconsciously.

Where do you draw the inspiration for your work from?
Nature is a huge inspiration. The way a new sprout unfurls, the geometry of it. The colors nature puts together, unlikely combinations. I love looking at prehistoric art and craft, the older it is, the more modern I find it.
Spanish still life paintings for the feelings that the colors evoke. Textiles for pattern and color. I am fascinated by anything inlaid. I enjoy being amazed, asking how did they do that? I have a large library of books that I regularly enjoy looking at. I am also inspired by using other peoples pots and being aware of the way everyday handmade items contribute to my quality of life. Inspiration is pretty much everywhere, and quite simply, it is a matter of what catches my eye and paying attention.

JoAnn Aquinto's featured items include the spiral bowl ($25), abstract floral tile ($22), spiral wall vase ($65) and striped bud vase ($25)

Featured Artisan - Sarah Hicks

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Sarah Hicks, I live in Birmingham and I’ve been a jewelry artisan for about 8 years now. I went to art school at the U of M in Ann Arbor where I studied Graphic Design. In the mid to late 90’s, I traveled a lot doing art fairs with my paintings, got burned out on the art fair circuit and by 2000 decided to wholesale my jewelry designs instead. Art has always been a big part of my life and I am very fortunate to have had parents that encouraged that part of me while growing up. I have such respect for artists of all types- musicians, visual artists, really anyone who lives creatively, not to mention those who support artists too! I am so thankful to be able to make and sell my work to people who appreciate handmade items.

What first made you want to become a jewelry designer?
I always knew that I wanted to do something creative, mainly working with my hands- crafting something. It wasn’t until my final semester of college that I took my first metals class and found that I really enjoyed it. I didn’t get back to working in metals until years later after taking a trip to Santa Fe and being wowed by all the glorious turquoise jewelry in the wonderful shops and galleries there. Having been a big fan of turquoise and Native American jewelry since I was a kid, I was instantly drawn to what I saw and experienced on that first trip to New Mexico in 2000. It really just clicked for me then and there, that making jewelry was what I needed to do. I started out using faceted semi-precious stones and doing a lot of beadwork and wire-wrapping. I’ve stuck with that mostly but every now and then I like to do some metalwork and stone-setting.


Describe your creative process.
The best thing for me to do is just to sit myself down and start making stuff even when I don’t feel like it and then I get into a zone and I don’t want to stop. I usually work while listening to my favorite music or NPR if it isn’t too serious (Fresh Air, Diane Rehm, This American Life). Sometimes I’ll act on an image of a piece that just pops into my head, usually first thing in the morning while I’m still half asleep. But more often than not, I look for inspiration on my messy worktable of my studio where I have thousands of beads spread out and certain random color combinations will jump out at me. It seems that the more jewelry I make, the more creative I get. Often when I’m in a non-productive funk I’ll to go to an art museum or a few galleries to get the creative juices flowing again.


Where do you draw inspiration for your work from?
I get inspired by color mostly. I may see some color combinations out in the world whether on fabric, in a painting or in nature which will inspire me to mix colors I normally wouldn’t with varied results. I also like to peruse the eye candy magazines at Borders- I actually get a lot of ideas there too. Other jewelry artists inspire me to do better, push myself and to try new things. I see some incredible new pieces out there all the time and am amazed at the talent I come across.