Fern Grove Studio

Claudia Hunt Putnam

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A lover of the eclectic, I have collected jewelry and beads over the course of my lifetime, and am finally bursting with latent, creative energy in my retirement from a long career in accounting and human resources. I have received many compliments on the jewelry I wear that has been gifted to me, as well as my own work. Adornment is personal and intimate to the wearer and is an important form of expression and an act of self-care. Colors matter, jewelry matters, we matter. Connection to the source of materials matters. I love that I can create something of beauty with something made long ago by someone long ago and in a land far away. I wonder what their life was like for them then. Then I find myself motivated to produce from recently acquired materials to combine with the old. I have great appreciation for and enjoy making a contribution to this art form.

I make jewelry with beads I have collected over the course of many years. Some of the beads in my collection come from Nepal, Thailand, Africa, Afghanistan and Morocco. I draw inspiration from photos of jewelry made long ago in countries all over the world. When I sit down to work in my studio, I decide which of the materials in my collection to combine to create a beautiful expression that hopefully will inspire someone else! No two pieces are alike and my taste and abilities are constantly changing and evolving. My jewelry can be worn by women of all ages and for many different occasions ranging from casual to work to dressy. I have something for everyone! I particularly love to work with pearls, semi-precious stones, metal beads and crystals. Some of my work involves wire wrapping as well.