THE ART OF JEWELRY MAKING

Bev Mollberg

Bev started creating wire wrapped jewelry five years ago and won a 2nd place in an art contest for a wrapped pendant. She has unique wire-wrapped jewelry using glass, shell, crystals, semi-precious stones and beads to create unique pendants, earrings, collars and bracelets. She has designed “The Versatile” which is an interesting earwire that can be matched with a wide variety of earring charms. Bev also has created several collars (necklaces) from either 14 gold-filled wire or sterling silver.

CHW Designs

CHW Designs is made up of a mom and her two daughters. They are spread out across Minnesota and started making jewelry in 2008 as a way to stay in touch with each other. Their jewelry is made from a wide variety of items; Swarovski crystals, natural gemstones, Czech glass beads, handcrafted lampwork beads, and vintage beads to name a few. You can view their jewelry at www.chwdesigns.etsy.com

Becky Steinhoff – Mystical Deva Jewelry

Becky Steinhoff has been creating pieces of jewelry since she was a little girl going to garage sales and buying old jewelry, taking it apart and redoing it. She still does repurpose old pieces but her main focus now is working with semi-precious gemstones and creating pieces that are inspired by nature. The name of her company, Mystical Deva, came about because she uses a lot of dragonflies and other creatures of nature as focal points. Deva means nature spirit. When she was a little girl she thought that dragonflies were created from combining fairies and dragons, therefore “mystical”.

Barbara Robertson

Barbara Robertson began making beaded jewelry and gradually moved into metal clay and sheet metal for jewelry. She make metal clay charms including lake charms with a cubic zirconia where your home or cabin is located on your lake. Her latest venture is making rings and incorporating charms with stones she collects and drills from her beach on Leech Lake. She also creates statement pendants using copper and silver, stone rings with cabochons purchased from all over the country.

Becky Seemann

Becky Seemann of Artwoods creates handcrafted silver-jewelry focused around the elements of nature from her shop located in the artwoods of Northern Minnesota. Becky is a self-taught artist and accomplished water colorist who shifted to working in metal 12-years ago as a way to make wearable art. She is a nature enthusiast who believes that a walk in the woods or wearing something that reflects nature helps to release the stresses we all face day to day.

Jodi Riesselman – Bijou

Jodi Riesselman has been creating jewelry for seven years using a variety of stone, semi-precious gems, glass, wood and metal beads and offers pieces at an affordable price.

Whether accessorizing an outfit for work, special occasion, fun at the lake or everyday wear, there’s something for you!

Tyler Bakken

Tyler Bakken is a local Minnesota artist. She paints original art on canvases with acrylic paint. She also creates unique jewelry using glass beads and wire wrapped pendants. Making signs out of barn wood for home decor is also an art avenue she has taken. Art is her life and her mission is to create full time someday.

Shelley Nelson

Shelley Nelson, aka ShellySellsSeaShellsbytheSeaShore, creates one of a kind, unique, nature inspired jewelry. She’s a trained metal smith and self-taught lapidary artist. All inspiration and materials are sourced from nature. She uses recycled butterfly wings, gems, crystals, driftwood and seashells she’s found on her travels of the world. Nothing from nature was ever harmed! All is recycled to create a greater awareness to the preservation of our natural world.

Larry & Paula Jensen – Earth Eagle Forge LLC

As many artists will say, “creating art has always been my passion, even as a child”. Paula Jensen can’t remember a time when she wasn’t creating something.

She and Larry were married in 1991 and moved to Larry’s childhood home in rural Northern Minnesota. Larry supported Paula’s artistic endeavors while he worked as a welder. She continued to paint and sketch trying to sell her work locally, all the while being a parent and keeping house.

Larry began to ‘dabble’ in forge work in their garage, and tried convincing Paula to try blacksmithing as well. It took him 5 years of encouragement to finally convince her. She stated, “The man was right and I wish I would have listened sooner.”

As Jensen children got older, more income was needed. Paula got a welding job at a local manufacturing company. She learned more about fabrication and welding techniques. During that time, their daughter started an artist website for her mother that had Paula’s paintings and metal work displayed. The website led to inquiries about custom-made metal art. It was enough work that In 2001, Larry and Paula decided to start the business Earth Eagle Forge LLC. Larry continued to work as a welder/millwright mechanic while Paula would design and create commissioned metal art.

When there were no orders and kids were in school, Paula would use the time to develop new ideas. If the pieces were public-worthy, she would post them on the website or Etsy shop. Soon it became clear that when she created something unique, there would be inquiries for similar work. They started getting emails/phone calls from people all over the U.S.

In 2008 Larry was laid-off from his millwright position due to the plant closing. He had more time to collaborate with his wife in the shop.

Earth Eagle Forge LLC has grown over the years. They believe there was no “plan” per se, other than to create artwork and follow their hearts. They found if they create unique metal art, people find them. The Jensen’s continue to experiment and find new ways of creating, which in turn attracts clients that are looking for something different than a mass-produced item. Designing and creating one-of-a-kind metal art has been the backbone of their business. Their latest endeavor has been to cast in bronze using the lost wax casting method. They are now able to create wrought iron with bronze elements