Joan creates both exquisite silk accessories and distinctive jewelry, each piece reflecting her love of natural beauty and one-of-a-kind design. Her hand-dyed silk scarves and cowls showcase a mastery of color and movement, while her metal clay jewelry—crafted from silver, gold, and bronze—embodies an organic aesthetic inspired by the world around her. Driven by a passion for discovery, Joan continually explores new materials and techniques to ensure every piece she creates is truly unique.
A graduate of San Jose State University with a major in art, Joan taught art to middle school students and in adult education programs for eighteen years before becoming a school administrator. Her career allowed her to promote arts education for students within her care through teacher training and support.
Joan came to Sedona from the Monterey Bay area of California’s central coast as a new retiree and has been a part of the Sedona Arts Center as a volunteer since 2003 and is a former board member of the Board of Directors. She provides individualized instruction in her studio throughout the year. Simply contact her to schedule your own private class.
Materials:
Fine Silver: Precious Metal Clay (PMC) combines microscopic particles of silver with water and a nontoxic, organic binder to create a material that can be worked as a clay. When objects are dried and fired in a kiln, the binder burns away and the silver particles fuse into solid metal of .999 pure silver. It is referred to as FINE SILVER.
Keum Boo: a process originating in Korea, used to apply thin sheets of 23.5K Gold to Fine Silver using heat and pressure.
22K Gold: applied in a slip form, dried, hand fired with a torch and polished.
