The family hobby of rock collecting and stone cutting led me to jewelry classes and a Fine Arts degree from Edinboro State University. After many years of working in the jewelry industry, graphic design became my creative second career. For the last six years, I’ve combined the experiences of design and love of making jewelry with new skills to make unique modern pieces.
The name Grove Avenue Design is a reference to the street I live on, which was once a grove of apple trees, one of which inspired my logo. From my perch on the front porch where I do some of my hand sanding, I feel like I’m in a treehouse, with birds singing and flying all around me!
About my work
My workflow starts on paper, then is developed in vector software. The shapes are cut on a laser at Protohaven, then hand finished by sanding and polishing with beeswax and oils, and embellishments are added. My jewelry is casual, pleasing to the touch and lightweight, using mainly wood, stone and stainless steel.
The newest items in the Grove Avenue lineup are mid century modern inspired, with a focus on solid reclaimed woods and modern shapes. I’m building on the intarsia process I began working with last year, and combining wood with Tagua nut, and shaping them together. Some of these new pieces are combined with reclaimed aluminum and or inlaid with other metals. Old favorites are also back, and as always, my packaging is made from post-consumer recycled paper and is fully recyclable. I hope you enjoy wearing and gifting Grove Avenue Design jewelry as much as I enjoyed making them!