Melanie Bentley Shockley (Owner)
I started my artistic adventure 30 years ago as an artist who worked in a variety of mediums with clay winning out in the end. My clay exploration included sculpture, functional/decorative pottery and raku beads but since the year 2000, precious metal clay (PMC) has become my passion and it ultimately led me into jewelry design and (surprisingly) into opening a bead store though my first love will always be "making stuff" in my studio. The common thread in all of my designs, whether sculptural, functional, or jewelry is the simple organic nature of the pieces I make. Less is more. I strive to achieve an understated approach to any element I work with in order to maintain and honor the simplicity of the material itself. In the case of my found object and PMC jewelry designs, I employ combinations of earthly elements such as semi-precious stones, precious metal clay components, freshwater pearls, vintage beads, brass and oxidized sterling silver chains, and last but not least, found objects in partnership to create one-of-a-kind high mileage designs that can be worn with jeans or a "little black dress".
Denise Galloway Denise Galloway currently resides in Mechanicsville, VA with her husband, 2 dogs and a cat. She has been making jewelry for about 3 years now, but has a special fondness for wire, especially sterling silver. Her other interests include photography, decorative painting, PMC, and lampwork.
Jane Stark
I took my first beading class 4 short years ago and it was… love at first stitch. I have enjoyed learning from a variety of talented artists who have encouraged me to explore my own creativity and the result has been very rewarding. As I learn new aspects of jewelry making, I continue to appreciate the endless possibilities it offers. As a teacher I share my knowledge, enthusiasm and creativity while watching new artist develop and grow. Every aspect of this venture is wonderful.
