Women in Art 278 Magazine April 2015 | Page 27

american artist Kari Welch jewelry design Kari was born and raised on an island in the Pacific, the beach was her backyard and only footsteps away. As a child, she spent most of her days splashing in the ocean and rolling around on the sandy beaches. Kari and her mother would take daily walks on the beach and she would search for sea shells. She started a collection at a young age and finally decided to make something with all the shells she had collected. She made her first puka (hole) shell necklace at age five and thirtyfive years later, decided to turn that hobby into a business. Most of Kari’s inspiration comes from the ocean, structural architecture, ironwork, different colors and textures that she sees when she is out and about. She carries a small sketch book with her and when she sees something that inspires her, she draws it out in her sketch book. Kari designs and creates all the jewelry in her store. Everything you see, from the photographs to the shipping boxes and beyond is all her. Kari enjoys creating jewelry to satisfy everyone’s taste, so she uses a variety of materials for her jewelry designs. Metals that she loves to work with include gold-filled, gold karat, gold and silver plated metal, argentium silver, sterling silver and bali silver. All jewelry is made from beautiful gemstones, sparkling Swarovski crystals, dazzling glass beads, elegant pearls and beach treasures. wom en ART page 27