Marja Germans Gard Studio

Marja Germans Gard is an Oakland-based jewelry artist. Here is her profile:

I've been making jewelry since I was a kid- I was always googly-eyed walking into a bead store and collected beads like other kids would collect stickers or matchbox cars.

As an adult, I returned to making jewelry when I was working on my Ph.D.- I needed to do SOMETHING that was creative and that was ANYTHING BUT running statistical analyses! Little did I know that creative escape would land me here (so happy to be here, by the way).

I love, love, love creating. I will go on benders when I am filling notepads with designs and can't wait until I have that precious time in the studio to try and realize my visions. It's thrilling to me to take a sketch and make it real, and even more rewarding when my work makes someone else feel just a bit more glamorous.

I'm really happy to say that the silver and 14K gold that I use in my designs come from reclaimed metal. I also use eco-friendly metal smith practices in my studio.

I love to design pieces with clean lines and a modern feel, and then to create interest by mixing metals and textures. I'm constantly working on new designs, so be sure to come back often!