Barbara Smith McLaughlin – Handcrafted Jewelry is the culmination of a journey started in my
childhood. As a young child I recall playing "dressing up" but it was not the clothes that mattered
it was the jewelry. Technology has given me a treasured peek into my past as my Dad recently had transferred slides
taken during my childhood onto a CD. In each picture I had on jewelry. My Mom commented, that even then she
was attracted to jewelry; I was five.
It was only a few years later that the Christmas toy scene offered a jewelry making kit called "Rings and Things."
Well Santa had to bring me one and he did! My family was enjoying the usual treats; I was downstairs making
every piece of jewelry in the kit! I later taught myself how to string beads, and create my own rings by gluing stones
to cardboard paper.
Other forms of art captured my short attention span, as I spent time with charcoal drawings,
pen & ink, pastels, oil paints and embroidery. Each step developed a part of the artistic side but math and the sciences
drew my desires. I left the art side for business and spent 14 years in the corporate world, relying
on other craftspeople to fabricate my designs.
The arts begun to pull on me and I left in search
of a less stressful lifestyle. I began an apprenticeship with a Master Clockmaker. It was working with metal that made me realized, that although
repairing clocks was fun, challenging and paid the bills, I yearned for something more creative.
It was in 1997 that I took my first class in the art of metalsmithing, uncovering my hearts desire
and many dormant talents.
As I reflect back, I have been blessed with a gift of color perception that most people do not have. This gift came
from my grandfather who was a master dye matcher in the woolen industry. His eyes were his tools of the trade,
giving him the ability to look at a sample of wool and know instinctively if the color was right or wrong. My uncle
was a master silversmith for Wallace International Silver, fabricating the most stunning pieces of hollow ware. I wish he could have taught me all he knew!
My inspiration is drawn from nature's diverse color pallets and textures. Each piece is the collaboration of uniquely shaped, hand cut gemstones
from my partner, accented with hand selected diamonds, pearls or sapphires. I love the warmth and richness that 18K gold lends to the framing of the color pallet.
Surface embellishments from techniques such as embossing, fusing, granulation, stamping, roller printing, and file carving combined with hand forming create natural textures.
It is how these two aspects are combined that allow me to fashion distinctive yet versatile jewelry pieces.
I fabricate each piece one at a time, making it as unique as you are! ............
Creating heirlooms, to be treasured for generations.
In the fall of 2002, I was accepted as a State Juried member in the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.
The jewelry I presented was my beach glass collection.
