Patricia Whitman
Owner & Jewelry Artist
Though I loved crafts when I was a child, I trained and worked as a financial manager for non-profits for the past 25 years. After many years of on and off dabbling with metalsmithing since college, several years ago I discovered jewelry made of chainmaille and immediately knew it was my medium. Chainmaille's history as armor and its transformation into sleek, durable, elegant jewelry is truly remarkable. This jewelry can be dressed up or down to fit the occasion…and hence be worn and worn and worn. Because of this, my chainmaille jewelry is the "Go-To" jewelry for many of my customers.
My chainmaille jewelry is made using sterling silver, 14k gold-fill, and/or niobium jump rings, often enhanced with semi-precious stones, art glass, or even beach glass. The process of making chainmaille jewelry begins with the cutting of the rings and then the very careful and precise closure of each jump ring in the pattern of the desired weave. Almost every different weave requires a different size of jump ring…leading to a vast inventory of various sized and types of jump rings. Recently I have begun making pendants as well, designed so these necklaces can be worn with and without the them. Currently, my favorite ones are those made with the glass pendants of the world-renown glass artist, Josh Simpson.
I also love the process and result of hand-knotting cultured pearls. The beauty of a carefully knotted pearl necklace makes the slow skillful knotting of each silk knot well worth the effort. A classic pearl necklace will never go out of style and can be passed down for generations.
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