Artist Statement: "I draw inspiration for my jewelry designs from the beauty and harmony of nature. Moving to Hawaii after college to work with adults with developmental disabilities opened my mind to the beauty found in the people society often ignores. The beauty of the island and ocean piqued my interest in nature, art, and creation. I began creating mosaics and wearable art from beautiful found items discarded or washed ashore. After returning to the "mainland" several years later, I sought creative inspiration and began taking metal-smithing classes at a local museum where I now teach jewelry designs to teens. I enjoy using deep, rich, and multicolored patinas representative of the earth combined with stones and objects reminiscent of the sea or rainforest. In my work I enjoy balancing warm and cold, soft and hard; and I relish the texture created by intentional imperfections and irregularities that mimic the course of nature. My work is lovingly created in my home studio and featured in many local and regional galleries. Thanks for taking some time to learn a little about me. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy making each piece." -Christine Mighion