It's a
brand-new way of making jewelry, USing colorful new ma·
terials to create lnnovatave textures and lntncate designs.
Modern chain maJI designs for jewelry call tor rings that are
more comfortable to woar-stlvor. stemless steel. rubber,
or noopreno. I began working with aluminum and
rubber nngs, rephcat ng the tradttional weaves.
Then I started expenmenting with more and
more rubber rings. How many could 11nclude In
one piece? How could 1 connect them all?
The answer was surpnstngly simple wtth jump
nngs. of course! That settled, I was on my way.
When people see the Jewelry I've made on this style,
the question I'm asked most often Is simply this: "Where
did you coma up with this stuff?" My answer is that this
type of jewelry denves from a httle tmagtnat•on and many
hours of trial and error.
An art teacher for the past 20 years, I've teamed from students
there is no single nght way to create. All the rules In
art can, will, should. and must be brokenl "Look beyond
the obvious, .. I tell my students. "Don't sottlo for your first
or even your second idea Keep thnktng, looktng, and experimenting
to make your creatton untque.
By manipulattng the geometric shape or a rubber nng,
I designed what I cotned "the three basic ele ments." One basiC elemef'lt was tnangular. which
stumped me. What kind of jewelry ts triangular?
Then I remembered introducing my printmaking
students to the works of M.C. Escher. and 1 knew 1
could tessellate any tnangle Into a rectangle
As I experimented, I combtned the basic elements into
groups called u n•ts. From there. it was an easy matter to
cold-connect units into a chain. Patterns emerged. Beginning
w tth simple deSigns. the basic elements evolved to
become the foundations for the colorful and varied
bracelets. necklaces, and earrings. you'll fmd in this book.