Ann Chavez
from the deepest parts of my subconscious soul
I am Ann Chavez, and I am the jewelry artist at Jackalope Jewels LLC®. I create unique, one-of-a-kind art jewelry at my studio in La Plata, New Mexico. I am mostly self-taught, having observed, researched, experimented, and informally consulted with experts to learn the best techniques for giving material expression to my playful imagination. I have also benefitted from classes taken with 2 of the country's foremost china painters.
Jewelry-making is my full-time job. I have been an avocational artist all of my life, and have explored many diverse media in my quest for imaginative, creative self-expression. Jewelry is my favorite creative medium, as it is personal and intimate-and it requires very little storage space! I have been making jewelry of one kind or another for over 30 years.
Since 2002, I have been advertising my jewelry online from my website, www.jackalopejewels.com. For the past 4 years, I have also participated in art-and-craft shows throughout the Rocky Mountain states. I've recently begun consigning my work to galleries.
Twenty-five years as a professional archaeologist gave me a profound appreciation for timeless treasures in which the hand of the maker is evident. My ann*ifacts® are intended to build upon the legacy of the artifacts of antiquity--they are my contribution to the ageless tradition of hand-making. Like the material objects unearthed by archaeologists, each of my ann*ifacts® possesses a part of the spirit of the life that informed it.
Similar to the artifacts of ancient days, each ann*ifact® is unique, imperfect, and made to last for eternity. I make no attempt to correct or camouflage minor imperfections in the porcelain, the glazes, the bead-holes, the symmetry or uniformity of the beads, etc.; I do not cull out the creases and crazes, the pimples and dimples . . . I want it to be obvious that no machine was involved in the creation of these treasures.
The ann*ifact® collection of Jackalope Jewels® is our ultimate line featuring my original graphic art ("jackalart©"). These pieces are 3-dimensional art that can be worn as necklaces or displayed as artifacts. My husband has constructed some beautiful wooden shadow boxes in which to display the ann*ifacts®, and these are available by request, at additional cost.
Every ann*ifact® comprises a hand-painted porcelain pendant, ceramic beads, and "lampwork" glass beads, all made by me from raw materials. I wire-wrap each hand-painted pendant medallion with sterling silver (or, rarely, 14k gold-fill). Stones that my husband and I have collected off the ground and that he has processed are sometimes incorporated into the ann*ifacts®. Swarovski® crystals, "Bali"-style sterling silver accents (or 14k gold-fill/24k gold vermeil)*, and glass seed beads** complete the composition.
I sign my name on the front of every ann*ifact® pendant, and its unique jackalart© image number is incised into the back of each pendant medallion.
* In October 2008, I began making sterling silver and 14k gold-fill accents to use instead of the commercial metal components I've used previously.
**In January 2009, I began using my handmade ceramic or glass beads in place of seed beads.
Find out more at www.jackalopejewels.com
