Oceano sample
I have always enjoyed creating art. As a child, my mom and grandma gave me access to lace, stamps, paints, fabric, bottles, boxes, glitter…you name it. Life was good! My first foray into making jewelry was as a 13 year-old, when I painted and decoupaged crinkled paper to coordinate with my favorite outfit.
Fast-forward…I had the opportunity to live and teach English for a year in Temuco, Chile as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher. While walking down Bulnes street one day, I stopped and admired the woven silver earrings of a local artisan named Juan Gutierrez. He offered to give me silverworking lessons, and he and his wife became my lifelong friends. (Sr. Juan’s influence can be seen in the meandering silver inclusions of my Piedra designs.) I also found it impossible to walk past painted and melted glasswork - vidrio fundido, without stopping and relishing in its colors.
Upon returning to the States, I studied glass-working and continued my study of silverworking. With time, I started experimenting with and adding my own twist to the Chilean vidrio fundido techniques. I draw inspiration from almost anything: the ocean’s palette, a flowering tree, the windowsills of a flower shop, the interior of an elevator, the pulse of a discoteca, traditional Chilean wooden houses…While creating my work, I feel connected with my mentor and friends in Chile (I miss them like crazy!); and I honor both of my Grandmothers and my maternal Great-Grandmother, who all loved to paint. It brings me great joy to share what I create with others, and I am deeply grateful for the support and encouragement I have received along this journey.
Cari Johnson
