About
I have always loved jewelry. Not the flashy, fancy kind so much, but jewelry that makes me feel something, that makes me wonder.
Through the years as I’ve learned and sawed and melted and stamped and filed and twisted and so many other things, I’ve thought a lot about it. What is the appeal and power of these objects we decorate ourselves with? And why are they so important to us?
To adorn our bodies and souls with something precious (even a blade of grass) is one of the most ancient impulses we know our ancestors had. Jewelry CONNECTS - with loved ones (think of, say, your grandmother’s brooch or your wedding ring, a good memory), with precious spirit energies (your Star of David or cross, talismans, amulets), and at the most basic level, with earth and nature, the cosmos, and the processes of life itself.
The jewelry I create offers you meaning and connection. Some of the spark lives in the piece itself, but the real alchemy happens in your response to and interaction with it. Everyone is unique. What YOU resonate with has meaning or healing or joy - or something - for you. You don’t need to understand what it is. Feel the spirit that feeds you and trust your guidance. You know.
Same thing if you’re selecting something as a gift for another person. There's just more alchemy in the equation.
So look around the site and see what draws your attention. I open my arms and my inbox for you to be in touch if you have any questions at all, or ideas to discuss - no hard sell, I promise... I just want to help you get what YOU need and want. Most of all, I hope you use this as a jumping off point or a meaningful stop along your journey.
Much love,
Alison
ARTIST STATEMENT
Alison Marks creates one-of-a-kind jewelry, talismans and power pieces inspired by patterns in nature and the built human world. Her work is “gritty and pretty,” grounded and contemporary, yet evocative of something ancient. Her jewelry reflects the traditional metalsmithing techniques she uses to fabricate each piece by hand and heart.
The rich depth and breadth of Alison’s creative lens is influenced by having lived in four countries and had a varied and full professional life. She thrives on noticing similarities repeated in unexpected places, pointing to universal patterns that underlie the interplay of life in this world we live in. She integrates such patterns and movement in her jewelry through her hallmark use of iconic shapes and structural portals (doorways, arches, frames), repeating geometric elements, pictorial stones and organic textures. Alison’s jewelry also features gold accents, which recall the light that is always within, whether we can see it or not.
Alison works with energy and healing through the practice of Reiki, and has deep training as a feng shui consultant. She’s a student of sacred spaces and sacred places around the world. Such wisdom inspires and informs her creation of beautiful and meaningful jewelry that act as touchstones of order and clarity amid the chaos of life, offering contemplative and even transformational experiences for the wearer.
Alison creates through intuition and play, feeling her way through a conversation with her materials. In her world, jewelry making is another form of medicine and alignment, in essence, capturing a bit of spirit in beautiful form.
Objects hold energy, and Alison creates with the knowledge that each person can consciously use what she adorns herself with to connect with her essence, know herself more fully, and feed herself with intention and aliveness. Alison’s elemental designs resonate deeply with many people, and serve as reminders of who you really are… your magnificence!
Each piece Alison offers embodies a unique character, personality and vitality. Her jewelry creations grow with the people who wear them, and like any well-loved objects, get better with age and use.
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Alison is the founder of the North Bay Jewelry Arts Guild and a member of Society of North American Goldsmiths and Metal Arts Guild San Francisco
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