Kristen Wade

Creativity and the urge to “make things” have carved a path straight through the center of my life since very early childhood. At age 5, I discovered sewing, and that turned into an ongoing, lifelong love of textiles. Music made itself known to me very early on as well, and I have played violin since the age of 9. Classically trained through school, I also enjoyed a parallel world of bluegrass that moved into Irish Traditional music upon reaching my teenage years. The Irish genre took hold, and has never let go, even to this current day.

Jewelry design and fabrication caught my attention along the way, with the result being a deep dive that’s lasted over 30 years. Creating my own, unique jewelry designs has been the main focus, in combination with always seeking out the highest-grade gemstones, findings, interesting vintage glass beads, etc. Attention to detail has always been important to me.

The main interests in my life always seem to carry through to my jewelry designs. This can especially be seen in numerous Celtic knot pendants, which reflect my love of Irish music. I’m an avid flower gardener, and many of my sterling silver pieces are textured with the leaves of plants from my flower garden: jasmine, sweet peas, roses, dahlias, poppies, and strawberries. Beach walks are a favorite activity, and I enjoy using sea urchins and other seashells to imprint texture into the silver, along with many other things from the natural world.

Bringing a jewelry design to life from sketch, to prototype, to finished piece is a very rewarding process, with the end result being a piece of unique, wearable art!

*Kristen Wade has shown her work in numerous galleries and Arts & Crafts shows throughout the PNW and along the West Coast. She is a longtime resident of Port Townsend, WA