Featured Artisans
MARIE WINTER BRINGS A NEW TWIST TO ANTIQUE JEWELRY
By Gladys Blews Wilson
Sep 10, 2007, 13:21

Marie Winter, of Holley, New York, is looking forward to showing her unique jewelry at Old Fashioned Christmas in the Woods for the first time this year. An artist/crafter for more than 20-years, she repairs and restyles antique jewelry as well as making her own cameos and filigree designs for those who love a Victorian look.

“I always felt it was important to be at home when my son was growing up and I turned to making baskets with hand painted designs on them as a way to be a stay-at-home mom and still support myself.”

Baskets were light and easy for her to transport to shows and she enjoyed this craft for many years until she made the mistake of selling to a wholesaler who marketed them on the Internet. The following year, he didn’t order more from her and when she checked his website, she found baskets that looked like hers that were imported copycats of her originals.

If your work can be copied, international business thrives on copycats. I was disillusioned, but decided my challenge was to find something no one could copy.”

Marie’s parents live near Ocala, Florida, where there are large antique markets. She fell in love with the antique jewelry she found there and bought as much as she could afford.

“I love jewelry and saw the potential for learning how to take it apart, clean it and put it back together in new ways. I couldn’t buy enough antiques to meet the demand so I began to explore designing and making new pieces modeled on the Victorian style.”

Cameos and gold filigree work fascinated her. She seemed to have a natural talent for jewelry design and once she learned the craft, she discovered she had a flair for innovating. She enhanced her cameo designs with filigree backgrounds and added tiny pearls and crystals to her chains.

“Early on I found that if I had lots of 16-inch chains and fewer 18-inch, I’d run out and people were disappointed. I designed and make an extender so that one necklace will fit various necklines,” Marie says.

She enjoys the challenge of designing for wedding parties.

“A necklace that suits the bridesmaids’ dresses makes a great gift from the bride. Something memorable.”

Marie will also show earrings and bracelets in a variety of styles. She uses black, deep blue and rose-colored stones as well as softer pastel shades for variety.


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