Jody Wilke
Artist’s Statement
My love affair with working with my hands began at an early age and has lead me on a wonderful and winding path through the world of textile surface design, garment design/construction and jewelry making. I turn to these skills to bring me joy and a true sense of accomplishment. The colors of nature found in the stones I use brighten even the darkest of our Seattle’s days. My goal to is keep the fun in making my art and create wearable “everyday” designs which can be enjoyed by others.
Bio
I began my obsession with handcrafts at the tender age of 8 when I studied needlework as part of my school curriculum in Denmark. Throughout my childhood, I sewed clothes to fulfill my desire to create unique things. And while working in my 30 year Information Technology career, I pursued training to build my expertise in textiles and garment construction. In 1999, my husband and I moved to Seattle where I discovered jewelry classes at Beads and Beyond in Bellevue, WA. I had the good fortune to learn from instructors who teach nationwide and became enamored with the way silver works up in combination with colorful stones and beads. I continue to learn new techniques and, of course, hunt for beautiful beads.