Q-How do I care for my Angela Blessing Original Jewelry?

A- POLISHING: Its great to keep a polishing cloth and use it to shine up your piece occasionally. Sterling Silver oxidizes over time until its polished by hand or on a buffing wheel. You can just keep up with it and give your piece some love on a regular basis to prevent deeper tarnishing. Anther way to keep it shiny longer is to store in an airtight container. NECKLACES: Its important to lay necklaces as straight as possible when storing them, rather than kinking the beading wire with scrunchy storage. This will prolong the life of the beaded part of your necklace, though necklaces can be restrung if needed over years of wear. GENUINE CLAWS and OPALS: Don’t wash your piece in hot soapy water. Claws can best be cared for by occasionally oiling and wiping away excess to protect from over-dryness.

Q- Is every single piece of Angela Blessing Originals jewelry unique?

A- Yes, its true, there has never been any reproductions or two pieces alike in my entire career since 1999. Because of the hand-crafted nature of what I do, and the organic materials, even exact symmetry is rare! of course you’ll see recurring design themes and subject matter, as with any artist.

Q-What do you call the technique you use to make these pieces?

A-The technique I use primarily is Fabrication. This means building each piece individually (as opposed to casting which you can make multiples of a design at once) form sheet and wire. I use different thicknesses of silver sheet and saw out shapes, hammer, and stamp out designs in the metal. I curl and twist wire to create structural and design elements. Sometimes I use plain round wire, sometimes I use patterned or bezel wire. In general the techniques are fairly primitive Navajo Silversmithing Techniques I learned form my teacher.

Q-How did you learn?

A- I apprenticed form 3 years with a master spiritual silversmith called Starsparks in Colorado then in New Mexico form 1996-1999.