Artisan Bio

I’m a life-long lover of jewelry and never feel completely dressed until my earrings are in! This all started when I was in seventh grade and decided to pierce my own ears with the sewing needle and an ice cube. (Of course, the parents weren’t home at the time!) With an interest in searching out “wearable art” in my first career travels, I felt a calling for my second career to be a jewelry maker. My education in jewelry design and making has come from 6 years of studio courses and workshops at the Evanston Art Center (Evanston, IL) and the Peninsula School of Art (Fish Creek – Door County, WI), and from my growing library of jewelry design and fabrication books. I seek opportunities to connect with other metalsmiths to learn from their risks taken. I’mMaryRussert-bio a member of SNAG (Society if North American Goldsmiths) and have attended their annual educational conferences.

Recently, my pieces have been for sale at the College of Lake County’s gallery Artcettera gift shop (Grayslake, IL), Fashion-In-Motion boutique on wheels (Libertyvillle, IL) and at PegAnnKompany (Lake Bluff, IL). In addition, I have been featured at multiple trunkshows, and have won “Emerging Artist” awards at the Mundelein Art Festival (Sept. 2013) and the College of Lake County’s Student Art Exhibit (Mar. 2014).