Kathryn Bowman

"Flowers have always expressed living joy to me. My jewelry celebrates nature as I encourage conscious stewardship of our planet in its gracious, steady abundance. "

Being raised by two enthusiastic gardeners, Kathryn Bowman literally lived in a garden each summer: learning species, drinking in the color, and watching life cycles. Those experiences are infused into her interpretations of botanical form and design—pieces that echo nature's abundance. The artist's intent is to remind the wearer of our role in caring for our planet.

Bowman was stitching before grade school, and she has focused on beads for two decades, being drawn to their vast color and texture. With a desire to design the metal elements, she became a metalsmith and now creates the sterling silver components of each piece. The metal is cut, forged, or pierced to suit each design, resulting in a compelling and harmonious blend of beads and metal.

When Bowman added beads to her needle twenty years ago, a journey of exploration started that led to teaching and writing about her techniques. She studied at Maryville University in St. Louis under Sherri Jaudes to master metalsmithing. She is always alert to metalsmithing workshops and has studied under leading American jewelry artists. Her quest to expand her skills will never end.