Master Wire Jewelry

Felice first started stringing beads as a kid. Growing up, she was constantly making things, but she was frustrated by the limitation of only being able to use objects that already had holes. She continued making jewelry all through her early adulthood while also completing her training as a carpenter and traveling the world. Her travels in India led to her starting up her own business selling beautiful imported goods, first at festivals and markets and eventually in her own store in the interior of BC, Canada. Stones and beads always made up a portion of her imports, and then, about six years ago, wire entered her life in a big way. At this time, her store was still seasonal, and she had most of the winter open to her. Now that she had discovered working with wire, she was able to overcome her earlier limitations in jewelry-making; and she dove in deep! She spent 40-60 hours per week taking local courses and perfecting her craft. She could now use anything she wanted in her jewelry-making because she had learned to securely capture the edges of objects. But even that wasn’t enough! She scoured the internet for ideas and inspiration, fueled by a need to learn every technique she could find. She has made thousands of unique pieces and while she has become a master at her craft, she is still always learning. At her store, Felice now sells jewelry-making tools and supplies as well as her own pieces and custom work. She is now able to offer customers a variety of design options when they come to her with a stone they want her to incorporate into a wearable piece. Four years ago Felice began teaching basic wirework classes followed by ever-more advanced techniques as her students mastered the beginner skills and wanted more. Her lessons have been developed with the student’s success in mind and the fact that there is always demand from students to take her next class is a testament to her skill as an instructor. Her students learn quickly and they advance fast! Felice has a wealth of knowledge and is a very straightforward teacher. She wants her students to succeed and her instructions are clear and easy to follow. Felice’s passion for working with wire shows in her own work and in her lessons. She describes the malleability and versatility of wire as part of why she loves it: “I can treat it like a piece of structural lumber or I can weave it like string.” She understands the nature of the material she is working with so well, and can explain both the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of any technique. If you would like to master any aspect of working with wire, you have come to the right place!