ArtFire Studio Profile: Silver River Jewelry

Compared to heavyweight virtual art marketplace Etsy, ArtFire (www.artfire.com)may be the new kid on the block. But this up and coming arts and crafts online marketplace is full of talented artists and studios of amazing works. One such studio is Silver River Jewelry.

At Silver River Jewelry you will find a wide variety of handmade artisan jewelry, including metal work, wire wrapping and beaded pieces. One browse through her ArtFire studio and you will be amazed to learn that artist Sonja McClung is able to do all of her beautiful work while juggling her "other life" as an insurance agent. Sonja says, "I have always needed to make things but it has taken me many years to finally find IT, the one craft that really just makes my soul sing." Her jewelry work allows her to fulfill her need to create. One look at Sonja's beautiful work and you can tell that jewelry is definitely her "it" thing. A mostly self-taught artist, Sonja find inspiration for her work in every day things such as color combinations, nature or even paintings hanging in her favorite restaurant. These inspirations ring evident in her flawless metal pieces and ornate bead work.

One thing that makes Silver River Jewelry stand out among other ArtFire artisan jewelry shop is her volume of available works in a variety of categories. You are bound to get lost in all of the jewelry she has to offer. As a buyer, that is a great problem to have. Whether you are looking for bracelets, necklaces, pendants, rings, belt buckles, earring or broaches you will be able to find them in metal, wrapped wire, and beaded varieties at Silver River Jewelry.

One of my personal favorite pieces is Sonja's Full Noon Brass Pendant. This pendant is a hand cut brass plate with a sterling silver center and detailing. In the center of the pendant is a beautiful bezel set citrine stone. The summery yellow of the citrine echoes the summery feel of the brass plate and sun shape. You simply could not wear this pendant without a little extra summertime spring in your step.

Silver River Jewelry can be found a variety of web locations including ArtFire, MySpace (www.silverriverjewelry.myspace.com), Twitter (SilverRiverJ) and her blog (www.silverriverjewelry.blogspot.com).

If you are a passionate collector, casual appreciator, or somewhere in-between, you simply must check out Silver River Jewelry. You will not be disappointed with the variety, uniqueness or craftsmanship displayed at this ArtFire studio. Watch out Esty, this studio is sure to get the ball moving over at ArtFire.