Jennifer Kashuck

Biography

Jennifer Kashuck designs jewelry from her home in Cambridge MA, to where she has recently moved from Portland, OR.  She has been happily making jewelry since high school when a friend showed her how to make her first daisy chain.  In addition to taking commissions, she has displayed at numerous craft fairs, festivals and galleries around the country.  Recently she has started doing metal work and intends to continue practicing this craft.  In addition to making jewelry she works in a fine jewelry store in downtown Boston.

Statement

I am influenced by the concept of reincarnation.  The beads I use come from a variety of sources.  Some of them have already been made into jewelry.  I take things apart and give them a new life.  I like the idea that these materials are infused with a history and energy collected from previous configurations, surroundings and situations.  I find meaning in continuing this life and creating positive change.  The journey I take through the making of a piece is also metaphorical to me.  When unexpected difficulties occur, I strive to figure my way through with patience.  I strive for the ability to listen, so that I can hear what the piece is telling me to do.

Inspiration comes from many places as well.  Sometimes it comes from something I’ve seen or experienced.  Sometimes I just sit and look at the beads, waiting for them to tell me how they want to be arranged.  Sometimes I am inspired by a past style in the history of adornment.  All the time I try to view the work of other artists, for their courage to create helps me to find my own.  You will see a wide range of style in the body of my work.

What we choose to adorn ourselves with tells the world how we feel inside.  Decorating our bodies is a very personal and powerful means to self expression, one of our basic needs as human beings.