Karen Knorr

Boulder Field Necklace

Ball and Chain Earrings

Big Tear Earrings

Four Spiral Earrings

Platinum Pearl Necklace

Spiral Jetty Earrings

Spiral Pearl Earrings

Karen Knorr

I'm often asked how I came to designing and creating jewelry...

My dad was a pattern maker and had a shop where he worked with wood and metal. I lived for those weekends when he would bring me with him to the shop so he could catch up on work. I loved everything about it. He would let us build with scrap wood or punch our names out with the metal punch. There was sawdust everywhere and it smelled wonderful. He had bits of everything that we could play with: metal, wood, wax, clay. It was a fantastic place where I played, explored and learned to work with tools. My mom loved to sew and she taught me how to work with fabric and fiber. One of her greatest lessons was teaching me not to be afraid to try new things.

At the Rhode Island School of Design, I studied graphic design and upon graduation, embarked on a very successful 25-year career. Over time, much of the hands-on nature of graphic design has been replaced by technology and I found myself missing the organic nature of making things by hand.

Jewelry has brought together all the things I've always loved with the design skills I've honed over time. I work in both metals and fiber, which appeal to me in ways both personal and intrinsic. When what I've imagined takes shape I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.