Inspiration + new storefront: Guest blog post by Katie of Katie Wood Jewelry

Local Noe Valley/San Francisco jewelry designer Katie of Katie Wood Jewelry shares where she gets her inspiration and opens shop at Guzel Jewelry Design at 1714 Union St at Gough...

My inspiration for the work that I do originally started with my mom. She has been making collages for years and they are quirky and sometimes a little odd, but they are a part of her experiences and symbolize and showcase what is significant to her, even if she is the only one who fully understands it.

One of the things that I love about art is that it can have so many different meanings and interpretations to different people. What stands out to me may be lost to someone else. I am drawn to collages and layering because every time I look there is something there I did not see before.

I often get inspiration from art. When I first saw a Hilary Williams print in a boutique on Polk St. many years ago, I fell in love. The colors, the layers, the juxtaposition of city and nature, the architecture and iconic San Francisco scenes drew me into a world I wanted to live in. Something about each of her pieces just makes me happy every time I look at them.She even has an Etsy shop where she sells necklaces made with prints of her artwork: https://www.etsy.com/shop/hilarywilliams

I’ve also been inspired by using vintage materials and styles in a modern way. A lovely store in my neighborhood continually inspires me as I walk past every day. When Modern Was, and just a few doors down, WMW II, is a mecca for vintage modern home furnishings, jewelry, and other various knick-knacks you didn’t know that you needed to have.

This is one of my first collages using a mixture of old and new along with some of my mom's collection of treasures (such as the old laxative tin lid). The sign on the door that says 'Clean and Serene' is absolutely reflective of my idea of heaven.

 

This collage pendant I made recently also speaks to my "meticulousness."

I love the simplicity of this white vintage heart from 1950's Germany that I placed against a black background into a modern styled necklace.

As I go through my own journey of discovery, I've realized that I have a harder time letting go of my perfectionism and desire for order. This comes through in my art, as I end up putting things together in a bit more of an organized way, not really overlapping lines and images, but keeping them in slightly neat and orderly fashions. Though, I definitely have a good deal of a little quirky and odd (things that probably only makes sense to me) like my mom!

I met Katie in the Women’s Initiative’s Simple Steps Course, which is finishing up this week! Katie Wood Marston is the owner and lead designer of Katie Wood Jewelry. She is opening shop at Guzel Jewelry Design at 1714 Union St at Gough! You can find her there starting this Sunday from 11am - 7pm. Shop online here and read her blog!