Babs McLaughlin

"I describe my work as having rich textures and gorgeous gems. I have explored many textures but feel most comfortable with my old blacksmith hammers and the subtle effect those hammers impart onto the metal. I do have my favorite gems—opals and Tahitian pearls are my newest favorite. But you will find a varied assortment of gems used in my work, mostly because I can't say no to a gorgeous gem!"

Babs has always been intrigued by naturally occurring textures in nature—think about tree bark or the sand patterns after the ocean pulls away. She recently saw a pair of Aubergine Tahitian pearls, and thought, "I am going to make Tahitian cherries." Each earring has a gold or silver cap with a leaf. She began incorporating those little leaves into every piece of jewelry.

Babs is a self-taught metalsmith who loves textures. Her round head blacksmith hammers is well used. She forges the imperfections in the steel head onto her sheet, whether it is gold or silver. Cutting out each leaf was very time consuming, so she made models and has them cast by a professional. This leaves her time to create unique earrings, pendants, and rings.

?Babs earned her MBA and is proud to say she worked on the Hubble Space Telescope and as a NASA liaison. She then worked as an apprentice to a clockmaker, which taught her much about working with metal. She took one class in jewelry making and never looked back. Experimentation in the studio was substituted for formal training, allowing her to explore techniques freely. She can be heard telling patrons that each piece of jewelry has captured a moment of her life in metal and stone.