Business Spotlight: Mechele Anna Jewelry ~
By Lori Anne Oliwa ~
A jewelry-making class a few years ago is where artisan Mechele Shoneman found inspiration. The long-time entrepreneur – Mechele has been involved with technology start-ups and also worked for large corporations like Lucent Technologies and CNA – has found a home amongst fine silver and gemstones like rubies and amethyst, peridots and sapphires, amongst others. “A friend talked me into taking the jewelry class,” Mechele joked, explaining that she had been experimenting with large oil paintings for several years and could not fathom working with such small parts after working with large canvases and brushstrokes. “I found the idea of working with teeny, tiny parts less than appealing, but as soon as I got my hands on the silver, I was hooked,” Mechele exclaimed. Mechele Anna Jewelry is her first foray into full-time artistry and allows her to fully immerse herself in being creative. “Creating what I want, when I want, is an incredibly free feeling,” she proudly said. Mechele also loves the delicate artistry and function required to create designs and manipulate the metal and describes it as “completely captivating.”
Mechele Anna Jewelry offers a wide range of fine silver earrings, rings and necklaces. Many feature precious and semi-precious stones like sapphires and moonstones. Each piece is hand-made and art-inspired with meticulous craftsmanship. Also known as ‘pure silver,’ fine silver is 99.9% silver and is more valuable than sterling silver, does not tarnish, and has a brighter luminescence, according to Mechele.
Asked to describe what is unique about her designs, Mechele explained that she uses her imagination as well as her hands and other small tools to manipulate the silver, experimenting with unusual shapes. She pushes the idea of balance to the limits, often referring to her jewelry as “perfectly imperfect.” Everything is unique and made by hand; no mold is cast, and no die-cutting machines are involved. Some of her earrings blend several different shapes, yet the final effects are astonishing and refreshing to the eye. “I see endless possibilities,” Mechele noted, adding, “Art, accidents, people, science….it all blends together in some crazy way. I’m endlessly excited to explore and test. Sometimes it’s as simple as a napkin pattern that sparks an idea or the flutter of a movement that reminds me of an earrings sway. I’m always a little surprised by what comes next, and that’s the fun of it all. I’m honored that people wear my jewelry and sometimes form a bond with it. This is always in the back of my mind when creating,” Mechele exclaimed.
Unlike most fine jewelry that is perfectly polished with no dings, marks or other signs of humanity, Mechele designs intentionally to show the human touch. Looking at her work, it is very obvious that human hands are at work. “Oftentimes you can even find my actual fingerprints on the back on my necklaces,” Michele said.
Mechele Anna Jewelry – Handmade, Art-Inspired Jewelry – 732-977-3578