About Beth McElhaney & Her Jewelry

 

After graduating with a BFA in Interior Design from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri Beth moved back to her home state and started her working life in Austin, Texas. It is there she began making jewelry over 20 years ago. Her first passion was working with African Trade Beads which she purchased from the traders who brought their products directly from Africa. She then discovered Czech and Venitian glass beads then gemstones, freshwater pearls. She quit her full time job and the rest is history. 

 

Inspiration

Beth's inspiration comes from many places... color, texture, nature, life experiences.

 

Lines

Beth has four distinct lines with varying looks within each catagory. 

Her ethnic line is called "Bethnic" which was created from her orginal bead root using African Trade Beads. These pieces are often larger in size and the use of turquoise is often seen in her designs. Many are statement pieces.

Victorian line is usually lighter in feel but not always. The use of gemstones, crystal and pearls are seen in many of these designs.

HauteWire is her line where she bends a heavy (usually square)  gold filled or sterling wire and  then sews the beads onto the base wire with a matching thinner gauge wire. These pieces are structural yet organic by design, usually one of a kind and are

often created with gemstones, crystal and  pearls.

Elements is her newest line which she creates in PMC (precious metal clay). Once fired in a kiln, the clay sinters and the organic binder burns out leaving a fine silver piece or 99.9% silver. Often these pieces are accented with assorted gemstones such as peridot, sapphires, garnets and labradorite among others.