Monday, November 10, 2008

Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: chendric

Cheryl Hendric is a "chronic wanderer, settled for the meantime in Boston with my boyfriend and two cats." She's originally from the Midwest, but studied abroad in Denmark and has even worked and volunteered in Thailand and Nepal. Her current work will lead her to Africa later this year. "These places I’ve been and the people met along the way continue to inspire me and my designs," she explains of her fascination with exotic landscapes and cultures. Her interest in science and nature can also be seen in some of her metalwork. "I love the versatility of silver, but I also need color in my life - bright color." She aims to keep her designs simple enough for every day wear, but still unique, "whether that be through the use of an unusual stone, intriguing texture, or bold color." A lifelong crafter and artist, she recalls the unfortunate incidents where she played a role in her second grade teacher having her lamination privileges revoked. "I had her laminate so much of my artwork," she jokingly admits. She has "experimented with pottery, pastels, candle making, soap making, and bookbinding, but my love for silver and gemstones has kept drawing me back to jewelry." In regards to her photographs, she has always admired her fellow Etsy artists, but "it wasn’t until my trip to Nepal that I decided to share my photographs with others; the country and the culture were so amazing that I felt guilty not sharing some of the images that I had captured during my time there." Etsy started out as a hobby, but she soon realized how satisfying it was to create for others. "Although I consider this a business, I do have a day-job working on malnutrition research and interventions in Africa as part of a large international development project," she says. She hopes to share her work with the world through Etsy - "and it would be nice to sell more than I buy on Etsy." Please check out her shop: http://chendric.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis
Dharma Designs

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