About me... I have been designing and making jewellery for the last twenty five years. My work combines both lapidary and silversmithing techniques. I work with a wide variety of gemstones, combining them with sterling and gold plated silver to create pieces that are often large, bold and sometimes dramatic. I source and select from producers and wholesalers all over the world, mostly from Peru, and I will cut, hand polish and finish many of the stones myself, in some cases forging or melting silver on to them. I was brought up in Peru and studied Arts at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica in Lima. My Peruvian culture, Artist's training and European education influence my uses of colour and shape in unique ways to produce unusual and different ranges of jewellery. The growth of my business has allowed me the freedom to create more experimental and playful pieces, where I am able to incorporate techniques that are traditionally used in sculpture. Inspiration I trained as an artist, was brought up in Peru, but educated in European thought and culture. My inspiration derives from these sources. At the age of 9, while living in Mexico city, I studied painting with a disciple of the famous muralist and painter David Alfaro Siqueiros. So my formative years were marked by the use of strong colours typical of Mexican muralism. At University in Peru, I concentrated in learning and understanding colour theory and composition, a very important part in my jewellery designs. Parallel to this, I started studying the work of European Contemporary Artists while making jewellery using Pre Hispanic stones and found objects. My education and training have consequently enabled me to combine semi-precious stones with sterling and gold plated silver to create striking and unusual pieces of jewellery.