Artist profile - Jewelry designer Christa Clark

I am thrilled to once again feature another one of my very talented friends - jewelry designer Christa Clark! Christa and I go wayyyy back. We went to design school in Bellevue, WA state from 1994 to 1997. After school we sort of lost touch except for intermittent information about each other via mutual friends. We both went on to work at different architectural companies as designers and then last year, through this wonderful thing called Facebook, we reconnected again! Christa is still working as designer with Mithun Architects in Seattle, but also an amazing jewelry designer. Hers is the perfect fairytale story and this is how it goes....

Somewhere in the late 1990’s, Christa was searching the shops for a necklace she had conjured in her mind – it was a long necklace that would tie in the front, studded with chunky turquoise stones. She was convinced that this necklace would make her life complete. - surely it had to be out there somewhere. When her search was rewarded with nothing but disappointment, Christa remembered what she always told herself growing up – “I’ll just make it!” She made the necklace and started wearing it, and was surprised at the number of comments that she received from friends, colleagues, even people on the street. She continued to make pieces for herself, until a friend encouraged her to participate in a local art show, show her jewelry, and maybe sell a few pieces. Christa ended up selling every piece she’d brought, and coming away with orders for a couple dozen more – and this is where Swish was born.
Christa founded Swish in the winter of 2005, and never looked back. Today, her jewelry is sold in several Seattle boutiques, and has amassed a loyal following of discerning accessory-philes. She lives in Seattle with her husband John and their sweet little girl, Ryan.

Designed and handcrafted in Seattle, Washington, Swish jewelry is composed of precious and semi-precious stones set in fine silver, sterling silver and 14 karat gold filled. Christa’s hand-forged, precious metal pieces strike the perfect balance between simple, modern design and warm, organic tactility. Take a look at these fabulous pieces and you will see how they are characterized by unabashed combinations of materials and an adventurous play on scale and proportion.