MEET THE MAKER

Iris Willow makes handmade enamel jewelry in her studio in Bernal Heights in San Francisco. Iris has always had a creative streak. As a child, growing up in a rural mountain town in Colorado she dabbled in many arts and crafts projects, like making a paper doll house out of cardboard, drawing portraits of loved ones and selling handmade mushroom candles at a local festival. She then went on to study art in college, graduating with a degree in fine art and graphic design. 

She was first introduced to the art of enameling while living in Santiago, Chile and taking jewelry classes from a local jeweler. She fell in love with the possibility of adding color to her jewelry. It was exciting to have a rainbow of colors to choose from. She's a mostly self-taught enamelist, learning mainly through experimentation. She loves making jewelry and believes adding a splash of color to your outfit can really brighten your day. She gains inspiration from her many travels and adventures living abroad, nature, textile patterns and geometric shapes. Learn about her process here.