I make jewelry and shiny things that make people want to write.

Welcome! I'm Elise, also called Lioness, and making these one-of-a-kind shinies is what I do. It's also what got me a rather unusual World Fantasy Award nomination in 2009. I love making art that inspires other people to make art, especially word-art. (That way there's more for me to read. Win!)

I make all the jewelry by hand. Mostly I describe myself as a metal-bender; I work with sterling silver wire in a variety of gauges, and sometimes with other metals too. The beads come to me from all over the world, and some of them have stories behind them as well.

Writers who have found inspiration in my work include Jo Walton, Sarah Monette, Elizabeth Bear, Emma Bull, Amal El-Mohtar, and many more. I am deeply honored whenever someone writes something sparked in some way by the shinies I make. I hope that they inspire you as well, whether it's to write a poem or story, to seek out something wonderful to read, or to enjoy moving through your day wearing something that makes you happy.

Oh. If you want a testimonial, I asked Neil Gaiman for one once, and he said, "Elise Matthesen is my favourite jewellery maker." So there ya go. (Thanks, Neil!)

(Some have wondered why it may take from three to five business days to ship. I'm a disabled artist. I have a good life, but sometimes I'm moving pretty slowly. There's a reason I have snail sculptures on the shelf here to look at for encouragement. I'll do the best I can; your understanding is appreciated. By the way, at this point I ship everything by priority mail.)