I discovered jewelry making in my high school art class! How lucky I was to uncover the thing I was to devote my life doing at such a young age. I earned a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on jewelry and metal-smithing from the University of Oregon. I have continued my education over the years apprenticing and taking specialty workshops from masters.
After college I worked as a bench jeweler for several years honing my skills. When my husband and I started our family, I wanted to be home with our kids, so I set up a home studio. I have been doing juried art shows, gallery sales and custom work; and now working hard at running my Etsy shop!
I have had several different studios over the years. I now work in a refurbished retro- vintage trailer as my studio in Mancos, Colorado. (My shop icon is a picture of it).

MY PROCESS:
My jewelry making involves many different processes including the ancient art of lost wax casting, and also hand fabrication techniques. I usually start with either a pencil sketch, an approximate idea in my head. I carve the lost wax pieces by hand from a block of wax using reshaped dental picks, scalpels, and flexible shaft burrs. The wax is then enveloped in plaster, melted out in a kiln, then using a torch and centrifuge; cast into silver or gold. I use recycled metals. Once I have my original in metal finished and polished, I can take a rubber mold of it; I layer uncured rubber over the original, "Vulcanize" it (which is pressure and heating) to cure the rubber. It is then cut into a 2 or 3 part mold with a scalpel. I use my wax pot and air compressor to inject wax into the rubber mold. The waxes usually need clean up (re-carve) and then I use the lost wax casting method again. This duplicating process allows me to charge lower prices especially for the more complicated designs that originally take many many hours to carve.
For fabricating pieces I use many different tools and methods to manipulate the metal (usually silver and gold) including: files, drills, saws, pliers, nippers, torches, a buffer, sand blaster, rolling mill, vises, stakes, hammers, draw-plates, gravers, punches, and dapping tools. I use silver, gold, precious and semi-precious gemstones to create my unique jewelry.

Besides here on Etsy, I sell my work at the following galleries and stores;
McCall Jewelry Company, McCall, Idaho;
Whitebird Gallery, Cannon Beach, Oregon;
RiverSea Gallery, Astoria Oregon,

I am a member of SNAG; The Society of North American Goldsmiths; CMAG; the Creative Metal Arts Guild based in Portland Oregon, and COMAG; the Central Oregon Metal Arts Guild based in Bend Oregon.

For additional pictures of my jewelry, and more about my studio space (check out my camper/studio!!) , please also take a look at my website: http://nancyhoytjewelry.com/