JEWEL Highlight...Cherrie Fick of EnLaLumie're

Introducing...our JEWEL of the month

Cherrie Fick from EnLaLumiere

When I first “met” Cherrie, what struck me most, is her beautiful artistry in her jewelry designs.  Through bead choices, color mixes, and textures – it’s so obvious that each design, is made from the heart and full of the kind of beauty you might feel if you were taking in a sunrise or sunset on a beautiful day near the water - calming to the soul...  It’s been such a joy for me to have Cherrie in my life as a friend, and kindred soul…because when the world is full of people racing from one place to another, always jumping on the latest “fad” – I can’t say how refreshingly honest it is to find another designer that creates from the heart while staying true to her own unique style.  It’s these very things that allow a person to look at a piece of jewelry and instinctively know who created it without ever seeing the name in print – Cherrie was blessed with that type of design style and touch.

 

For those of you that are not familiar with Cherrie – she began designing jewelry in 2009 by selling to her friends and at local craft fairs.  Like most starting designers, Cherrie started with simple symmetrical stringing pieces that evolved into more intricate designs that are asymmetrical and feature a variety of artisan beads and components.  She loves ceramic, art glass, mixed media, bronze, copper, Vintaj Brass, Gemstones, Czech Glass, and of course JLynnJewels ART tiles. She is a designer that allows the beads to “speak” to her as inspiration for her many Vintage style, and romantic designs.   In early 2010, she opened her Etsy Store En La Lumie’re

Her personal and professional life revolve around her family consisting of her husband, recording artist sons, their families, and currently counting at six grandchildren  – some of which live across the street from her in sunny California (and the other family lives up the coast in Oregon).  Music of course is a big part of Cherrie’s life and she designs listening to quite the eclectic mix of music - dating from 80s rock to Country and pop.  Her husband, Michael is also artistic and sells his Fine Art Photography that has an emphasis on fashion, water and nature at a variety of Art & Craft Shows in Northern California, and on Etsy at WaterSoulsStudios 

As designers, we all seem to have favorite color mixes depending of course on our moods or seasons.  Some of Cherrie's favorites are...

Pastel mixes in the Spring...

Beautiful spring mix featuring ceramic beads from Gaea

and a necklace and bracelet variation of one of Cherrie's husbands Art Prints

Pink Hydrangea ART tile from JLynnJewels and a beautiful selection of beads

Cherrie always has a way of adding tiny little details that

strike the fancy and call out for attention - like the adorable line

of Czech petal beads dangling from each side.

SUMMERtime!

Aqua and Ocean like colors and themes...

Featuring Spirited Earth, Gaea, Radiant Mind (above & below)

and a variety of Czech Glass with Vintaj Brass.

I love how Cherrie's designs are asymmetrical in nature

but have a gentle flow to them.

 FALL...

Harvest colors when the weather cools...

Beautiful selection of Czech Beads and Boro Glass Bead from SeaShoreGlass

One of the things that Cherrie is known for is the glorious mixes of unique beads

and pairing them together.  I simply LOVE this design!

Lovely fall pair of earrings featuring Cherrie's Altered Brass Blanks

WINTER to SPRING... 

And a Merlot and Blue Mix during the cooler temperature months...

Featuring Menagerie Studio, SeaShoreGlass, Bubby & McGurk, and Gaea.

Another unique asymmetrical design - once again showing how lovely

Cherrie groups her sections together...in this case a stranded side in conjunction with chain.

Cherrie’s first published design hit the stands in March of 2011, she was featured as the Bead Trends Designer Highlight for the month of July 2011 (if you are not familiar with Bead Trends, each month a Designer is highlighted complete with Bio and a multiple page spread featuring the designer's choice of jewelry - go ahead and like them on Facebook - with parent company Northridge Publishing Company...there are a lot of other "Trends" magazines to get inspired by too).

Low Tide was one of my favorites

(featuring Amanda of SeaShorGlass boro bead and Gaea Ceramic pieces)

And her Autumn necklace was on the Bead Trends Cover in November of 2011…

her designs have also been seen in Stringing.

When I asked Cherrie about some of her creative inspiration goals – she explained that she is currently expanding on her skills with metal alteration (who she gives credit to Amanda Cargill Austin for teaching her), as well as exploring the world of Polymer Clay, while constantly being tempted to try new things. Here's just one example of her Metal alterations...

If you're in business...you know that a big part of staying in business, is of course providing a product or service that fits a need, or simply makes people happy.  The other part, has to do with marketing, networking and making connections.  Within the jewelry world, you can find a number of people like Cherrie, that truly take pleasure in others successes and when possible, collaborates with them in the creation of many jewelry designs.

Cherrie does fabulous work combining a multitude of people, sometimes within just ONE design…here are some examples of Cherrie’s collaboration designs with friends:

Amanda Cargill from Seashore Glass

One of Cherrie's first collaboration friends...

who shares quite a bit of common threads with each other

 (including places, towns, and of course jewelry)

Cherrie created a lovely focal with Amanda's Boro beads

and a fun swirl wire wrap

Gaea Cannaday of Gaea Beads

Gaea Ceramic Beads take center stage in this

fun and colorful design that Cherrie whipped up

Erin Prais Hintz of Tesori Trovati

Cherrie created this lovely necklace featuring one of Erin's focals, boro bead by

Amanda of SeaShoreglass and a Toggle ART Tile of JLynnJewels

One of my FAVORITES to date!

Martha Eason of Menagerie Studios

Another sweet design of Cherrie's featuring

Menagerie Studio's focal pendants

Raida Disbrow of Havana Beads

I absolutely love these earrings - Cherrie really made the

 glass drops from Havana's beads come to life

Shannon Levart of Miss Fickle Media and Nan Emmett of Spirited Earth

Another super collaboration project with not only a

Ceramic focal by Nan,

 and wire/finding accents by Shannon...

but also some additional ceramic beads by Gaea

Dean & Kristy Abner of BubbyMcGurkBeads

Cherrie did a beautiful job allowing Dean's amazing Heart Focal

take center stage on what I like to call a "Focal Bar" - a unique

and slightly different approach then a standard "stringing"

And of course me – Janice of JLynn Jewels with my ART and Embossed tiles…

Beauty Dog Tag ART Tiles (double sided images)

Cherrie does such spectacular things with my Tag Tiles

love how she does something unique and different each time.

Another famous ART tile of JLynnJewels featuring a Monet print

and also an Inspirational Word ART Tile too.

I'm always jealous of all the beautiful beads Cherrie has to "play" with!

Being a published designer myself, I'm always interested to learn what catches another designers eye about my tiles...so when I asked Cherrie what she likes best about them, she explained that they are always “fresh and new” in style and design, with a high quality, artistic, and professionally finished look.

Cherrie and I began collaborating together when she asked me to incorporate some of her husband's artwork into a tile form that she could use in jewelry.  I was thrilled and had a great time digiting Michael's Art Prints in miniature tile...and then seeing Cherrie utilize them in her jewelry designs.  

Words can't really describe the feeling I get seeing others like Cherrie design with my ART Tiles.  You see when I take my own Watercolor artwork and create a tile to use in one of my own Jewelry designs, it's a very personal experience and feeling...but when I do this for another Designer who is using a family member's artwork (or their own art or photography) - I have to say it's like being honored in a really regal way...and if I had to put a "feeling" to it - it's like someone is tickling your insides with a feather - you get that bubbly, airy, fun type happiness! 

There are many people that I hope to introduce you to as time goes on...but until then...go on over and visit Cherrie's links and say hello!

Facebook Page

Etsy Store

Cherrie's Blog

In closing, for me...and considering the past several years after leaving the world of a succesful wholesale business behind, in order to get back to my roots of working with my customers one-on-one...I have to say that one of the absolute best things, have been the friendships and people that I've met in person...and those like Cherrie who I've "e-met" - both of which make my life so much fuller and both of which I can't imagine my life without them in it because they are always there to lend a hand, send a virtual hug or simply offer a sweet compliment.  So, I'd like to leave you today with a quote that reminds me of my special friendship with Cherrie...

Among Life's precious jewels,
Genuine and rare,
The one that we call friendship
Has worth beyond compare

Thanks Cherrie for all your beautiful inspiration, presence and wisdom!