Joanna Gollberg

Joanna Gollberg is a nationally celebrated jewelry artist, well known author and noted jewelry instructor. She has been a self-employed studio jeweler for over 20 years, selling her work at craft & jewelry galleries and fine craft shows across the US. Her current and most well known work combines raw, faceted and cabochon gemstones creating colorful modern jewelry compositions.

Joanna began making her current line of colorful prong set designs about 15 years ago. Although she has had other lines of jewelry that were successful commercially, this gem-centric line is the one that has given her the most joy in making over a long period of time. She explains, "It's because I can utilize color. Adding color to my work changed my work life in ways I never expected."

She plans out each piece's color composition and meticulously creates all of them herself using traditional metalsmithing methods. Each piece containing dozens of solder joints.

"I love to solder. It is very relaxing and gives me great pleasure. I also love arranging and designing with stones. --- Making jewelry satisfies my drive to create because it offers a lifetime of learning and challenges, in both a technical and in a design sense. The answering of “how?” helps me push design and personal boundaries within the framework of a jewelry line."

 

Joanna also has a deep love for travel. She has been across the US teaching and selling at shows, but it's her international travels to such countries as India, Nigeria and Sri Lanka that have made the most impression on her personal life as well as influencing her jewelry designs.

"There's just nothing like being in a place where people operate differently than in the US. I love learning about different cultures through food, land, being on a train, meeting new people, communicating without words when you speak different languages, finding similarities and appreciating differences. When I travel, I feel completely free while at the same time understanding that I am a citizen of the world. I feel it is necessary to travel to help us understand our place in the world, appreciate our obligations to others, and to understand the value of different cultures."

Joanna is equally passionate about service to others. She joined the Rotary International when she felt like our leaders had no concerns for the less privileged and the suffering.

"Being part of Rotary has given me new insight into how important it is to help the less fortunate and marginalized people in our communities. I also have been given so much hope and joy to learn about all the wonderful work different organizations in communities do for others. It is uplifting for my soul to look at the positives instead of the negatives. Now that the door to service has been opened to me as an adult, I know I will forever be working to give to others in different ways across the globe. It is important for all of us to work to make the world a better place, and to find connections with each other."

We at MAKE MADE have know Joanna for years and know of her contagious, electric personality and we hope this opens your eyes to the amazing artist that she is, and your hearts to the amazing human being that she is...

Browse Joanna's work at MAKE MADE