Pam Neri

"My work is the distilled result of 20 years spent teaching art, studying color theory, learning about composition, and discovering how to crochet with wire. I have a deep admiration for the adornment traditions of the African Omo tribesmen; their ability to make jewelry from plants is incredibly inspiring. Put me on a desert island and I’d still find a way to create!"

From striking cubist collars of colored glass and anodized metals to intricately enmeshed pop art hoops of glowing, frosted lucite, Pam Neri’s unique art jewels draw from a diverse seam of cultural and contemporary art references. As expressionist painter, Wassily Kandinsky, strove to create perfectly balanced compositions of geometric shapes and complementary colors, so too does this versatile beadsmith and crocheter create unexpected and visually satisfying arrangements by pairing bright single-use plastics against glazed ceramic beads, tactile wooden links against soft, wispy yarn, and rough-hewn quartzes with antique millefiori cane. In a culture where the perceived preciousness of our materials holds sway, contemporary jewels are material proof that the value of an artist lies in their ability to create unprecedented juxtapositions of color and texture; a truth showcased perfectly by Neri’s stunningly composed non-traditional pieces.

“I think curiosity is my motivation to keep making jewelry,” says Pam from her home studio in Connecticut, adding her lofty aim to somehow “reinvent the necklace” as a driving force behind her creativity. Seeing women wearing her work is also hugely fulfilling.

Pam graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She taught art for more than 20 years in public and private schools. Shortly before retiring, Pam attended a crochet with wire and beads class which launched her into a new pursuit of jewelry designing. She says it was truly a “life lift."