Iris Willow is an enamel jewelry artist based in San Francisco where she lives with her partner and young daughter. Iris has always had a creative streak which led her to study art in college, graduating with a BFA with a concentration in graphic design from Colorado State University. After college, she began taking metal classes for fun. She was first introduced to enameling while living in Santiago, Chile and taking jewelry classes from a local jeweler. She fell in love with the possibility of adding color to her jewelry. Upon returning to the States, she bought a kiln and began experimenting, supplementing her enameling knowledge with workshops along the way. She loves exploring a wide variety of enameling techniques in her jewelry.
Iris gains inspiration for her jewelry from the world around her, including her many travels and adventures living abroad. She’s lived in Italy, Thailand, Laos, Chile and Argentina, but is always drawn back to the Bay Area. She is also inspired by nature, seeking out patterns and colors she observes as she explores the natural world. She also draws inspiration from textile patterns and geometric shapes and enjoys playing with line and mark making. She brings her graphic designer eye to her jewelry designs, favoring bold clean patterns and color combinations in her jewelry. She sells her jewelry on her website, at local galleries, and at local craft shows.
Iris began teaching enameling workshops in 2015, initially out of her studio. She loves introducing her students to a new art form and seeing their creativity blossom through experimentation. Iris is a very patient and thorough teacher and is excited to be part of the Crucible.
