My Story
Jansjems began in 2006 when I signed up for courses in geology and gemology before obtaining a small collection of faceted gemstones. The early stage of my career focused on the use of genuine gemstone beans and precious metals to create designs for family and friends. The challenge of working with combinations of colors and textures quickly roped me in as well as the budding artists that are my own precious gems - my two daughters.
The eclectic collection of Jansjems designs is attributed to the wide variety of styles that each of us has. The obsession to create unique wearable art has now evolved into two distinct jewelry collections: 1) handmade fine silver and bronze embellished with genuine gemstones and 2) steampunk jewelry comprised of upcycled and vintage materials.
The progression of Jansjems from a hobby to a business has been an exciting adventure. Since the creativity of the Bajgier women shows no sign of slowing down, we hope that family, friends, and loyal customers will continue to support our create endeavors at New England craft fairs and online stores for years to come.
In the Studio
Metal clay products have given me the ability to hand fabricate one-of-a-kind textural pieces that I sometimes combine with gemstones. Make no mistake, this new material is metal, not clay. Several years ago, Mitsubishi of Japan found a way to reclaim silver from computers and cell phones by combining the silver particles with a bonding agent and water. It gave the silver a soft consistency allowing it to be worked like clay -- textured, stamped, rolled, molded, even carved when dry. Once the material is dry, it is fired in a kiln at a very high temperature where the bonding agent burns off and silver particles remaining are fused together into .999 pure silver. Metal clays are also available in copper, bronze, sterling silver, and steel.
My style varies some as I experiment with techniques. I'm particularly fond of geometric shapes reminiscent of the Art Deco period, but I also love open work and floral designs. In my shop, you can find my most recent products in fine silver and bronze.