Anne Cook

Many of you will recognize Anne Cook's Vintage Jewelry, having admired the antique cuff link bracelets we've offered the past. Since then, we've learned a lot about Anne- for instance: her necklaces, as you'll see HERE, are gorgeous! Artfully unbalanced and constructed from bits and pieces of real and faux antiques, we just couldn't resist them!

We also discovered that Ms. Cook specializes in stitchery- we had no idea she was so multi-talented until we visited AnneCook.com

Beata Dziegielewski

Beata Dziegielewski offers selections from favored Polish artists
in her own showroom at the San Francisco Gift Center, Amber #1.

An artist herself, Beata was born in Poland, and began making jewelry as a student. In art school, her friends were other budding silversmiths starting their own careers, and together, they participated in festivals and street fairs around the country.

After living in Rome, and later moving to San Francisco, Beata was finally able to visit her home in Poland again where she discovered many of her art school friends were making names for themselves. Transitioning into a wholesale representative to introduce their artistry to American jewelry sellers was a natural step in this designer's professional career. Amber #1 now brings the best of Polish artistry and Baltic Sea Amber to the U.S., much of it influenced by Beata's experience in design and sales.

Northcoast Greyhounds is privileged to add Amber #1 to our list of collections, and to present to you Ms. Dziegielewski's selections from some of the finest jewelers and designers of Poland, Russia, Lithuania and Latvia - all newly adorned with greyhounds, of course!

David Leight

I discovered Leightworks at the Tucson Gem Show in 2011 where this photo was taken - a fortunate encounter!

David's art career officially began after his formal training from the Pilchuck glass school, founded by Dale Chihuly, for the first time in 1999. There he studied the art of shaping and polishing under Mark Taylor. From this experience and work in the class David developed a unique style of cutting crystal based on his observations of crystal and ice and strived to exemplify their characteristics and enhance light in his creations. While attending college he began showing his work in local galleries and evolving his style. In 2004 after graduation, David attended Pilchuck again and continued to improve his sculpture techniques. His style became more detailed and precise. Then in 2004, David got his break. He was commissioned to construct a five-foot sculpture of the Google logo out of his crystalline style for the office's co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. This enabled him to move to San Diego and open up a studio.

Now in San Diego, David started to focus on smaller sculptures, candleholders, paperweights etc. At a farmers market in May 2005, a young lady asked David to transform one of the custom paperweights into a pendant, and that was it, David found his calling. He began to focus his unique signature techniques into the creation of his LeightWorks Crystal Jewelry line, which he continues today.

Put more Leight on the subject HERE!

Frederic Duclos

Frederic Duclos is an award winning French designer who has been working from his California studio since 1984.

Surrounded and nurtured by the beautiful French countryside, Mr. Duclos developed an early admiration for art and sculpture. For several generations, his family has been designing couture accessories so it was natural for him to continue the tradition.

After completing graduate studies in Paris, he was immediately drawn by the allure of jewelry design to become a designer himself. Soon after, he moved to California where he met his wife and business partner.

Please DO visit the Frederic Duclos website and allow Mr. Duclos, in person in his video, inspire confidence in your jewelry choice - and we hope it will be one with a greyhound on it (though we know you'll be tempted otherwise!).

See what pieces of Mr. Duclos' we have in stock....

Johnson Hui

How does one go about transforming himself from laser engineer to jewelry artist? We don't know how it happened but we're happy it did for Johnson Hui, because we're greyt admirers of his jewelry.

Johnson created The Special Concept in 1997, with his own artistic form in quality, handmade pieces from natural stones, specializing in opal.

In our September visit to his showroom, we purchased a as many of his elegantly tailored opal pieces as we could afford and will be adding them to his page as fast as we can decorate and photograph them! See more of Johnson's designs HERE.

Marissa Zavala

I introduced myself to Marissa at one of the larger venues in the Tucson Gem Show. Like most of the artists we meet, she and her brother who was working with her knew little about greyhounds or what all of us do for them.

I, of course educated her (!) and assured her that her admirable designs would compliment our efforts as you'll see among the items I chose from her 2011 collection. With sparkling lab-created opal being the hot item this year, I really liked the way Marissa combined them with natural stones and often created the same item in a variety of colors. There are, of course, lots more to come!

I just noticed in this photograph the pendant shown with coordinating beads in the background- I always wear beads with my pendants- nice to know my tastes run along the same lines as this talented Albuquerque artist! Our new adjustable chains work perfectly to create this effect matching up proper lengths!

Check out Marissa's Designs!

Marta Howell

Marta Howell's story testifies to a free spirit of adventure and entrepreneurism. At University Jagielonski in Krakow, she earned a masters degree in philosophy and taught languages there before managing a salon/spa business in Poland and a fashion company in Thailand.

It was in Thailand that Marta met her husband and while David managed his diving company, they lived in the tiny seaside village of Kohtao (population 900 ) without a car or even electricity. Marta spent her time collecting shells along Thailand's beaches and, in polishing them, discovered the treasures beneath each surface. Learning silversmithing from David gave form and direction to yet another career.

When the couple decided to move back to David's native Hawaii, the shells came along- all 200 pounds of them. Thus Marta Howell Studio opened in Kailua- and has since expanded to receive shell shipments from Britain, Indonesia, Norway, Denmark, Australia and the South Seas.

"The temperature of the ocean, age of the mollusk, the algae and seaweed they eat, all help determine the colors the shells take on. Those from Sumatra have a golden hue; from Norway, blue-pink; and New Zealand's are green-blue. One of the properties I like best about working with mother-of-pearl is that there is a shade that works with every skin color. I see art in every piece of shell. It's a never-ending adventure.," said Ms. Howell.

As is her life, it seems!

See the Marta Howell Collection