I grew up in the countryside of The Netherlands, a country rich in history and culture. My mother, a textile artist and avid gardener, fostered in me a connection to the earth and a deep love for nature.

My father, an artist whose work was recently acquired by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, taught me an appreciation for the Fine Arts and the creative process. Art, in all it forms was abundant and a part of our daily life. My sister became an art historian; I have explored and enjoyed working in various art forms but found my true love in jewelry design.

I discovered spirituality in the meditative and creative process of making jewelry. Working with beautiful gemstones, precious metals, and other materials is a blessing, I cherish every moment of it. I continue to take classes to further my knowledge in jewelry art. The last few years my explorations have included classes in Precious Metal Clay ( Metal Clay/ Artclay) and traditional silversmith techniques.

I am the Arts and Crafts Coordinator for the Mar Vista Farmers Market and founder of the Mar Vista Arts and Crafts Collective.

I live in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles with my husband and our three children.

With Artwear, I want to create pieces that are valued and cherished for many years to come. In a world where more and more is disposable and very little is saved, I hope to bring back a sense of reverence for the objects that adorn us.

Artwear pieces are all one of a kind or part of a small limited edition. I handcraft all my pieces using specially selected semi-precious gemstones and beads, precious metals and natural elements, antique inspired findings and charms and combine them with modern lines and sensibility.

Handcrafted jewelry allows for the subtle capture and transfer of energy. My love and intent as I design each piece, in combination with the energetic qualities of the materials I use, allow me to create pieces that resonate with the wearer. As Mahatma Gandhi said:

Artwear by Birgitta jewelry is handmade using various precious and semi-precious gemstones, pearls, fabrics, leathers, precious metals, and other materials. These materials are delicate and need to be gently cared for. Please remove all jewelry when bathing and styling and put jewelry on last when dressing. Soaps, oils, alcohol and chemicals can cause damage to your jewelry. In most cases, the patina that is created with time will enhance the beauty of the piece, and no special cleaning of any sort is needed.

A soft cloth can be used to gently remove dust and any oily residues. If you wish to clean your Artwear pieces more thoroughly, a baking soda/water paste gently applied with a soft brush then removed with water can clean most pieces that don’t have fabric, wood or other absorbent materials. There are also many commercial jewelry cleaners and cloths available. Please read all instructions prior to use as some Artwear pieces can only handle delicate cleaning due to the different components used. Metals, especially sterling silver, will oxidize over time. To minimize this, sterling silver items can be stored in airtight containers If you are unsure about which cleaner to use, I suggest taking your jewelry to a cleaning professional. I do not accept responsibility for any items damaged during cleaning. To energize your gemstones, rinse them with water, pat dry gently with a soft cloth and lay out in the sun for a few hours.