Biography

Hetherston’s future in jewelry making was crystal-clear early on. “As a child, I would take my mom’s costume jewelry that she didn’t want anymore and I would take it apart with nail clippers and eyebrow tweezers, then put it back together again the way I wanted it……My mom couldn’t figure out why the nail clippers were always dull.” She continued to polish her skills, enrolling and then dropping out of various art and metalsmithing schools before completing a degree at the Philadelphia College of Art. An admitted “gemaholic,” Hetherston avoids attending too many gem shows for fear of overspending (“I already have enough stones for three lifetimes”) but instead prefers to incorporate found objects from her travels or other meaningful places. Her objective is something she was never taught in school: Create pieces that are going to outlive you. “You can make a beautiful piece, but if it weighs a ton or doesn’t lay the right way on the body, nobody is going to wear it,” she says. “Jewelry has to be comfortable and functional. My work is contemporary and classic in both design and construction.”

Artist Statement

I have been an art studio metalsmith for 40 years and an educator for 10 years. My focus has been on functional one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry and small scale sculptures with wearable elements. I like to challenge the notion of what makes something precious by combining precious metals and stones with elements such as rusty washers, beach glass and other found objects to make beautiful statement jewelry. As part of a group called “The Trashy Women “ I have unleashed my love of found objects to create intimate purely sculptural works. This has challenged me to learn new ways to create cold connections to securely hold things together. It is my desire and mission to make wearable art that is both durable and timeless in construction and design.