Frances E. Kite

Frances E. Kite enjoyed creating jewelry as a child, from seed necklaces and dandelion bracelets to a ring made from an acorn cup. She believes jewelry holds emotional and historical value, and remembers looking through heirlooms while her mother told stories about the family's ancestors. Kite creates intricate earrings, brooches, and necklaces using cloisonné, a technique in which the outline of a design is built up from metal strips and then filled in with different colored enamels. She wants her designs to become the heirlooms of tomorrow for "others to contemplate [and] enjoy."