Yleana Martinez Custom Crafted Jewelry

mabe pearl taper

I was trained as a journalist but became enamored of metalsmithing after taking a beginner's class in 2006. I'm now a very happy member of the studiomate community at Metalwerx in Waltham, Mass., where I continue to take classes and produce a twice-monthly blog for the school.

Something about using fire to transform metal into art you can wear makes me feel connected to the ages, as metal has been used since primitive times for both ornamentation and practical purposes. Gemstones have an endless lore and mythology. They are the stuff of folktales and legends, are said to have healing properties, and are just so pleasing to the eye. Beyond status symbols, metals and gems connect us to the cosmos. Every element contained in this material is in the universe, found out there in space.

I often acquire stones and other parts of my jewelry while traveling. It gives me great satisfaction to produce a piece and have someone fall in love with it. This site includes pieces that are shown in galleries, including Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress, Austin, Texas, and at Karenna Maraj Jewels, 95 Trapelo Road, Belmont, Massachusetts.