Creative Edge
Rustic and Refined, Elegant and Untamed:
Sandy Robinson’s jewelry has a style all its own
By Savanah Mandeville
Where to find Sandy Robinson jewelry:
- Local Color Art Gallery, 1027 S. Main St., Joplin
- Facebook: @Sandy Robinson Jewelry. Follow her to find out about future art festivals and events where she’ll be present.
Sandy Robinson has always loved finding new ways to be creative.
Over the years, she has dabbled in sewing, crafting, knitting and even playing the flute.
So, when she retired from the Joplin School District, she was excited to have the free time to try her hand at some new hobbies.
“I started off taking a knitting class, which I really didn’t like,” she said. “But the lady who was teaching the class was wearing some beautiful handmade jewelry, and I thought, ‘Hmm, I think I could do that.’”
Soon after, Robinson ditched the knitting class and signed up for silversmithing at Missouri Southern State University. After a few classes, she was hooked.
“I totally loved it,” she said. “I knew I’d found my niche.”
What started as a hobby to fill the time has blossomed into a second career for Robinson. She has refined her craft over the last 10 or so years and has amassed a loyal following on her Facebook page, Sandy Robinson Jewelry.
One of the first things one will notice about Robinson’s jewelry is the remarkable natural stones she uses. She loves using local stones when possible, but her signature is definitely the opal, namely the boulder opal and Mexican fire opal. While she draws on many sources of inspiration, most of her jewelry has a mix of geometric, Art Deco themes and Native American influences.
Robinson primarily does metal fabrication, enameling and some glass-bead making. Additionally, she enjoys more free-form techniques such as bean casting, broom casting and water casting. She typically works with brass and copper in the winter and silver in the spring and summer, and she occasionally makes her chains by hand as well.
Robinson is also a unique artist in that she has a free-spirited approach to her creative process. She never forces inspiration and admits new ideas most often come when she can’t sleep at night. She is also one of the few who doesn’t pre-sketch her designs. She just starts working with her materials and lets the design unfold on its own.
This organic process lends itself to the natural elements in her work. Her jewelry is both rustic and refined, elegant but untamed.
“Creating beautiful, high-quality jewelry is my passion,” Robinson said. “Each day, I can’t wait to get into the studio and execute a new design. My only wish is that I would’ve started sooner!”