Lexi Erickson , Instructor
Artist Statement
Lexi Erickson Designs began in 1988. While studying for an advanced degree in archaeology, I wanted
to learn about bronze, and how the Age of Bronze emerged from the Stone Age. Metals fascinated me,
and while we found beads and jewelry objects in excavation sites, the only jewelry I really knew about
was “jewelry store jewelry”. That didn’t interest me a bit. At the insistence of a friend, I took a university
level jewelry course to learn about bronze. The rest is history. I earned a Masters Degree in Jewelry, and
fell in love with making my own kind of jewelry. Not the high polished gold and diamonds found in the
mall jewelry stores, but earthy, natural and organic looking pieces. I liked using cabochons, and unusual
shapes, and distressing my work so it looked like it came from another culture and was dug up yesterday. I
had discovered Art Jewelry.
This love affair has continued, and now that I am no longer teaching college archaeology, I have turned to
full time jewelry making and world travel. Another of my joys is writing for Lapidary Journal Jewelry
Artist. I am blessed in the fact that I get to continue my love of teaching as a writer of numerous step-
by-step articles, and also a feature article on tools or my travels now and then. I also teach through my
blog. I am inspired by the geology, colors and light of the Rocky Mountains in which I live. With this, I
blend my Northern European heritage with the strong Scandinavian design ideals. Combine this with the
mysticism of long forgotten civilizations where I have studied, taught and worked as an archaeologist, and
the spirituality of the people of the Four Corners area of the Southwest, where I grew up. Mix this together
(shaken, not stirred) and you find a unique style of jewelry not usually found in today’s market. From
the open-air markets of Cairo to the beaches of Easter Island, I personally select each stone, traveling
throughout the world to find exotic and unusual accents, that perfect color that exact shape needed.
I use only the finest materials. I hand finish each piece using the ancient techniques. Little or no electricity
is used during the entire process. Because of this, almost every piece is a one of a kind treasure. I make
each piece myself, therefore my yearly output is less than 150 pieces, all designed, made, and hand-
finished by myself. Each piece is a collector’s item to be cherished for many generations to come.
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