As a young girl, my happiest moments were spent immersed in the red earth, crafting delicate dioramas from stones, leaves, and petals.  Anytime I went to a beach I found myself captivated in a search for exquisite shells, lingering on the shore long into the evening examining treasures of the sea. Earthen materials fascinate my mind, sparking questions of formation, evolution and belonging. Why are certain materials found in specific regions, how did they form, what are they made of, what can they reveal about our collective human story? I’ve always had this understanding that I am also an earthen material. 

My fascination with materials of the earth became naturally focused on gemstones when I started making jewelry. I vividly remember the first time I picked up an oval brown, potato looking rock, discovered a slender vein of lavender light and cut it open to reveal a breathtaking galaxy of colorful opal within. This rock came from the blistering Australian desert, where rainbow veins beneath the surface have tempted opal hunters for decades. Each new gem I encounter inspires a desire to understand its origin and essence.

Rough sapphires

Nine years ago a request to make a ring with a rough diamond opened a new chapter for me. It was the first diamond I worked with - a light brown, uncut diamond whose octahedron shape delighted me. Within the year a couple other diamond ring requests landed and I felt a pull to truly master this medium. Intimidated by the diamond market, having heard horror stories about a corrupt, inflated industry, I enrolled in a diamond class at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The depth of knowledge I received about diamonds, the storied history and the appreciation I gained left me hungry to explore the entire spectrum of gemology. I completed the Graduate diamond courses but due to the time commitment required, becoming a Graduate Gemologist seemed like a pipe dream as I managed the demands of a thriving studio and small children at home.

Occasionally I would voice my hope to finish the studies and become a gemologist. With constant encouragement from Seth, I began spending one evening a week and a few hours on Sundays doing online courses, flying up to New York for the occasional intensive lab class. I knew I didn’t NEED the degree, it was something I wanted. It felt simultaneously like a fun, secret thing I was giving myself and a ridiculous extra responsibility I was adding to my plate and amazing knowledge to be gaining for my community - especially here in Tulsa, where few gemologists currently practice. 

Faceted Sapphires

This past autumn I invested in an incredible new microscope to better peer into the remarkable, tiny world of gemstones. Called the ‘Darth Vader Scope’ it does, indeed, allow me to see with the force of incredible clarity and 88X magnification. When I look into gemstones and see the tiny crystals and feathers and healed fractures that indicate its nature, it excites me. I also contain little secrets that sparkle and I have hardened parts and healed parts and fingerprints that make me who I am. I imagine if we looked into my bones and lungs - would we find some trace of red, Oklahoma earth? Could we see the DNA that my children inherited and whatever gene encouraging the silver appearing in my hair at thirty-eight?

The Darth Vader Scope

On July 2nd, 2026 I took my final GIA exam at the lab in New York City's Diamond District, passing the final with a 100% and, finally becoming a Graduate Gemologist.

The wonderful thing is, even after many months grading hundreds of gemstones as the final testing of my knowledge, I still love looking into rocks. I love these earthen treasures and what they do to my curious mind and how beautiful they look when wrapped in gold and how special they make people feel when worn on their body. 

In a past season of my life I studied birds. The corvid family was always my favorite. Exceptionally intelligent, they are one of the few avian species that engage in play and collection. Scientists find crows and ravens collecting shiny things, putting them in their nests or carrying them around. Humans are meaning making animals, so we place meaning and intention behind this practice when we engage in similar behavior. The beauty is, I’ve seen it work. I’ve seen people place an object on their body and change the way they carry themselves. I’ve listened to how wearing a specific ring, with a specific intention has changed the course of a woman’s life. These earthen materials become symbols of who we are and who we want to be. Knowing the story of those materials, the rocks and gems I get to work with, helps me make the story complete, more powerful, more intriguing, more exciting. I’m still a girl making little dioramas with rocks, I just arrange them in adornments placed on people’s bodies with an understanding that makes their lives richer, deeper, more sparkly and exciting.